HYPE
Branding/Editorial Design
Branding and editorial project focused on the Fighting Game Community (FGC)
OVERVIEW
HYPE is a branding and editorial project focused on the Fighting Game Community (FGC), a grassroots scene within esports that has grown through passion and community effort but still lacks visibility, production value, and funding compared to other competitive gaming spaces.
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This project explores how editorial design can elevate the FGC while supporting its ecosystem through awareness, storytelling, and fundraising initiatives.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Despite its cultural impact, the FGC remains underrepresented within the broader esports industry, particularly in terms of production quality, prize pools, and media coverage.
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The challenge was to create a platform that could both document and elevate the community while contributing to its growth.
PROJECT GOALS
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Increase awareness of the FGC
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Highlight community members, creators, and small businesses
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Support local tournaments through fundraising
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Create a recurring editorial platform for storytelling
CONCEPT
The fighting game community is built on intensity, nostalgia, and shared experience. From crowded arcades to major tournaments like Combo Breaker, the culture thrives on energy, competition, and connection.
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HYPE translates this into a visual system that balances archival inspiration with modern editorial design, capturing both the history and evolving identity of the FGC.
DESIGN SYSTEM
IDENTITY
The identity is centered around the idea of “hype” as energy and excitement, expressed through bold typographic treatments and an exclamation-point motif.
COLOR
A limited, high-contrast palette reinforces intensity while maintaining cohesion across editorial content.
TYPOGRAPHY
The system uses a combination of clean body text and expressive display type to balance readability with visual impact.
EDITORIAL CONTENT
The magazine explores a range of content types, including player features, event coverage, historical retrospectives, and technical insights, reflecting the diversity of the FGC.
EXTENDING THE BRAND
The identity extends beyond editorial into physical touchpoints, reinforcing HYPE as a scalable brand that could exist across events, merchandise, and community initiatives.
