FAQ
TrendForge is a research and decision-support tool for YouTube gaming creators. Short, honest answers below.
What is TrendForge for?
It helps you choose better games and video angles before a niche becomes crowded — by comparing Steam demand against YouTube creator supply and surfacing the gap. It answers "what should I record next, and is the opportunity still open?"
What does the Opportunity score mean?
Opportunity = w₁·Demand + w₂·Supply + w₃·Timing (weights tuned server-side; top picks read ~90–94). Each signal is 0–100, higher is better: Demand = Steam/Trends/Twitch heat, Supply = how open the YouTube lane is (fewer competing videos and less big-channel dominance score higher), Timing = momentum (how sharply it's rising now). Each pick also shows a Confidence signal (sale / meme / ambiguous-name flags) and a Fit read for your channel size. See the full scoring methodology, or the score breakdown on any game page.
Where does the data come from?
Public signals only: Steam / SteamCharts (players, growth, discounts), the YouTube Data API (recent videos, creator supply), and Google Trends (search momentum). Recomputed once a day.
How does TrendForge calculate a content gap?
The content gap is the gap between Steam demand and YouTube supply. We score Demand from Steam and Google Trends player momentum, Supply from how saturated the YouTube shelf is (video density plus big-channel dominance, inverted so an open lane scores high), and Timing from current momentum. The three are blended into one 0–100 Opportunity score, so a game rising fast on Steam with thin YouTube coverage scores high. See the full methodology.
How is Steam player data collected?
From public Steam and SteamCharts signals — concurrent player counts, recent growth, and discounts — combined with the YouTube Data API (recent videos, creator supply) and Google Trends (search momentum). All public sources, recomputed once a day.
Does TrendForge guarantee views, ranking, or growth?
No. Scores are research support. Real performance depends on your video, packaging, retention, timing, and audience fit. Validate the evidence before recording — a high score is a reason to look closer, not a promise of results.
How fresh is the ranking?
Refreshed once per day (overnight). Gaming trends move on a daily cadence, and the free public sources we use are rate-limited, so a single high-quality daily pass beats noisy hourly snapshots.
Which markets / languages are supported?
Today the ranking uses the global English YouTube supply pool. Region-specific markets are on the roadmap.
What does a "risk flag" mean?
A warning that the raw signal may be misleading: a discount spike (price-driven, not organic), an unsustained spike (possible one-day meme with no launch/event behind it), or an ambiguous game name (search intent may be split). Flagged picks aren't hidden — they're shown with lower Confidence so you can judge them.
Is TrendForge affiliated with Valve, Google, or YouTube?
No. It is an independent creator research tool.