The importance of font selection has long been understood in the realm of graphic and visual design. Its use in game design is just as important, and can help sell the theme of the game and even inform players on gameplay. For example, a grungy, asymmetrical font used in a horror game informs players that the game itself is going to be messy, unpredictable and even disturbing. The choice of font is especially important in marketing the game and in the way in which box art, promotional materials, and title and menu screens in the game itself are designed. The same font that is used for the horror game would be terribly out of place in a farming simulator game. Ray Larabie, a font designer who has worked on games including Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption gives further insight into the importance of font design in video games in an interview found here.
Examples[]
Mass Effect[]
The font in Mass Effect tells players a lot about the game, particularly the design of the font used in its main title screen. It indicates that it is a more serious game with its clean, straightforward design. Its futuristic style and arcing line through the word "Mass" speaks to the science fiction genre and setting of the game.
Mirror's Edge:
The typeface in Mirror's Edge is clean and crisp. This language continues throughout the level design as well. Cityscape is a psudo-futuristic environment. Most of the building are a stark clean white with hard edges. The level design informs the typeface. Being that this is what the player first sees when looking at the box the player can also be informed as to what the game might hold.