How to pitch an article to GamesIndustry.biz
If you're a freelancer interested in writing for us, here's some advice on tailoring your idea to suit our readership
GamesIndustry.biz covers every facet of the games industry, from design, development, publishing, marketing, distribution or retail, all the way through to media, freelance and studying.
If you have a story you think is worth telling or an issue you want to explore, you are welcome to send us a pitch. GamesIndustry.biz is looking to expand its freelance roster and is encouraging writers from diverse backgrounds to get in touch.
Our remit is broad and our features can take various forms. We accept pitches for the following types of articles:
- Investigative pieces
- Interviews with industry figures on a variety of subjects
- Academy articles
- Editorials
If in doubt, read our website to get a sense of the type of articles we publish. If your pitch is accepted, the rate will be discussed between you and the editor depending on the type of article. As of January 2024, £250 is the standard rate, but do keep in mind it can vary in both directions based on the amount of work involved in the commission.
Please also take the time to read the following about what you should be doing in order to grab our attention.
Make sure your angle is precisely defined
The primary goal of a pitch is to clearly explain the issues that your feature is going to raise and the questions it'll be looking to answer. That's the angle of your article. Your pitch should define it very precisely, and answer the essential 'What, who, why?' questions.
- What's the one thing that you're trying to explain through this article?
- Who is featured in it (if anyone)?
- Why is it important to the games industry?
These three questions essentially form the narrative arc of your pitch.
If your article relies on interviews, let us know who you're planning to talk to and how they're going to serve your angle. Set realistic expectations. We do not expect you to have conducted the interviews before getting in touch, but make sure the interviewees you're targeting are people you'll actually be able to talk to in a timely fashion. It's good practice to give us a deadline so we have reasonable expectations of when the article may be ready.
Remember who our audience is
GamesIndustry.biz is not a consumer website. When sending a pitch, always keep our audience in mind -- industry professionals.
When thinking about an article for GamesIndustry.biz, ask yourself the following questions: why would someone working in the games industry want to read about this? Is it going to inform their decisions and strategies going forward? Is it going to help them understand the games industry better? Will they learn something from it? These are all essential aspects of our job.
For example, a GamesIndustry.biz piece could be an interview with an indie studio about the design principles behind its latest title, an opinion piece analysing a platform holder's next gen strategy, an in-depth discussion with the CEO of a AAA publisher, an advice piece on how to avoid unconscious bias, or a long-form article about toxic communities in games.
Keep it concise
Clarity and brevity should be the two keywords leading your pitch. Keep it concise, ideally below 400 words. If your idea needs more than a couple of paragraphs to be explained precisely, that means you probably need to refine your angle before getting in touch. The core idea of your pitch should be able to be summarised in one sentence -- start with that sentence, and then move on to explain it in more detail.
Make sure your pitch is polished, and that you've gone over it and edited it for accuracy and clarity before submitting.
Tell us about yourself too. If we haven't heard from you before, tell us succinctly about your work and background, as well as why you're the best person to write the pitch you sent. Link to your portfolio if you have one, or attach some sample pieces.
Do your research
Before sending us a pitch, please do check that your angle hasn't recently been covered by a member of our team already. Ideas we haven't covered much, or that you can convince us are important, will always be more likely to get commissioned.
Make sure you target the right person when sending your pitch, too. Do not send the same email to three members of staff thinking it will increase your chances.
You can send your pitches to GamesIndustry.biz's editor-in-chief James Batchelor at james.batchelor@gamesindustry.biz, with contact@gamesindustry.biz CC'd in. Clearly mark your email as an article pitch in the subject line.
Please allow for five working days before chasing, unless the story is time-sensitive. If you're planning on pitching the same idea elsewhere, please do let us know so we know that you need a swift answer.