Best YouTube Tags for Gaming Videos (Free List + Generator)
Quick Answer: Gaming is the most competitive niche on YouTube. You cannot just tag "Minecraft" and expect views. You need "Long Tail" tags like "Minecraft Survival Guide 1.21" or "Valorant Ace Clutch Montage". In this guide, we give you the copy-paste tags for every major game in 2026.
Why Gaming Tags Are Different
Gaming has two audiences:
- Search Audience: "How to beat Malenia Elden Ring". They want a solution.
- Browse Audience: "Funny Minecraft Moments". They want entertainment.
Your tags must match your video type. If you use "Tutorial" tags on a "Funny Moments" video, you will get 0 retention.
Top Tags for Popular Games (Copy Paste)
Minecraft
Roblox
GTA 6 / GTA 5
Valorant / CS2
Call of Duty (Warzone / Black Ops 6)
Fortnite
League of Legends
Overwatch 2 / Apex Legends
FIFA / FC 26
Horror Games (FNAF / Resident Evil)
Funny Moments vs. Walkthrough Tags
Funny Moments Strategy: Use tags that describe the emotion or the creator.
- Tags: "Funny, Fail, Rage, Trolling, Prank, Compilation, Memes"
Walkthrough Strategy: Use tags that describe the mission or level.
- Tags: "Walkthrough Part 1, Ending Explained, All Bosses, No Damage Run, 100% Completion, Secret Items Location"
Stream Highlights: The "Shorts" Strategy
If you are a streamer, you likely have hours of footage. Cut the best 60 seconds into a Short.
Tags for Shorts: #Shorts, #Gaming, #Streamer, #Clips, #TwitchClips. (YouTube Shorts relies more on Hashtags in the title than backend tags).
Remember: In Shorts, the "Title" acts like a tag. Put your main keyword in the title naturally.
The "No Commentary" Trap
Many new channels upload raw gameplay with no voice. This is very hard to grow. If you do this, your tags MUST be 100% search focused.
Example: "Elden Ring Radahn Boss Fight No Damage" is a search term. "Elden Ring Gameplay" is too broad; you will compete with IGN and millions of others.
How to Use Google Trends for Tags
Not sure which game to play? Go to Google Trends or use our Keyword Tool.
Search "Minecraft" vs "Roblox". See which one is trending up. If a new update drops (e.g., "Minecraft 1.21"), that is a "Rising" keyword. Tagging your video with "Minecraft 1.21" immediately gives you a traffic growth spurt.
How to Audit Your Tags
Are your tags actually working? Use tools like TubeBuddy or VidIQ (free versions).
- Ranked Tags: These tools show a green number next to your tag if you rank on Page 1 for it.
- Strategy: If a tag has no green number after 1 month, delete it and try a different one.
Does Changing Tags Reset the Algorithm?
No. You can change tags anytime. It does not "reset" your views. However, if you change the TITLE or THUMBNAIL, that does trigger a re-evaluation. Tags are low impact, so feel free to update them to match new trends.
The "Keyword Stuffing" Penalty
Some people copy-paste 500 tags into their description. DO NOT DO THIS.
This is a violation of YouTube's "Misleading Metadata" policy. YouTube will remove your video or strike your channel. Only put tags in the "Tags" box, nowhere else.
Tagging for Local vs Global Audiences
If you want a global audience, use English tags. If you want a local audience (e.g., Brazil), use Portuguese tags ("Minecraft Brasil", "Jogando Minecraft"). Mixing languages confuses the algorithm.
Long Tail vs Short Tail Keywords
Short Tail: "Minecraft" (Too hard to rank).
Long Tail: "How to build a starter house in Minecraft 1.21" (Easier to rank).
Focus 80% of your tags on Long Tail phrases. That is where you will get your first 10,000 views.
How to Use Our Tag Generator
Don't guess. Use data.
- Go to our Tags Extractor.
- Find a successful video similar to yours (e.g., a video with 500k views uploaded last week).
- Paste the URL.
- Copy their tags.
This is called "Drafting". You use their metadata to tell YouTube "My video is just like this successful video". Ideally, you appear in their "Up Next" sidebar.
Conclusion
Tags are the bridge between your video and the viewer's search bar. In Gaming, specificity wins. Don't be "A Gamer". Be "The Guy Who Shows Hidden Chests in Zelda".
Use the tags above, check your analytics to see which ones drive traffic, and double down on what works.
The Future of Gaming Tags: AI Analysis
In the future, YouTube's AI will watch your video and tag it automatically. It already does this for "Visuals" (e.g., it knows you are playing Minecraft even if you don't say it). However, text tags will always remain a "Strong Signal" to guide the AI. Never leave them blank.
Advanced SEO: The "Keyword Echo" Strategy
To rank #1, you need to echo your main keyword in 3 places:
- Title: "How to get Palworld Ancient Tech Points".
- Description: "In this video, I show you the fastest way to farm Ancient Tech Points in Palworld".
- Tags: "Palworld Ancient Tech Points", "Ancient Tech Points Guide".
If you only put it in the tags, it won't work. The "Echo" across all three metadata fields tells the algorithm "This video is definitely about X".
Using TubeBuddy's Tag Explorer
TubeBuddy has a "Weighted" score. It tells you if your specific channel can rank for a tag.
- Score 10/100: "Red Dead Redemption 2". (Too competitive).
- Score 90/100: "Red Dead Redemption 2 Gold Bar Glitch 2026". (You can rank for this!).
Common Tagging Myths Debunked
- Myth: "Tags are the most important ranking factor."
Fact: They are the LEAST important. Title, Thumbnail, and Retention are 99% of the equation. Tags are just a spell-check helper. - Myth: "Copying tags from MrBeast makes me viral."
Fact: No. If you copy his tags but your video captures 10% retention, you will fail. - Myth: "I must use all 500 characters."
Fact: No. 10 relevant tags are better than 40 spam tags.
Final Checklist
- [ ] Did you use your Channel Name as a tag? (Good for "Up Next").
- [ ] Did you use the specific game name (e.g., "GTA 6" not just "GTA")?
- [ ] Did you avoid putting tags in the description?
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Fast track your results using our Tags Extractor.