How to Write a Video Game Press Release: Steam Launches, Beta Drops & Esports Reveals

A video game press release is a structured news document developers send to journalists and content creators. It leads with a clear headline, a two to three sentence summary covering who, what, when, where and why, then links out to trailer footage, screenshots and a boilerplate. The goal is simple: an editor should understand your entire story without emailing you back for basic facts.

Gaming editors at outlets like IGN, PC Gamer and GamesIndustry.biz open hundreds of pitches a week. Most get deleted within seconds because the format is off, the assets are missing or the actual news is buried three paragraphs in.

In this guide, we have covered the exact structure PR teams use for Steam launches, beta drops and esports reveals, plus three templates ready to adapt right now.

What Is a Video Game Press Release?

A video game press release announces one specific event: a launch, a beta window, a tournament reveal. It follows a fixed structure editors already recognize, and it is not the same thing as a marketing copy or your game's full narrative pitch.

Three assets get confused constantly in gaming PR, and mixing them up is a fast way to get ignored.

Studios that treat their game news like a generic entertainment industry announcement instead of a gaming specific one lose credibility in one paragraph. Editors can tell instantly if you understand their beat.

The release is the document. The kit is the asset home base. The pitch email is what gets it opened. Skip the standard press release format editors expect, and even great news gets skimmed past.

How to Write a Video Game Press Release (Step by Step)

Eight steps separate a release that gets covered from one that gets deleted. Most quick guides on structuring a press release from scratch skip half of them and jump straight to templates.

Step 1: Write a Headline That States News, Not Hype

Your headline needs to state a fact, not sell a feeling. Vague headlines like "An Epic Adventure Awaits" give editors zero information in an inbox preview.

Use this formula:

Example: Rift Keepers Enters Steam Early Access August 21 With Full Steam Deck Verified Support

This is not a public notice style PSA, it's a trade document. Drop words like "epic," "immersive" and "revolutionary" entirely. Editors strip subjective claims before publishing anyway, so lead with the fact instead.

Step 2: Write the Lead Paragraph

Your first paragraph must answer who, what, when, where and why in two to three sentences. This is the lead with the facts writing style newsrooms call the inverted pyramid. Skip it and your release gets scanned once, then dropped.

Template:

Cap the lead at three sentences maximum. If the release date and platform are not in paragraph one, editors will not read paragraph three to find them.

Step 3: Build the Body With Features and a Usable Quote

The body expands your story without turning it into an ad copy. One quote and three to five feature bullets is enough.

Quote template:

Keep the quote under 40 words. Vague lines like "we're so excited" get cut because they carry no usable information. Each feature bullet should open with a verb and a concrete detail, never an adjective.

Step 4: Add the Boilerplate

Your boilerplate is the "About" block that gives your studio third party credibility. Build it once and reuse it on every release.

Template:

This block never changes release to release, which saves real time once you have five or six announcements behind you.

Step 5: Attach Assets the Right Way

Gaming press cover visuals first and text second, so how you deliver assets matters as much as the release itself. Never attach 30 to 50MB image or video files directly to a pitch email; it triggers spam filters and frustrates editors with already full inboxes. Link to hosted assets instead.

Checklist:

• Transparent logo PNG and full hero key art, minimum 1920x1080

• Trailer link via YouTube, never a raw video file

• Five to eight uncompressed screenshots via a cloud folder

• Gameplay capture at 4K and 60fps for capture heavy outlets

• A permanent, hosted link to your full press kit

Step 6: Build the Fact Sheet

Editors copy your fact sheet directly into their coverage, so accuracy here matters more than style. Match the layout editors expect from every release and place it directly above your boilerplate.

Step 7: Add Media Contact and Embargo Details

Missing embargo details is why releases get published early or ignored entirely. Getting this section right is a small but critical part of putting together a press release that actually works.

Template:

Offer review codes upfront. Forcing an editor to ask for one first adds a step most outlets will not bother taking.

