Gaming YouTubers for Sponsorship and What They Cost

92.7% of gaming creators in a 2025 survey of more than 100 creators work without an agency or a manager¹. If you want to sponsor most gaming YouTubers, there's no rep to call. You email the creator.

That's good news for game studios and gaming brands. Gaming is the biggest sponsorship niche on YouTube by deal count, and one of the cheapest per view. This guide covers who already buys, what gaming YouTubers charge, which format to buy, how to stay brand safe, and how to measure installs and sales. It ends with the fastest way to find and email the right channels.

Facts and prices checked November 11, 2026. See something wrong? Tell us.

Key takeaways

• 92.7% of gaming creators surveyed by YRS Truly in 2025 work without an agency or manager, so direct email is often the only route to them.
• Gaming was the largest YouTube sponsorship niche in one tracker's data, with 147,964 detected deals or 22.4% of all deals in the 12 months to January 2026.
• Gaming integrations price low per view, at $10 to $20 per 1,000 views in 1of10's guide and $6 to $15 in Spansa's aggregate.
• Gamersupps had the most detected YouTube sponsorship deals of any brand all time at 14,331, ahead of Eneba at 6,395, Gfuel at 6,302 and Instant Gaming at 6,021.
• 65.9% of surveyed gaming creators offer adjusted pricing for indie game projects, and every respondent said they were open to negotiating rates.

The gaming sponsorship landscape on YouTube

Gaming is where YouTube sponsorship volume lives. A tracker that monitors 129,386 channels detected 147,964 gaming deals in the 12 months to January 2026. That's 22.4% of every deal it found, more than entertainment at 13.5% and education at 10.0%².

The audience keeps growing too. YouTube Gaming live streams reached 8.8 billion hours watched in 2025, up 12% from 2024, according to Stream Hatchet data. That's about 25% of all gaming live stream hours online³.

Gaming creators also rely on sponsors. In the YRS Truly survey, sponsorships made up 29.6% of creators' total earnings on average¹. 1of10 says gaming and entertainment channels often earn 3 to 5 times more from sponsors than from YouTube ads⁴. So creators want deals, and most of them handle deals alone.

What that means for a buyer

• Lots of supply, so you can be picky.
• Lower prices per view than almost any other niche.
• No agency in the middle for most channels, so you need the creator's business email.

For the full picture across niches, start with our guide to YouTube sponsorship for brands.

Who buys gaming sponsorships

Four kinds of brands show up again and again in gaming sponsorship data. Game studios promoting launches, energy and hydration drinks, key and gift card marketplaces, and software that streamers use.

All figures come from the same tracker's all-time list and count one detected placement in one video as a deal². Look at the ratio of deals to creators. Gamersupps averages about 40 detected deals per creator, which means it rebooks the same channels again and again. Epic Games and Supercell work with fewer creators but still run thousands of placements (our arithmetic on²).

What each buyer type wants

• Game studios want wishlists, pre-registrations and launch-week installs. They buy gameplay, so the creator has to play the game on camera.
• Drinks and snacks want repeat buyers. They pay for a code and a long run of mentions.
• Key and gift card marketplaces want sales tracked by code. They book many channels at a low price each.
• Streaming tools and VPNs want sign-ups. They buy on channels where the creator can show the product working.

The lesson is that gaming sponsors win by repeating, not by one big video. Find a small group of channels that work, then keep them. Our list of top YouTube sponsors and what they teach brands goes deeper on this pattern.

What gaming YouTubers charge

Gaming has some of the lowest sponsorship CPMs on YouTube. Here's what published guides say.

Worked examples

1of10's own example is a micro gaming channel with 18,000 median views. At a $12 CPM that's $216, plus about $80 for production, for a floor near $300. It suggests the creator quote $400 to $450⁴.

A mid-size channel with 80,000 median views at $10 to $20 per 1,000 views comes to $800 to $1,600 for a 60-second integration (our arithmetic on⁴).

Spansa explains the low rate as big audiences with lower buying intent per viewer, so gaming deals run on volume over margin⁵. That's why the top gaming sponsors book hundreds of channels.

The minimum problem

One agency says the minimum for a YouTube integration is almost always $1,000, even on the smallest channels⁶. Many independent gaming creators price far below that, and 65.9% offer adjusted pricing for indie projects¹. Small studios get the best value by going direct to small and mid-size creators instead of through a buyer with a minimum.

Budget for a first test

Plan 8 to 12 channels, not one. If your average channel has 50,000 median views and quotes $500 to $1,250², ten integrations cost $5,000 to $12,500. That's enough to see which genres and creator styles bring players, and small enough to repeat with the winners next month. Keep 20% of the budget back to rebook the best two or three creators quickly while the game is still new.

For rates in every niche, see YouTube sponsorship rates by views, subscribers and niche.

Why you have to reach gaming creators directly

In the YRS Truly survey, 92.7% of gaming creators had no agency or manager¹. About 30.3% worked on content full time¹. Many of them are building a channel around a job or school.

That changes how you buy.

