It’s a special moment when a game developer witnesses their passion project near completion. Whether built solo or in a team, much care and effort brings the technical craft to creative vision, ultimately birthing a new interactive experience worth sharing.
But the problem is that today’s crowded marketplace demands more than simply releasing into the digital wilds blindly hoping for glory. If you really want to stand out, you will need a deliberate strategy — thoughtful planning that effectively introduces your unique gem to the world.
So, what critical ingredients, beyond crossing fingers for organic discovery, can make or break launch week momentum? When is the ideal time? Who should be involved early? This guide shares some quick tips and advice on crafting a high-impact PR campaign tailored to getting as many eyeballs on your game as possible.
Why Announcing Your Game Matters
Before jumping into the how-to, you must understand what a proper new game announcement does for you and why it matters.
Creates Anticipation and Interest
A great game press release distributed at the right time through the proper news channels gets your game name and details out before launch. This starts building anticipation with fans and influencers. Now people know about your game and can’t wait to play it!
Drives Wishlists
When you announce key details—like genre, platforms, trailers, and screenshots—gamers will get excited and wishlist your game if they like what they see. More wishlists mean higher visibility on storefronts.
Attracts Gaming Sites
An announcement press release makes gaming journalists aware of your game early. If the details hook them, they’ll likely cover your game around launch time. Landing articles on gaming sites brings vast exposure.
Sets Up Pre-Orders
Getting the word out ahead of release lets you start accepting pre-orders. This helps gauge interest in your game and get revenue flowing in earlier. As you can see, a solid game announcement does tremendously necessary groundwork that pays off later.
How to Craft Your Game Announcement
Now let’s get into the details of how to announce your game to the world properly:
Distribute A Press Release Through Specialized Newswires
Simply writing a release isn’t enough—you need to distribute it widely through gaming press release distribution to really maximize your efforts.
These distribution platforms get your announcement in front of hundreds of gaming journalists and influencers who can pick it up and, more importantly, understand what you’re bringing to the table. Using a wire service blasts your release out globally through gaming media circles.
This saves you time and energy and helps ensure that your announcement has the best chance of landing in front of the eyeballs that matter most.
Strategize Your Timing
Timing your announcement is critical. You want visibility to avoid getting overshadowed by news from significant gaming events.
Carefully plan to unveil your game details a few weeks before or after big shows like E3, Gamescom, PAX West, or The Game Awards. Avoid those crammed new cycles around the events themselves.
There needs to be more hype surrounding huge reveals and announcements for your news to be noticed. Planning the announcement window around these major events allows you to capitalize on industry buzz without competing directly.
You also must strategize based on your launch. The ideal timing is 1-2 months before release. This gives you enough runway to build momentum and wishlists that actually convert at launch. However, don’t fire your shot too early, either—6+ months pre-launch often results in people simply forgetting about your game by release week (unless you’re Rockstar marketing GTA VI).
Promote the Announcement Yourself Too
There needs to be more than just press and news coverage. You also need to market the announcement aggressively across your channels. At a minimum, blast your announcement on all your game’s social media pages – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Discord, etc.
Don’t just link it; pull out essential parts like trailers, superb graphics, and launch details for native social posts. If you want to try and move the needle, you can try things like:
- Paid social ads to reach more potential fans
- Pitching streamers for preview coverage
- Running a launch giveaway contest
This keeps people engaged, helps convert wishlists to sales, and sustains the buzz leading to launch week.
Bring People Into Your Process
Another intelligent tactic is to give select fans or influencers early access to game builds via closed beta tests or early access. Let them experience development progress and provide feedback.
Seeing all the effort you’re pouring in and improvements happening over time strengthens their connection with your game. This makes your top supporters excited evangelists for your full launch announcement!
Final Word
By crafting a quality press release showcasing your game’s best elements, strategically announcing to cut through the noise, leveraging your channels and relationships, and involving key communities early…you have all the tools you need to make a splash.
This multi-channel approach makes success beyond just hoping for organic discovery. It drives real momentum, wishlists, press coverage, and influencer buzz that tangibly impacts those critical early sales.
