GameTrailers

Background

GameTrailers (GT) was a website founded in California that focused on video game-related content, such as trailers and web series. The company was formed in March 25, 2002 by Geoffery R. Grotz and Brandon Jones. In 2005, the company would be acquired by MTV Networks, which caused the creation of the Spike TV show Game Head (later relaunched in 2008 as GameTrailers TV with Geoff Keighley). The company then saw another acquisition by Defy Media in 2014, which lasted for only two years until the GT brand was sold to IGN Entertainment in 2016. The website was shutdown later that month, where it was turned into a redirect to the GameTrailers YouTube channel. Today, IGN runs the GameTrailers YouTube channel, where they post trailers of upcoming video games.

1st Logo (November 18, 2005-February 9, 2012)

Stretched widescreen variant
Matted widescreen variant
Still variant
ScrewAttack variant

Visuals: A swarm of white, blue, light blue and grey cubes, which forms the letters "GT", quickly slams down to the ground on a white/light blue background. The cubes rapidly fly out of the letters, and when all of them are gone, there is the 2005 GameTrailers alternate logo (the letters "GT" in a blocky font and with blue trails, and the white text "GAMETRAILERS.COM" below it; though in this version, the letters are slanted) on a gold yellow background with cubes flying around, as well as "GT" being formed by cubes. Suddenly, two blue-colored electrical cords then connect together, causing an explosion of blue and white cubes, segueing into the video.

Variants:

A still version on a white background exists.
The aspect ratio of the logo may vary. Sometimes it's matted to widescreen, while other times it's stretched to widescreen.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Loud laser sound effects, which is followed by a deep, mellow synth note. A song, sound effect or dialogue taken from the game being reviewed is heard concurrently. None, the closing theme or the preceding ScrewAttack logo for the still variant.

Audio Variant: On the GameTrailers Retrospectives episode "Grand Theft Auto - Vehicle Retrospective", no audio from the game is heard.

Availability:

It can be seen on early episodes of GameTrailers Retrospectives. The last episode to feature this logo was "Arkham Retrospective".
The still variant was used on YouTube uploads of The Angry Video Game Nerd.

2nd Logo (October 22-November 11, 2008)

Visuals: On a black background, we tilt around to see the golden letters "GT", from the 2005 GameTrailers logo, on an orange surface. Then, the letters emit a dark blue-orange gradient light, and the words "GameTrailers.com" fade in. The surface then fades out, and the light disappears.

Closing Variant: The logo is tinted blue.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The opening theme of the episode.

Availability: It was only seen on the GameTrailers Retrospectives 3-part episode "Warcraft Retrospective".

3rd Logo (Early 2010-2012?)

Closing logo

Visuals: On a blue space background, multiple blue-colored outlines of the letters "GT" fly out in the open. Then, a light draws the outline, causing the 2005 GameTrailers logo (the slanted 3D letters "GT" with blue-colored trails, and the text "GameTrailers.com" below it) to appear. The logo flashes its outlines, and trails are seen running through the logo. Later, the logo zooms out with multiple outlines appearing, seguing into the video.

Closing Visuals: Same as the standard logo, but the links for GameTrailers' Twitter and Facebook accounts are seen below. Additionally, a copyright stamp is seen below the links.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Ominous sci-fi-esque sounds.

Availability: Was only seen on the GameTrailers Retrospectives episode "Halo Retrospective", but it was also seen on other GameTrailers content uploaded at the time.

4th Logo (Fall 2012-2016)

Visuals: On a black background with a bluish beam in the middle left (with "GAMETRAILERS.COM" faintly seen), the 2012 GameTrailers logo (the sky blue letters "GT" in a silver plate that has an orange line on the right) sways in from the top right. The words "GAMETRAILERS.COM" later appears on the beam.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A series of loud drone synth notes.

Availability: Seen on GameTrailers Retrospectives, Trailer Academy and The Final Bosman episodes produced at the time.