A USP (Unique Selling Point) is the core idea or feature that makes your game stand out in the market. It’s the reason someone would choose your game over another — not a list of features, but the essence of what makes it worth playing.
It’s your hook, your pitch, your identity — and often, your most important design constraint.
1️⃣ Definition
A USP is a concise, high-impact concept that defines your game’s creative vision and market position. It connects what players do with what they feel — and why they should care.
📍If you can’t explain your game in one punchy sentence — you may not have a real USP yet.
2️⃣ Why a USP Matters
Purpose | Effect |
Design compass | Guides scope, mechanics, tone, and progression |
Marketing hook | Makes your game pitchable and memorable |
Team clarity | Keeps everyone aligned on the core idea |
Publisher traction | Answers “Why should we fund this?” |
Player curiosity | Gives people a reason to click, wishlist, or talk |
📍A strong USP should be felt in every screenshot, trailer, and mechanic.
3️⃣ Types of USPs
Type | Example |
Mechanic-driven | Rewind time with every death (Braid) |
Narrative-driven | You can’t trust the narrator (The Stanley Parable) |
Systemic | Everything is simulated and interactable (Breath of the Wild) |
Aesthetic | Looks like a living painting (Gris, Cuphead) |
Emotional/Fantasy | Be a tiny insect in a vast underground world (Hollow Knight) |
Multiplayer innovation | Social betrayal as core mechanic (Among Us) |
Genre twist | Farming sim with cozy horror undertones |
📍Not every game needs to be “innovative” — but every good game needs to be distinct.
4️⃣ How to Find Your Game’s USP
- What’s the core fantasy or emotional drive?
- What does the player do that they can’t do elsewhere?
- What tension or surprise does your loop introduce?
- Can you pitch it in 1 sentence?
- Would it stand out on Steam or in a 5-second trailer?
📍You’re not describing your game. You’re answering: “Why does this deserve to exist?”
5️⃣ Strong USP Examples
Game | USP |
Portal | Create linked portals to solve puzzles in 3D space |
Papers, Please | Play as a morally torn border inspector in a dystopia |
Return of the Obra Dinn | Solve a ghost ship mystery through logic and time rewinds |
Katamari Damacy | Roll up the world into a ball to recreate the stars |
Hades | Story and relationships evolve across roguelike runs |
📍These aren’t just features — they’re the reason the game is unforgettable.
6️⃣ USP ≠ Feature List
❌ Feature | ✅ USP |
“10+ hours of content” | “A dungeon that rewrites itself each night” |
“5 playable characters” | “Each run is narrated differently by a drunken god” |
“Upgradeable weapons” | “Every weapon transforms how the story ends” |
📍A feature is what your game has. A USP is why players want it.
7️⃣ USP vs. Genre
Concept | Role |
Genre | Sets expectations (Metroidvania, deckbuilder, life sim) |
USP | Creates identity (You can rewrite the rules mid-run) |
📍Example: “It’s a survival sim (genre) where you can only speak using non-verbal sounds (USP).”
✅ USP Checklist
📍If you remove the USP, the game should stop making sense. That’s how you know it’s real.
Summary
Term | USP (Unique Selling Point) |
What it is | The central hook that makes your game distinct and desirable |
Why it matters | Drives design, pitch clarity, and market position |
What it’s not | A feature checklist — it’s the soul of your concept |
Design goal | Craft a USP that’s so clear, it shapes everything else |
📍A great USP is a lens and a promise. It tells the player: “You haven’t seen this before — and here’s why it matters.”