how to get media coverage for your game
TRANSCRIPT
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
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