One thing I always struggle with when creating games is naming the game. I always have a good idea for the game but can’t name it. My game idea is one similar to 99 Nights in the Forest by Grandma’s Favourite Games. You survive in the woods for 7 days and have to keep the fire lit to keep away enemies. (Before you say that this sounds almost too similar to 99 Nights in the Forest let me tell you that I had this game idea before that game came out and also it has a lot more differences I haven’t mentioned.)
So, does anyone have any ideas or suggestions for naming my game? (I would like it to be short and easy to say.)
Really comes down to how serious or laid back your game is, as well as your target audience, although these two are marginally interchangeable.
If you are making a game with a young target audience, name it something along the lines of; Week In The Forest or something.
If you are making a game that’s more thoughtful, you could name it one-to-two words that kind of relate to it;
PERSERVERE
WOODS
WARMTH
One of my favorite examples of great naming is Barotrauma. A game that takes place in a submarine, underwater environment, where you CAN die from barotrauma (as it is a medical condition).
Is it winter, and the fire is keeping you from freezing? Call it Frigid or Hypothermic.
The Long Dark is a winter survival game, and the it’s inferred that the name comes from the story/lore. Is there a reason you’re surviving? Is it because someone is hunting you? There’s lots of things to think about.
now you literally don’t even need to put in effort. Just name your game what you’re doing. A game about exploring a forest? “explore a forest.” A game about growing a garden? “grow a garden.”