Step 8: Format for Distribution

Your subject line decides whether the release gets opened at all, before a single word of the body matters.

Formula: 

A generic subject line like "Exciting News from Our Studio" gets filtered before anyone opens it. Once the release is finished, how you push it out to press and content creators decides whether any of the previous seven steps mattered at all.

Video Game Press Release Templates by Milestone

Each milestone needs different hooks. Start from a downloadable release structure built for your specific announcement type and adjust from there.

Steam Launch / Early Access Press Release Template

A Steam launch release lives or dies on wishlist proof and platform trust signals. Skip the wishlist push before launch and you lose the exact proof point that makes editors trust your numbers. Working from a structure you can copy and adjust today saves you from rebuilding this format every time.

Include:

• Wishlist count as social proof (joined by X,XXX wishlists)

• Launch discount percentage and duration

• Steam Deck Verified status

• Early Access roadmap summary, if applicable

• Embedded trailer link

Beta Drop / Playtest Press Release Template

Beta news is different because access itself is the story, not the game yet. Separate closed beta (key gated, often under NDA) from open beta (public sign up) directly in the headline; conflating the two floods your support inbox with confused sign up requests.

Include:

• Access mechanism: Steam Playtest opt in or Discord key drop

• Eligibility and regional restrictions

• Beta window dates

• Specific systems or modes that are testable

• NDA status

Esports Reveal / Tournament Announcement Template

Esports releases lead with stakes, not story. Trades like Esports Insider expect the prize pool figure in paragraph one; bury it later and you lose the pickup fast.

Include:

• Total prize pool with breakdown

• Qualifier structure and regions

• Format: bracket type, best of series length

• Broadcast partner and channel link

• Confirmed casters or talent, if any

Pro Tips for Gaming PR Outreach

Outlet tiering decides whether your pitch lands, more than the release copy itself. Studios comparing which press release distribution platforms actually reach gaming press should prioritize outlets with dedicated games verticals over generic newswire services built for corporate announcements.

• Trades like GamesIndustry.biz and Esports Insider want industry and business angles; consumer outlets like IGN, PC Gamer and Polygon want player facing hooks and exclusives

• Creators want keys and capture friendly builds, not a formal release

• Offer one outlet a timed exclusive instead of mass blasting identical embargoed copies to everyone at once

• Open every pitch email with a specific reference to the journalist's past coverage; template obvious openers get deleted on sight

• Manage streamer and creator keys through a dedicated tool rather than manual email threads, and track redemption

• Send exactly one follow up, three to five business days after the first pitch, never more

• Keep your press kit URL permanent across every campaign so returning journalists can bookmark it

"The releases that get covered aren't the ones with the biggest budget, they're the ones that respect an editor's time. Lead with the news, link your assets, and never make a journalist ask you for basic facts twice." — Team EasyPRwire

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a video game press release?

A video game press release is a structured news announcement developers send to journalists and content creators. It covers one specific event, a launch, a beta, or a tournament, with a headline, a lead paragraph, and links to trailer and screenshot assets.

How to write a video game press release?

Start with a fact based headline, then a two to three sentence lead covering who, what, when, where and why. Add a quote, a feature list, a boilerplate, a fact sheet, and links to hosted assets, then send it with a clear subject line before your embargo date.

What should be included in a video game press release?

A headline, dateline, lead paragraph, one usable quote, three to five feature bullets, a boilerplate, a fact sheet with platform and pricing details, and links to trailer footage, screenshots, and key art hosted outside the email itself.

How is an esports press release different from a game launch release?

An esports release leads with the prize pool, qualifier structure, and broadcast partner instead of gameplay features. The stakes of the event come first, not the story of the game.

Which is the best press release service for video games?

EasyPRwire is built for exactly this: transparent one time pricing, distribution to 400+ verified outlets including Yahoo Finance and AP News, and live links you can verify after publication, with no subscriptions or hidden fees.