Getting Your Foot Into The Digital World: How to Get a Job in video game PR

Breaking into the gaming industry can be intimidating at first glance. With so many people being interested in this field, it might appear daunting. The good news is you do not need to have a vast amount of programming knowledge or an expansive artistic portfolio, you just need passion. So many fantastic games are being made but not all of them get the attention they deserve, this is where video game public relations experts come in. If you can convey your passion for games, you can share it with everyone else.

So How Exactly Do You Get Into Video Game PR?

Public relations within gaming encompasses a vast array of activities. This can look like creative pitching to the media, drafting press releases, media tours and even working on media training. This wide swath of skills demands that public relations agencies within gaming need a large list of talented people with various backgrounds. 

The simplest way however to get into video game PR would be to love games, not just the big titles and start reading every bit of video game coverage you can get your hands on. Learn about what is being consumed by gamers, where it’s being consumed and who’s writing it. Start to build a network through outreach on LinkedIn. After this has been done, here are some of the easier angles into a job within public relations inside of gaming: 

 Previous experience will always be the best way into this industry. While good companies will always keep an eye out for new and fresh talent, being able to point towards a large portfolio of impactful press releases will always be king. A degree in a related field, paired with some connections that can vouch for you 

However, a degree and previous experience is a great start but they’re not always needed. This industry is vast and just being able to talk about games can be helpful. Starting a personal blog, becoming a writer for a smaller video game outlet and finding any space to start joining the vast discussion of video games online is a great way to develop your passion and ability to craft compelling narratives. Here are some alternative approaches to break into the industry.

Alternative Path Into The Industry

Influencer Experience:

Whether you yourself were an influencer, managed influencers or just got contracted to help an influencer with their social media – this experience can often show that you know how to collaborate with key players in this industry.

Marketing Experience:

Marketing experience is vast and broad. It’s likely that if you’ve worked in marketing before, there will be a lot of carry over into video game public relations. If you have marketing experience you’ve probably worked with a brand and conveyed their message to an audience. Whether it’s staying on tone or keeping the target audience in mind – this experience translates smoothly into being able to tell a story in this industry.

Game Developer Experience:

While public relations and marketing experience can convey your love of the industry, being able to speak technically about game design is incredibly helpful when connecting with a gaming audience. Having a background in game development can help you stand out from so many others especially when paired with a vast knowledge of video game history. You’d be the perfect person to talk about what sets a game apart from the competitors and help guide the audience into making a purchase.

The Future Of Gaming PR: Stories Need To Be Told

With more and more games being developed by smaller studios, the need for public relations in gaming will continue to grow. While these small studios might have the necessary creative freedom to stand out in the game space, they are also the best candidates for video game public relations. So often developers are so focused on perfecting their game that their story never gets told.