Overview
Beverly Cambron
<beverly@roccomedia.com>
Why do some names consistently appear in the gaming press, while others languish in virtual anonymity?
Effective public relations is key to getting your name, product, and reputation out of the shadows. If you're a developer looking for a publishing deal, the publishers need to hear about you. If you're a publisher hawking a game, consumers need to hear about it. Or, perhaps, you're just ready to raise your personal profile in the industry. If any of these scenarios fit you, then it's time you implemented an effective public relations campaign.
What Are Public Relations?
Practically speaking, the first line of relations in public relations, or PR, is with the news and reviews editors at the media outlets who get your news to the public. Editors are the people who decide what news is published, who is interviewed, and which games are reviewed. Effective public relations include a host of activities, including press releases and media kits, online interviews, and television and radio appearances. However, to get those interviews and appearances, and to get those games reviewed, you need to begin your PR efforts with the press release.
"Public relations for games is really community relations," says Travis Cannell, business development manager for Gnostic Labs. "All effort should be to interact with this community, keep it happy, and grow it as quickly as possible. Press releases are your primary tool to meet those ends."
Ever see an article about one of your competitors in the industry press and wonder why they didn't write about you and your great company? Odds are that you're reading about your competitor because they send out press releases—effective press releases.
Writing an Effective Press Release
Press releases are one of the most cost-efficient and effective means of spreading the word about you and your business, if done properly. News articles about your company are premium forms of advertising. Unless you have more business than you can handle, or you're engaged in illegal activities, there really is no reason not to use press releases as an integral part of your public relation strategy.
Further, in the age of e-mail, getting out a press release is pretty simple; you just need a story hook, a flair for concise, effective writing, and a database of relevant press contacts. If you don't have any of those items or abilities, there are plenty of PR professionals who do. Look for more on outsourcing your public relations work at the conclusion of this article.
The Hook
A story's "hook" is what makes your press release newsworthy. It needs to be more than "Hey, we're game developers with a cool new game! Check out our Web site for more cool stuff!" That is not a hook. There are hundreds of game developers who all believe their game is cool and should be checked out. Not only is that not a newsworthy story, it doesn't provide the news editor reading your e-mail with enough information to even care about learning your story.
To find your hook, think about what makes your company unique. If you're a new game developer, what is it about your game or the team behind your game that makes your story newsworthy? Perhaps the team left a particularly well-known company to develop your game? Maybe you're developing a game that has an innovative aspect—or at least an aspect you can make sound innovative.
The hook can also be something as simple as the release of the game's demo, the fact that the game has
"gone gold," or that a certain band will be contributing to the game soundtrack. The point is that there is a point to the story, not just a general "check us out."
The Style and Format
Getting your hook is half the battle, but the war is not yet won. Your press release must be professional and well written. You need to stay focused. Pick your hook and stick with it. You can always send out another press release with another hook. Richard Aihoshi, editor-in-chief of IGN Vault Network finds that simple,
straightforward writing that gets to the point and doesn't try to do too much makes for a good press release.
"The press releases I consider best are short and contain only one central message, which means they don't risk diluting the central message by trying to convey secondary ones at the same time," says Aihoshi.
Gamespot PC Platform's editor, Andrew Park, wants to know a game's developer, publisher, release date, plus a brief summary of what the game is about, including any distinguishing features such as noteworthy licenses or brands, "as well as some sort of brand new or updated information on the product itself." What he doesn't want is "repeated bombardment" of press releases that simply reiterate what has already been revealed in a previous press release. "The best press releases have a good deal of information and don't necessarily have to come out every week," says Park. "Some of the worst ones have barely any new information and come out every week, or even worse, multiple times a week. These should be avoided at all cost."
The Top-Down Approach
So, you have your hook and it's fresh. Now, it's time to put finger to keyboard and start putting it together. As you're doing this, you need to remember to work "top down." That is, place the bulk of your facts in the first couple of paragraphs of the release and then use the remainder of your release to elaborate. Don't make the news editor search for the facts and the story. A press release should be written in such a manner that a publication could remove everything but the first couple of paragraphs and still have a complete story.
The 400-Word Rule
Be clear and concise in your writing. Your press release should be in the 400-word range. You should be able to hit the high points of your story and include a short "bio" on your company and still be comfortably in that range. The 400-word range certainly isn't a hard-and-fast rule, but it's a good one to follow. If you ultimately distribute your press release via services such as PRNewswire or Businesswire, you will typically find that their fees increase when the press release exceeds 400 words.
Quotes
As you tell your story, make sure it reads like a story. Take a look at a business article in your morning paper.
You'll probably see at least one quote from a relevant party. Put a quote or two in your press release. Who at your company would be appropriate to comment on the subject of your story? Quote that person saying something interesting about the game or the event. At the risk of widespread disillusionment, most quotes in press releases are fabrications of the PR people. Just make certain the person you're quoting approves the quote.
