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8 hook templates

Hook templates for gaming creators

Gaming audiences can spot a scripted reaction from the first frame. These templates lead with hours sunk, money wasted, a mechanic the game never explains or an opinion you will get flamed for.

Examples are illustrations. Swap in your own real numbers and stories; never invent them.

8 templates for gaming creators

01Hours sunk

Number first
Template

[N] hours in [GAME]. I just found out [MECHANIC] from [SOURCE] and I need to lie down.

Example

“1,200 hours in Minecraft and I just found out from a 12-year-old's comment that you can put a map in an item frame. I need to lie down.”

How to use this hook

Number-first hook for discovery content; the hour count is the embarrassment and the credential at once.

Lead with the number in the first two words and put it on screen. Use your own real figure, never a made-up one.

02Flame me

Contrarian
Template

[BELOVED GAME] is [HARSH TAKE]. I've finished it [N] times and I'll explain.

Example

“Breath of the Wild is a boring game with a great first ten hours. I've finished it four times and I'll explain.”

How to use this hook

Contrarian hook for opinion content; the completion count earns the right to say it.

Say the claim flat and calm, then prove it within a few seconds. A contrarian line without proof reads as bait.

03Gacha receipt

Confession
Template

I spent $[N] on [SKINS/GACHA/DLC] in [GAME] over [DURATION]. I'm showing the receipts so you don't.

Example

“I spent $3,400 on Genshin over 14 months. I'm showing the receipts so you don't do it.”

How to use this hook

Confession hook for monetization content; the exact total is the entire hook.

Say it like you are telling a friend. Follow with what you learned, so it reads as useful and not just dramatic.

04Not aim

Authority
Template

[PRO GROUP] do one thing in [GAME] that [CASUAL GROUP] never notice, and it's not aim.

Example

“Pro Valorant players do one thing every round that ranked players never notice, and it's not aim.”

How to use this hook

Authority hook for skill-improvement content; the 'not aim' part removes the obvious answer.

Name your credential in a few words, then go straight to the point. Only claim experience you actually have.

05Stuck in silver

Direct
Template

If you're stuck in [RANK] in [GAME], change [SETTING] tonight. It's why you [PROBLEM].

Example

“If you're stuck in Silver in Valorant, cut your sensitivity in half tonight. It's why your crosshair is never where your eyes are.”

How to use this hook

Direct hook for rank-up content; naming the rank makes exactly the right players stop scrolling.

Talk to one viewer, not an audience. Short sentences, no warm-up, and put the key word on screen.

06Under fifteen

List
Template

Three games under $[N] that [OUTCOME] more than anything I paid full price for this year.

Example

“Three games under $15 that I've thought about more than anything I paid $70 for this year.”

How to use this hook

Listicle hook for indie recommendations; the price contrast is what makes it shareable.

Show the count on screen as text and keep each item short. Deliver the strongest item first or tease it by number.

07Quit and returned

Story
Template

I quit [GAME] after [N] years because of [SPECIFIC MOMENT]. I went back last week and [RESULT].

Example

“I quit World of Warcraft after nine years because a raid lead screamed at me in front of 24 people. I went back last week and he was still there.”

How to use this hook

Story hook for returning-player content; the specific moment of quitting is the pull.

Start mid-scene. Say the line in the first second, while something is already happening on screen, and skip any setup.

08Worse than you think

Question
Template

Why does [GAME/STUDIO] [DESIGN CHOICE]? I asked [SOURCE] and the answer is worse than you think.

Example

“Why does every open-world map feel the same now? I asked a former level designer and the answer is worse than you think.”

How to use this hook

Question hook for design-breakdown content; the 'worse than you think' line needs a real answer behind it.

Ask it straight to camera and pause half a beat. Only ask questions you answer in the video.

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Before you film

  • Say the hook in the first second. No greeting, no “so today”.
  • Put 2 to 6 words of it on screen, away from each app's buttons. The safe zone checker shows where those are.
  • Deliver what the hook promises, early. A hook the video does not pay off loses viewers fast.
  • Test a few versions in the hook analyzer before you pick one.

Questions

How should gaming creators use these hooks?

Pick the template closest to your video, swap every [BRACKETED] part for your own specifics, and say it as your first line while a few words of it appear on screen. Use your own real numbers and stories; the examples are illustrations.

How many hook types are on this page?

8 templates covering these types: Number first, Contrarian, Confession, Authority, Direct, List, Story, Question. Rotating types keeps your openings from sounding the same.

How do I know if my version is any good?

Paste it into the free hook analyzer for a quick text-only estimate. For a real answer, check the filmed draft in ViralAri, which scores the opening you actually recorded.

Filmed it? Check your draft free.

Check any short in about a minute: Ari scores the opening, flags the moments most likely to lose viewers, suggests 3 fixes and writes 5 hooks from what you say. Got a podcast or stream? Clip finder finds the best moments in videos up to 15 minutes.

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