how to get media coverage for your game

How to get media coverage for your game(Without resorting to hitmen)

Alysia Judge

News Editor

Pocket Gamer.biz

@alysiajudge

Why do I need Media coverage?I mean… really?

Free publicity!

Evangelizes the games industry to a global audience

Backs up publisher claims

Hypes new releases, updates, and innovations

Media

Used in promotion, press releases, UA campaigns, TV ads

GIVES YOUR GAME…

Informs store Editors

Getting started: Making a Media Plan

Start thinking

about PR

To PR? Or not to PR?

When to start “doing” PR

“Constant” PR you can do yourself

YouTube

Facebook

Twitter

Google+

1 week

When to start “doing” PR

1 month

Pitch journalists with a news story about your

game launching.Find an angle.

3 weeks

If successful with news coverage, invite

journalists for a hands-on preview.

If not, pitch another news story with different angle.

2 weeks

Send out review promo codes to

editors

Review published.Drum up social media.

Game Launch

What journalists look for when writing newsWhere does your

game fit in?

Research the journalist and publicationAdjust your pitch accordingly

Do your research

Pitch beyond news and reviews

How to write a pitch(A memorable one)

Journalists

Don’t go social

Publish date

Press releasePress release(be formal)

Subject lineEmail intro (be friendly)

Opening paragraphWhy should I care?

SCREENSHOTS

Second and third paragraphsGive me more detail. Release

date, pricing, platforms, target audience

Final paragraphQuote from senior company member

explaining news or launch

“About Company” sectionInclude a paragraph at the end detailing your company’s

background, ethos, HQ, and employees.

Summary: Press release structure

Screenshots / Artwork

Gameplay video

Grammar

Inside a journalist’s score sheetTOP SECRET

Audio and visual/ 10

Gameplay/ 10

Innovation/ 10

Value/ 10

Overall/ 10

Review criteria

“This game is worthless. If you play it, even out of a sense of morbid curiosity after hearing how bad it is, you will feel debased and regret the time you’ve lost. If you spend money on it the sense of injustice will transform you into a tougher, wiser, but ultimately sadder person.”1

4“This game is pretty bad. It falls just short of being forgettable, which means that its failings – but not its merits - are severe enough to be memorable.”

5“This game is average. It’s not enjoyable, but nor is it unenjoyable exactly. When somebody asks you how it was you can’t think of anything to say, so you flatly exhale and wander off in search of a snack.”

74

“This game is really quite good. Not everything works – the graphics may be a bit drab, the controls may be a bit flaky, the story may be a bit dull – but what matters is that most of it is fun. At university, this would be a low 2:1.”

9“This game is brilliant. Not only does it look great and play well, but it also exhibits an extra spark of creative inspiration that you just can’t learn about in your precious books.”

10“This game is magnificent. If you like games in this genre, there’s a reasonable chance that this will become your favourite game, and even if you don’t tend to like this sort of game you should probably give this one a go just in case. It’s almost impossible to conceive of how it could be any better.”

Any questions?alysia.judge@steelmedia.

co.uk

@alysiajudge