Top tips on how to write a press release, from people who spend all day, every day writing them
If you’re reading this, you are probably somebody who makes fantastic video games. Nice to meet you, and welcome to PR Hound. We are experts in video game PR, and we know a thing or two about writing effective press releases. We’ve put together a basic guide to everything you’ll need to include when sharing your beautiful newborn video game with the world.
What is a press release?
Let’s go back to basics. A press release is a short, attention-grabbing announcement that shares your game’s biggest news with the world. Your story should be told in a clear, media-friendly way that grabs journalists’ and players’ attention. Once perfected, you’ll want to get your press release into the inbox of journalists, streamers, and content creators that you know will love your work.
Step 1: Start With a Killer Headline
Your headline is the ultimate boss fight. It needs to grab attention fast. Unfortunately, you will always be competing with the hundreds of other emails that are crammed into everyone’s inboxes. Say what’s happening, use strong verbs, and keep it short.
It should be a headline you would click straight away.
Step 2: Back to Basics
The first paragraph is where you include all of the most important information:
- What is happening? (Game launch/early access, reveal, update?)
- Who made it?
- When and where can people play it and for what platforms?
- Why should anyone care?
Everyone loves it when you make their job easier. Spell everything out in one tight paragraph, and your audience will thank you by actually reading it.
Step 3: Show Off the Cool Stuff
The reader has gotten this far, so it’s time to start showing them the goods. This is where we talk about the features that set your game apart from the dozens of others they’re going to see this week.
Talk about what makes your game awesome:
- The gameplay hook
- The art style
- The story vibe
- The wild feature everyone will talk about
Bullet points are your friend here, because the human attention span is precious.
Step 4: Add a Human Touch
Drop in a quote or two from the dev team to give your press release some personality. Quotes remind people that your game is made by real humans, who love games just as much as you do. Possibly even more.
Step 5: Show, Don’t Tell
Don’t forget your press kit! Journalists want screenshots, logos, trailers, and key art, and having to email you to get them is just putting another barrier in the way. Try to put it all in one clean link – no one wants to go digging through your Google Drive.
Bonus points for linking your:
- Steam or console store page
- Official trailer
- Studio website
- Socials and Discord
Bonus Tip: Keep It Fun, Keep It You
The best press releases sound human. Write the way you’d talk to an excited fan because, honestly, that’s who you’re writing for.
Your press release is your first impression, so make it sound like your game: bold, creative, and full of personality.
Let PR Hound lend a paw!
You only get one shot to make a first impression, and we understand that that can be overwhelming. Why not let PR Hound help?
We’ve tried to calculate the number of press releases that we have sent, but we’re good at writing, not maths. We can help you craft a concise yet fact-packed masterpiece and distribute it to all the relevant inboxes.