Design
Get to know the Press Start microtrend in Adobe Express.
Adobe Express
05/26/2025
We named four main trends in our annual Adobe Creative Trends Forecast for 2025 to predict what inspires designers and creators for the year ahead. They are:
From these annual Adobe Stock trends, we teased out several microtrends in Adobe Express every quarter. The first microtrend we highlighted was Plastic Fantastic, and now we’re turning our attention to Press Start, the microtrend breathing new life into Time Warp.
As its name implies, Time Warp represents the juxtaposition of past and future by remixing eras and adding futuristic elements to create fresh takes on historical periods. Typical time periods range from ancient times to the roaring '20s and even the groovy ‘70s. There's a sci-fi element to this retrofuturistic theme that’s made possible by the existence of generative artificial intelligence (AI), which helps creators experiment with intricate era-bending ideas in just a few clicks in Adobe Express.
If Time Warp covers various eras dating back to ancient times, Press Start is defined by the digital era. We’re increasingly living in a computer-generated world, where gaming and virtual reality are the norm. Increasingly, we’re interacting with a simulated world through VR headsets and gaming consoles. Press Start is heavily influenced by advancements in tech as well as video gaming, which became popular in the 1970s and 80s.
So, it makes sense that the visual style is a combo of retro ‘70s charm and pixel art, ‘80s neon colors, and tech-inspired visuals. Press Start, as a microtrend, merges retro gaming aesthetics with futuristic techno elements culminating in a bold, energetic aesthetic.
Gaming-inspired visuals include avatars, consoles, and virtual worlds. So, imagery here comprises the gaming culture coupled with throwback elements like cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors” and simplistic 8-bit graphics that’s highly recognizable in Pong, Space Invaders, and Pac-Man.
Glitch-style or pixelated fonts juxtaposed by sleek, modern sans-serifs epitomize the typography of the Press Start microtrend.
Dynamic compositions that resemble game interfaces with interactive elements and progress bars are examples of a typical layout for Press Start.
Online fitness brands that are ever-present in apps on our phones, complete with performance dashboards and on-demand videos, can lean heavily on this trend. As far as social media campaigns for online fitness brands, a few ideas include doing an IG portrait of a live announcement for a streaming workout, an IG ad to join a bootcamp, a TikTok for “what I eat in a day,” a digital cookbook or eating plan, or even a participant leaderboard.
Embracing the retro computer-generated lifestyle with its pixelation and neon colors along with techno futurism brings a digitized whimsy as well as a throwback flair to Press Start. This is a microtrend that embodies an attention-grabbing world where technology is front and center.
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