Here at Cult of Mac, we’re just starting our coverage of iOS and Mac games, as our fearless leader Leander told you in the publisher’s letter for the inaugural edition of our Newsstand magazine.
Since we’re just starting up, it’s pretty easy to get our attention when it comes to promotional emails and review requests. While we can’t review all the games we’re sent, we do read all the promotional emails that you’re sending our way.
Even still, we’d be lucky to review even a minuscule percentage of games we get requests for, so there are a few things that you can do to guarantee that we’ll take a closer look. There are a few more than you can do to make sure we don’t look much closer, too.
Here’s a list of both extremes, to help guide you on your way to getting coverage on Cult of Mac.
Make It Count
We only have so much time in the day to read through game review pitches. Make it easy on us.
First of all, your game needs to look good. In an app store with thousands upon thousands of games, many of them in the same genre or style as yours, things start to look the same. Be sure to include at least a link to the iTunes URL of your game, and a YouTube video to show it off in action is even better.
Make sure your game is unique, original, or brings something new to the genre. Is it an endless runner? What sets it apart? Match-three? Why would anyone want another one of those? Your game can be compelling on its own, but it should probably do so in a way that hasn’t been done to death before.
Is your game finished? Is it of high quality? No matter how great your marketing skills are, your game needs to be high quality. If not, then no amount of salesmanship will make it rise through the charts. Focus on your game first, then get it out to us.
Be sure to include links to your game’s website, images without promotional copy plastered all over them, and videos. Give us a summary of what the game does well, and why we might want to look at it. Put this at the top of the email, so we can see it right away.
Ultimately, be creative in your marketing email. Entertain us, surprise us, inspire us in some way to look at your game. While you have likely poured your heart and soul into the development, we have no way of knowing anything about it without your help. There are also just as many other hard working, passionate developers out there as there are game apps. Be unique.
Keep It Simple
There are just as many ways to ensure we don’t look at your game for review. Here are a few of the more common mistakes we’ve seen.
Don’t try to overwhelm us with style. A simple email with the above information is usually enough to get our attention.
Be sure to include iTunes links. You’d be surprised how many folks forget that; we don’t usually spend a lot of time hunting your game down if you don’t help us find it easily and quickly.
Use your best written communication skills, even if English isn’t your first language. To be honest, though, the worst emails tend to be from native-speaking developers who—for whatever reason—just don’t think it’s worth their time to use complete sentences or proofread for typos.
Don’t oversell it. If your game is unique, high quality and works well, we will probably take a look. No need to tell us it’s the best match-three game with a twist since…well, since the last 14 emails we got saying the same thing.
We Want You
Your game is important, to us as well as to you. We want to find the highly polished gem that you’ve spent so many sleepless nights and extra weekend hours on. Be sure to stick to the basics when you tell us about it, and your chances are that much higher at getting a review up on our site and many others.
Good luck, and good gaming!
