How to Pitch a Video Game? All You Need to Know
8 min read
Everyone has dreamed of creating their own game at least once in their life. However, few people know that a good idea and best intentions are not enough to make a game. The most common problem is finding investors whom you first need to convince of your idea so that they want to put out money for the game development. Before you start your adventure with game production, you need to outline your vision in the form of a pitch.
In this article you will find out:
What Is a Video Game Pitch?
Pitch deck is a short document or presentation intended to briefly explain the most basic premise of the game. What will the title be? Where is the action taking place? How big is this game supposed to be? Why would anyone be interested in it?
This information is necessary to determine whether the idea is worth investing in at all, and whether the production team is capable of developing the game. Getting funding is a lot easier when you show your potential publisher that your game has a huge chance for success. A video game pitch is when you have to prove that your video game idea is better than any other.
However, it is worth thinking about securing your idea against theft before you present it to potential investors.
What to pay attention to when pitching a game?
Elevator Pitch
Elevator Pitch is a metaphor for a very brief and concise presentation of a person, company, or product (as if we had to finish speaking before the elevator reaches the floor). The most important thing is that the presentation is as brief, understandable, and intriguing as possible. You need to present the video game idea and capture the essence of it.
At this stage it is completely irrelevant who will betray the main character at the end of the video game, or why "the Great Cataclysm" occurred. Don't go into detail. Write in sentence equivalents or keywords. The person you are giving a presentation to is only supposed to have a general overview of what will happen in the game.
Key concepts, hooks, asking one question and building an engaging (and short) story around it—all of this can go into a good elevator pitch.
Be Sure of Your Ideas
Game development is a process. The final product will never be exactly what it was meant to be at the beginning. Even so, you have to make some absolutely basic decisions at the pitching stage of the game. If you are unsure whether the game should be first-person or third-person, you still need to fine-tune your idea. Game pitch is definitely not a place to improvise, you need to be sure about everything and carefully prepared.
Fun Comes First!
Games are meant to be fun. All decisions made during development should primarily serve the gameplay. Even if we're talking about planning the most realistic military shooter there is, you, or your game studio, have to make some compromises to get it played well. If you overdo it, you'll get a frustrating simulator, not an entertainment product. Get yourself inspired by the latest trends in the video game industry and focus on special features which will make players interested in your game.
The Most Important Elements of a Game Pitch:
The Hook of the Game
You need to explain in what ways your game is going to stand out from thousands of others on the market. What makes someone reach for it? Catch potential publishers' attention and show that your ideas make your game unique.
Player’s Objective
What is the player's long-term goal? What activities make up the basic gameplay loop? What is supposed to encourage achieving this goal? Remember that an incentive can come from, for example, an interesting storyline, or a satisfying character development system. Tell them about the concept of the game.
Brief Story Outline
Who is the player character? Who is he fighting? What are the realities of the game? Choose keywords that best describe these aspects so that the audience has an idea of what you are talking about.
The Genre of the Game and Target Audience
Video games are a product like any other - they are made to earn money. This means you need to know what audience to target. Think of it this way:
Defining your target audience helps you make some creative decisions and sets clear boundaries for what can be put in the game.
References to Other Games
Operate with references to other games. There are probably a few similar productions in the market—you can relate to them briefly. Show why your game idea is better, what new your game will bring to the video game industry?
Stand Out
Publishing companies receive hundreds of pitches every day. If you can provide examples of your project (concept art, recording of important gameplay elements, demo etc.) your work will be remembered. With mockups the audience of the presentation will understand your idea much easier. What's more—you will prove that you can bring your ideas to life and create something worth their funding.
Target Systems and Technologies
A very important point. Different platforms mean different methods of monetizing the game, as well as completely different control methods and technological limitations. Your game may be completely unplayable on consoles, but it might turn out to be a VR hit.
Game Mechanics
List only the key mechanics that are absolutely essential to understanding the game's identity and the gameplay loop. The game will not sell with the possibility to look around with a camera, but an interesting combat system - by all means. Focus on what is unique to your game.
Good Examples of Game Pitches
Which game pitches can be set as a good example? Take a closer look at the well-known game pitches which opened the publishers' doors for developers.
Diablo
What was outstanding in the most famous Blizzard Entertainment production's game pitch? Developers have shown what was missing in the current gaming industry. Their game aimed to fill a specific niche in the market. The rest of the game pitch focused on detailed outlines of gameplay and environment.
Grand Theft Auto
Everyone knows the GTA franchise. The game pitch document from 1995 differs much from the game that was eventually released, but there's one special thing worth taking a closer look at. A timeline with milestones to achieve due to specific dates shows investors how fast the team can produce a game and how the team uses the funding.
Silent Hill 2
In this case, the intriguing story is the main reason why this game pitch is so good. Accompanied by convincing and atmospheric visuals, the plot starts to speak for itself, and everyone wants to know what will happen next. This is the hook of the game—the element that let a game stand out from other similar productions. Developers focused on perfecting all the good aspects of the previous game and clearly stated what will be done in part two of the Silent Hill series.
How to Behave During a Game Pitch Presentation?
Acquiring investors is one of the key stages of game production, and one of the most difficult. Therefore, an interesting and concise presentation may determine whether or not the entire project may be.
When showing your idea, stay calm, be polite, and try to speak confidently in your voice. Present yourself as a person worth working with. The people you are giving a presentation to will certainly have a few questions for you - think about what they might ask in advance. For example, they may want to know:
It is also worth preparing a printed copy of the pitch deck, as well as key arts or other promotional materials, if you have any. It will be seen as professional behavior and leave a good impression on your game publisher.
How to Make a Perfect Video Game Pitch?
The most important thing is to be confident in your project and to be able to present it well in the most concise way possible - if it is interesting and feasible, you will surely find investors! Good luck! :)
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