• There's often no rate card. Every respondent said they were open to negotiating¹. You'll have to ask.
• Time is short. The report tells brands to keep messages simple and skip complex pitches, because creators have limited time¹.
• Fit matters to them. 70.7% rated concern for how their community would react at 7 or higher out of 10¹. A pitch that doesn't fit the channel gets ignored.
• Events help. 36% expect travel and lodging support when a brand asks them to attend an event¹.

A short first email that works

Say which video made you think of them, what the game or product is, what you'd like (one 60-second integration in a named month), and ask for their rate and the median views on their last 10 videos. Keep it to five sentences. Follow up once a week later.

The hard part is the list. You need 30 to 50 gaming channels in the right genre, country and language, and a business email for each. YouTube shows that email one channel at a time behind a check. A contact database that filters YouTubers by subscribers, category, country and language, and unlocks emails from your plan's allowance with no bot checks, saves days. See how to find YouTubers to sponsor your product for the full method.

Long videos vs live streams vs Shorts

Gaming creators work across formats. In the survey, 68% anchored their activity on Twitch and YouTube, and 89% also posted on TikTok, Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts¹. Each format prices differently against a standard 60-second integration.

• Long-form integration. The baseline. A 60 to 90 second segment in a normal video, usually mid-roll.
• Dedicated video. The whole video is about your game. 1of10 prices it at 2 to 4 times an integration⁴ and Spansa at 2 to 5 times⁵. Good for a launch or a big update.
• Live stream integration. Spansa prices it at 0.8 to 1.5 times an integration⁵. Great for showing real gameplay. The FTC says a live stream disclosure should be repeated during the stream, since viewers join late⁷.
• Sponsored Short. 0.25 to 0.5 times an integration at 1of10⁴, 0.2 to 0.5 times at Spansa⁵. Cheap reach, weak for explaining a complex game.
• Brief mention. 15 to 30 seconds at 0.3 to 0.5 times⁵. Fine for a brand that people already know.

What to buy first

For a new game, buy long-form integrations where the creator plays it on camera. Add a live stream with the creators who performed. Use Shorts to support a launch week, not to test a channel. Read YouTube Shorts sponsorships and what they cost before you plan a Shorts push.

Brand safety in gaming

Gaming audiences are loyal and loud. A bad fit shows up in the comments within an hour. Check these before you sign.

• Audience age. Many gaming channels skew young. Spansa prices teen audiences at 0.65 to 0.90 times an adult audience and kids under 13 at 0.15 to 0.35 times, because of COPPA rules on kids' content⁵. If your product is for adults, such as a mature-rated game or an energy drink, check the audience before you pay.
• YouTube Kids. When a creator declares paid promotion, YouTube removes the video from the YouTube Kids app⁸.
• Content and language. Watch three full videos and one live stream. Look at how the creator talks, what games they play, and how they treat other players.
• Past sponsors. A channel that just ran a gambling or loot box sponsor may not suit a family game.
• Disclosure. The FTC wants the disclosure in the video itself, in audio and on screen where possible⁷. YouTube's policy covers videos, live streams, Shorts, descriptions and comments⁸.

Write all of this into the brief. Give the creator talking points and let them speak in their own voice, since 70.7% care a lot about how their community reacts¹. A forced script hurts both of you.

Sponsoring as an indie studio on a small budget

You don't need a launch budget like a major publisher to sponsor gaming YouTubers.

• Ask for indie pricing. 65.9% of surveyed creators offer adjusted pricing for indie projects¹.
• Go small and many. A $5,000 budget at $10 to $20 per 1,000 views buys roughly 250,000 to 500,000 expected views (our arithmetic on⁴). Spread that over 8 to 12 small channels instead of one big one.
• Offer keys and early access. Creators can't honestly talk about a game they haven't played. The FTC says endorsers can't talk about their experience with a product they haven't tried⁷. Send keys early.
• Remember that gifted keys still count. The FTC says creators must disclose if they got anything of value to mention a product⁷, and YouTube's policy covers products given in exchange for content⁸.
• Match the genre exactly. A cozy farming game needs cozy game channels, not general gaming news.

If you sell gaming gear or software instead of a game, the same approach works. Peripherals and streaming tools sit on the top sponsor lists next to the games².

How to measure game installs and sales

Gaming sponsorships can feel like awareness spend. They don't have to be. Set this up before the first video airs.

1. One tracked link per creator. Point it to your store page or landing page with UTM tags so you can see visits by channel.
2. One code per creator. A discount code, an in-game item code or a key giveaway code shows who drove the sale when people don't click.
3. Watch wishlists or pre-registrations by day. Compare the 7 days after each video to the 7 days before.
4. Ask new players. A one-question survey, "Where did you hear about us?", catches people who saw a video and searched later.
5. Compare cost per result. Divide each creator's fee by installs, wishlists or sales. Rebook the best and drop the rest.

Worked example

You pay $800 for an integration on a channel with 60,000 median views, a $13 CPM. The video drives 900 store visits and 120 wishlists. That's under $7 per wishlist. Run the same math for every channel and you'll know who to book again.

