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The Game Proposal
[The following following article is the long overdue conclusion to 2002's 'The Game Proposal, Part One: The Basics'] Publishers are inundated with game submissions. As a game developer trying to get the attention of a publisher, that's a concept you probably already understand. Your submission, like all of them, will be filtered as it moves up the chain from receptionist to key decision maker. To better the odds that your game proposal will advance up the decision chain, it must contain the data that the publisher is looking for. Moreover, this information should be easily found within the document structure and formatting. In this article I explain what a game proposal for a publisher should contain, under the assumption that you are already familiar with the game industry but new to the process of pitching a publisher as a third party developer. I'm assuming that you've recently broken off from a larger company, or you have the wherewithal to develop a running demo, and you're forming your own team with the intention to create a game for a publisher. In this scenario, your first step in the proposal process should be to contact the publishers you're likely going to pitch and try and get your hands on any standardized submission forms that these publishers use. It's true that most game proposals are created from the ground up by the developer, but many publishers (particularly the largest ones) also require you to fill out a form to help them get to the meat of your game proposal. Get these forms as early as possible in the process. Often, seeing what the publisher asks in these forms can help you determine if that company will even want your game, and there's no sense in wasting time in crafting a proposal for a publisher that's not a good fit for your game. (Note that game agents have submission forms as well, and they are very similar to the ones publishers use. Contents of the Game Proposal Game proposals generally contain the following elements:
The Cover Letter Probably the most important thing you will write will be the cover letter. This document will most likely be the first and possibly the only one read before the demo is played. It has to tell the publisher everything about you and your proposed game. A cover letter is typically a one page document with an introduction, a body and a conclusion, usually about four solid paragraphs that sum up the entire game proposal. The main points you want to get across in the cover letter are that you have a great game idea (marketable) and that you are able to make that idea a reality. The letter sums up all that is contained in the proposal briefly and only mentions specifics if you have a hot selling point such as a cutting edge technology, license, or top name talent on board. And this is not just a document that sells the game, but you as well. The reader of this letter will notice bad formatting, spelling errors, and how well your thoughts are organized, among other details that will speak of the letters’ author. When writing the cover letter remember to consider your audience and state why you would want to be published by this particular publisher. If possible include a reason you are a fit for this publisher. If, for instance, you have read an article where the publisher has been quoted as saying that they are looking your type of game, mention it here. And remember to conclude your letter with a request for action. Don’t just say thanks and goodbye, ask the reader to follow up or better yet, tell them you will be following up. Part one of this article focuses more on aspects that will help you write an effective cover letter.
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