Simplicity
Be sure to simplify the technical language in your press release. Keep in mind that the person reading the press release is most likely not a programmer. Yes, you might have a completely new way of compressing bounding volume data for arbitrary polygon meshes, dramatically reducing memory footprint compared with traditional bounding volume approaches without sacrificing any runtime performance, and enabling you to create worlds of a greater size and scope than was previously possible. However, unless you're press release is for hyper technical journals, you're going to only succeed in putting the news editors to sleep.
There is no need to write in a condescending manner; just keep it smartly simple and always entertaining.
Rather than expounding on the technical minutiae, focus on the ultimate point: the technical advances
incorporated in your game make its worlds more detailed and robust than any other game on the market. Leave the dramatically reduced memory footprint and compressed bounding volume data for "water cooler" chatter and GDC or E3 sessions.
Finally, as you wrap up your release, be sure to include a short "About Your Company" paragraph. Spend some time creating a two to three sentence summary of your company, including who you are and what you do. You can use this brief bio at the end of every press release.
Proofread. Proofread. Proofread.
Now that you've written your release, it's time to proofread. And then proofread again. And then have someone else proofread. Yes, even simple grammatical errors are noticed. While some of these gamer sites are run by kids just trying to get free games, most are run by professionals, and sloppy press releases connote sloppy, unprofessional people. No one wants to follow up with a sloppy, unprofessional person. Although good grammar and proper spelling seem to have become a lost art, and even though you and your buddies communicate just fine, the news editors might have gone to school when proper grammar still meant
something. They might be well aware of the difference between "your" and "you're," possessives and plurals, and, whether it makes any sense or not, "tough" is not spelled "tuff."
Make Sure You've Written for Your Audience.
Additionally, as you're proofreading, keep your audience in mind. Does the press release appeal to your audience? While your ultimate audience is the person reading the news, your first audience is the gaming press. Who are these people? Well, they're males—mostly. When asked about the male/female ratio of game reviewers at Gamespot, Andrew Park noted that, "currently it's infinity, which is what you get when you divide by zero." While the age range of the gaming press is typically viewed as very young, Park reports the average age of Gamespot reviewers as mid-20s to early 30s. Aishoshi of IGN sees an age range of 16 to mid-50s. He also notes the male to female ratio as "about five males to one female over the course of our existence." Take a glance down the editor photos in a PC Gamer and you'll see a row of seven white, male faces and, at least at the time this article was written, one female face.
So, what does all that mean in terms of your press release? Not to say that these guys aren't in touch with their feminine side, but your best bet will be to focus on the "dude!" elements of your story. How many levels? How many Mechs? How many weapons? Any intense bands on the soundtrack? While the number of female gamers appears to be growing, like it or not, until more women join the ranks of the gaming media, you should probably focus on the guy-appealing aspects of your game.
Accompanying Materials
Gaming news editors also want to see screenshots—lots of them. Make sure you take plenty of screenshots and make them high resolution while you're at it. You can always compress them later for e-mailing purposes. If you're sending out a press release, send out a new round of screenshots as well. They also like demos and trailers. Keep in mind that they need you as much as you need them. They need content that will attract an audience.
Releasing the Release
You've written. You've proofread. And proofread again. You're almost ready to release. However, before doing so, make sure you have a catchy and concise headline that makes clear the point of your story.
Be very certain to include basic information in your release, including a contact name and, at a minimum, contact e-mail. Make sure this is a contact who will actually be available for contact after sending out the press release. Don't send out a press release and then be unable to return e-mail or telephone calls for a week.
Hedge your bets and include two different contact people.
As mentioned earlier, e-mail has made sending out press releases a relative breeze. If you are sending the press release out yourself, and have not already compiled a database of contacts, you need to do so. As Cannell of Gnostic Lab says, "this is the biggest weapon in your arsenal." There are easily more than 100 gaming press outlets and they're all relatively easy to find with a quick Google search. Further, many of the online sites pick up news items from other sites, so you should be able to compile a wealth of data fairly quickly.
While some are bigger in terms of audience size, you never know who is reading, so include them all. Generally speaking, you're looking for the "news" contact address.
When sending out a press release by e-mail, include the text of your press release in the body of your e-mail, versus as an attached Word document. You're just adding another step and everyone is increasingly virus wary of attachments. And please don't just put a link to your press release posted on your Web site. Again, don't create additional steps to get to your news. In addition, while most people have HTML-friendly e-mail, the best way to go is simple text format. If you absolutely must do HTML, keep your background white and your text black. This is news, not a "prettiest e-mail" contest.
If you use an outsourced PR firm, they will know how to get it out for you. They maintain their own press databases and have established relationships with the media. Using a professional PR firm saves you the time of compiling your own database and allows you the advantage of an already established relationship.