For a deeper setup with codes, links and surveys, read how to track YouTube sponsorship results.

Mistakes gaming sponsors make

• Paying for subscribers. Gaming channels often have big subscriber counts from one viral year. Price on median views from the last 10 videos, not on subscribers.
• Judging a channel on one video. The top gaming sponsors rebook the same creators many times. Gamersupps averages about 40 detected deals per creator². Plan for at least two placements with a channel before you decide.
• Writing a stiff script. Gaming viewers spot a forced read fast, and creators worry about it, with 70.7% rating community reaction as a big concern¹. Send three talking points, a code and the must-say line. Let the creator do the rest.
• Ignoring short-form. 89% of the creators surveyed also post Shorts, Reels or TikToks¹. Ask what a short-form add-on would cost. At 0.2 to 0.5 times an integration⁵, it's often cheap extra reach.
• Skipping the audience check. A channel with mostly teen viewers is worth less to an adult product, and Spansa prices teen audiences at 0.65 to 0.90 times adults⁵. Ask for the age and country split before you agree a price.
• Forgetting the disclosure in live streams. One "this stream is sponsored" at the start isn't enough. The FTC says to repeat it periodically⁷.
• Waiting too long to follow up. Creators without a manager get busy. One short follow-up a week later is normal. A second reminder after that is usually where you stop.

Most of these come down to the same habit. Start small, measure every channel, and rebook the creators who bring players.

Find and email gaming YouTubers today

Most gaming creators don't have a manager, so the business email is the channel. Media List helps you reach them fast.

• Find channels. Search YouTubers by gaming genre, set a minimum subscriber count, and filter by country and language. Media List has 189,000+ YouTube channels with contact emails right now.
• Unlock the contact email from your plan's allowance, no bot checks, next to each channel's subscriber count and category.
• Save a list of your 30 or 50 best-fit channels for the launch.
• Send the outreach on Professional from built-in email campaigns. Ask each creator for their rate and median views, then follow up once.

Media List doesn't sell rates or view data. You get who to contact and how to reach them, so you can negotiate yourself. Basic at $99 a month covers search, saved lists and exports. Built-in email campaigns come with Professional at $399 a month. Start a 3-day trial, pay $0 today and cancel anytime. See the pricing page for plan details.

Questions, answered

How much does it cost to sponsor a gaming YouTuber?

Published guides put gaming integrations at about $6 to $25 per 1,000 views²⁴⁵. A channel with 50,000 views usually lands around $500 to $1,250 per video², and small channels may quote a few hundred dollars.

Why are gaming YouTube sponsorships cheaper than other niches?

Gaming audiences are large but have lower buying intent per viewer, so deals are priced for volume⁵. Finance, for comparison, runs $35 to $50+ per 1,000 views⁴.

Do gaming YouTubers have managers or agents?

Most don't. 92.7% of gaming creators in a 2025 survey worked without an agency or manager¹, so you usually email the creator directly.

What brands sponsor gaming YouTubers the most?

In one tracker's all-time data, Gamersupps led with 14,331 detected deals, followed among gaming brands by Eneba, Gfuel and Instant Gaming, each above 6,000². Game studios such as Epic Games and Supercell also rank in its top 25.

Do gifted game keys need to be disclosed?

Yes. The FTC says creators must disclose if they received anything of value to mention a product⁷, and YouTube's policy covers products given in exchange for content⁸.

Should I sponsor a gaming live stream or a video?

Start with a long-form video integration, which is the baseline price. Live stream integrations price at about 0.8 to 1.5 times an integration⁵ and need the disclosure repeated during the stream⁷.

Related guides

• YouTube Sponsorship for Brands and How to Sponsor YouTubers
• YouTube Sponsorship Rates by Views, Subscribers and Niche
• How to Find YouTube Influencers to Sponsor Your Product
• How to Find a YouTuber's Business Email for a Sponsorship
• How Much Does It Cost to Sponsor a YouTube Video

Sources

1. Influencer Marketing Hub, Why 92.7% of gaming content creators work independently, YRS Truly Gaming Content Creator Report 2025 (October 7, 2025), checked 2026-11-11
2. YouTube sponsorship tracker report, State of YouTube sponsorships (12 months to January 2026, data as of August 2026), checked 2026-11-11
3. Tubefilter, YouTube Gaming hit 8.8 billion hours of watchtime in 2025 (March 5, 2026), checked 2026-11-11
4. 1of10, YouTube sponsorship rates by channel size (August 24, 2026), checked 2026-11-11
5. Spansa on DEV, YouTube sponsorship rates in 2026 and what brands pay (April 2026), checked 2026-11-11
6. ADOPTER Media, YouTube Sponsorship Guide (updated August 6, 2026), checked 2026-11-11
7. FTC, Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers, checked 2026-11-11
8. PPC Land, YouTube will label brand deals that creators fail to disclose (September 3, 2026), checked 2026-11-11