Rendering Marketing Screenshots and Videos for Games
We often encounter this situation: a gameplay screenshot from the Editor Preview and a marketing render are two different images, even if they show the same frame. The difference is that the former is constrained by real-time settings targeting the platform hardware, while the latter is not. Our approach is to build the promo scene separately, using the full potential of rendering: ray tracing, carefully tuned lighting, and cinematic post-processing. This allows showcasing the game at its best while remaining an honest reflection of the visual style. We guarantee that every frame meets the technical requirements of app stores and does not mislead users.
Technical Rendering Stack in Unity
For a marketing render, we switch the project to HDRP, even if the release build uses URP or Built-in. HDRP provides Path Tracing (component HDRenderPipeline in FrameSettings), Area Lights, Screen Space Global Illumination, and a proper camera model with physical parameters (f-stop, ISO, shutter speed).
The promo scene is built separately: we load the required characters and environment, set up an HDRI Skybox via Volume with PhysicallyBasedSky or an 8K+ skybox texture, and place HDAdditionalLightData with LightUnit.Lux instead of arbitrary intensity values.
Path Tracing in HDRP is not for real-time. For a single frame at Maximum Samples = 4096 and 4K resolution on an RTX 4080, rendering takes 3-8 minutes. This is acceptable for a series of screenshots, but not for video.
For video, we use rendering with Temporal Antialiasing and maximum Accumulation Motion Blur via the Recorder package in Movie Recorder mode. Export to ProRes 4444 for subsequent color grading — not directly to H.264.
Setting Up a Cinematic Camera
Cinemachine Virtual Camera with CinemachineFreeLook or a fixed CinemachineVirtualCamera on a Dolly Track. Physical parameters: Focal Length 85mm for character portrait shots (minimizes perspective distortion), 35mm for wide shots.
Depth of Field in HDRP: Physically Based mode, Aperture 1.4-2.8 for bokeh effect on the foreground — standard for RPG and action promo materials. For UI-heavy games (strategy, simulators) — deep DoF or disabled.
Animation for promo videos: custom animation clips via Timeline. Standard gameplay animations are often too snappy or short for promos — we create separate, slower versions using Animator Override Controller.
Post-Processing in Promos
Color Grading via LUT (Look-Up Table) — we capture a LUT from a reference of the desired mood. In HDRP Volume: Tonemapping set to ACES (cinema standard), then Color Curves for tuning specific tones.
Bloom with Lens Dirt Texture — subtle, not like 2010s shooters. Motion Blur with Sample Count 32 — for dynamic frames in video. Chromatic Aberration with intensity 0.1-0.2 — adds camera authenticity without being kitschy.
What’s Included in the Work: Full Cycle of Promo Materials
We handle the entire process: from analyzing gameplay assets to final distribution across formats. It includes:
- Audit of the game's visual structure: identify key scenes and UI elements.
- Building the promo scene: setting up lighting, cameras, and animations.
- Color grading and post-processing with cinematic references.
- Rendering in 4K+ and downscaling to all required resolutions.
- Export to ProRes, PNG, JPEG with metadata.
- Quality control on multiple devices.
How We Achieve an Honest Yet Impressive Result?
Path Tracing in HDRP delivers photorealistic quality, surpassing real-time rendering by 3-5 times in terms of lighting and shadow detail. We do not apply post-processing in Photoshop — the entire image comes directly from the render. This ensures that players see exactly what is advertised in the trailer.
Rendering for Stores with Correct Technical Requirements
The App Store accepts JPEG and PNG; the maximum resolution for iPhone 15 Pro Max is 1320×2868 px. We render at 4x the required resolution → downscale in Photoshop with Bicubic Sharper — obtaining the sharpest image without aliasing.
Google Play Feature Graphic 1024×500 — a wide frame that gets cropped in some displays to a central square. We render a 2048×1000 version, keeping key elements in the central third.
Rendering Timelines
| Task | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Series of screenshots (5-10 frames, one scene) | 2–4 days |
| Promo scene from scratch + screenshots | 5–10 days |
| Video render 30 seconds (animation + post) | 1–2 weeks |
| Full marketing package (screenshots + video + formats) | 2–4 weeks |
| Additional stage | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Reference approval and revisions | +1–2 days |
| Adaptation for additional platforms (Steam, Epic) | +2–3 days |
The cost is calculated after assessing scene complexity and asset readiness. Our team has 10+ years of experience in game development and over 70 completed promo campaigns. We'll evaluate your project for free — contact us.