Press release distribution can also be facilitated through the use of "wire" services such as Businesswire or PRNewswire. If you want to release via one of these services, just be aware that the services are not free, and prices typically range anywhere from a couple of hundred dollars to a thousand, depending on the number of news outlets receiving the release.
If you're also releasing screenshots, a demo, or a trailer in conjunction with your press release, don't e-mail some monster file. Zip files when you can, and if the file is still over 1MB, upload it to your Web site and provide a link where the files can be easily downloaded. While you might have a screaming-fast Internet connection, many e-mail servers reject large files, so play it safe.
Finally, be as specific as possible in the subject line of the e-mail. "Press Release" just doesn't cut it.
Journalists and editors are inundated with press releases. Don't make them jump through hoops just to get to the basis of your story.
After the Release
If someone does bite on your press release and asks for more information, answer the questions specifically and in detail. Don't just give them a link to information found on your Web site. It's lazy, unprofessional, and could be the end of the story. Andrew Park of Gamespot finds it particularly irritating to deal with PR
representatives who aren't communicative or who ignore repeated e-mails and telephone calls. On the other hand, Park says that Gamespot "loves" PR folks who send games and supporting materials out on time, if not early, "and who keep in constant communication about important developments."
And, of course, say "thank you!" If a publication picks up your press release or publishes something nice about your company, show your appreciation. A simple e-mail is all it takes and it will be remembered. The larger publications don't have time to let you know they've written about you, so it's up to you to keep up with the media. There are also companies that provide "clipping services" that do the looking for you for a price. If a news outlet has followed up wanting additional information, say "thank you." And if they let you know they've published something about your company, say "thank you."
Of course, in the event they've written something negative, it might be hard to say "thank you" and not even necessary. However, this is also not the time to lose your temper. Either just bear it and walk away, or have a rational conversation, however irrational you might find their review of your beloved game. Don't burn any bridges.
Beyond the Press Release
Press releases are the first stone on the path to industry fame and glory. Press releases lead to interviews, game previews, and reviews. If you want a media outlet to demo or review your product, you need to make the process as simple as possible. One of the biggest gripes from game reviewers is the lack of support material accompanying review copies of games. Even if your manual hasn't been laid out just yet by the designer, send just a plain bound copy of the text. Send a walkthrough, too. With preview CDs, include some game art, screenshots, game logo, and company logo.
For game reviews, have a "press pack" ready to roll, including a box shot (front of the box in a high-resolution format), game logo, company logo, and at least a dozen high-resolution screenshots. In addition, in terms of releasing a game for review, keep in mind that the gaming press typically like to receive games in advance of their release to the public.
You should also have physical prepared media kits ready to go at a given notice. Have some folders printed with your company logo and, in an organized fashion, put together a nice packet of information about your company, including company history, previous press clippings, game "sell sheets," and archived press releases. You might also include a CD "sampler," which could include product images, demos, contact information, and more.
Case Study 3.1.1: Game Reviewer Perks and Playola
In addition to copies of the game, most game reviewers receive accompanying accouterment from game publishers. These typically include t-shirts, caps, backpacks, and other assorted company and game branded items. However, when these perks become over-the-top, such as free trips to Japan and Europe, transportation by limousine, and movie premiers, some critics call this "playola." As noted in an April 2002 article in the Los Angeles Times [Cambron 01], while many publications have specific policies forbidding writers from accepting free trips and accommodations, or gifts worth more than $25 to $100, practically speaking, these policies are often unenforceable or inapplicable to freelancers. According to the article, although there is no evidence that the junkets generate more positive reviews, and no writer would admit to being swayed by the extravaganzas, they do, says the author, produce more publicity for some middle-of-the-road games that might otherwise draw little attention.
Case Study 3.1.2: A Sample Press Release
The following is a press release sample announcing a publishing deal:
For Immediate Release
GAME PUBLISHER TO PUBLISH GAME DEVELOPER'S MASSIVELY MULTIPLAYER ONLINE GAME
"MOG"
Weston, CT—July 15, 2002—Game Publisher and Game Developer today announced a publishing agreement for "Mog," a massively multiplayer online strategy game that puts the player in command of a massive flying saucer. The retail version will incorporate new levels of game play, as well as offer a one- month free trial subscription.
The arrangement between Game Developer and Game Publisher was negotiated by Los Angeles based AndWeHelped, a boutique firm specializing in interactive entertainment consulting.
John Doe, vice president of third-party broker AndWeHelped, was instrumental in putting the deal together. "Joe Smith, president of Game Developer, and his team wanted a publisher who would really get behind and support the game," said Doe. "Game Publisher has exhibited tremendous commitment to all its titles, so we felt this would be a great match."