A video game pitch is a critical aspect of the development process for indie game developers. It is a presentation that showcases the concept, design, and plans for a video game and is used to secure investment or win pitch competitions. A well-crafted pitch can be the key to success, making it an important tool for any indie game developer. This article delves into the “core” of what makes a successful video game pitch, providing tips, best practices, and examples to help you create a pitch that will impress investors and win competitions.
Key aspects
To build a winning pitch, it’s essential to focus on these key components to showcase the potential of your game.
- Game concept: explain the main idea and inspiration behind the game, the core mechanics and gameplay. Be sure to highlight the unique elements of your game that will make it stand out from others in the market.
- Target audience: describe the group of players that the game is meant for. This will help potential investors understand the market you’re targeting and the potential for success.
- Competition and unique selling points: highlight the game’s unique features, setting it apart from similar games and how it stands out from the competition. This will help you demonstrate why your game is worth investing in.
(For these first three points above, I strongly recommend to read more about creating a business model and a competitive analysis. After then, you’ll be able to include these aspects from your reasearch into the pitch deck.)
- Team: introduce the team members, their skills and experience in the industry, and the roles they play in the game’s development. This will help potential investors understand the level of expertise and experience behind the game’s development.
- Traction and development plan: give an overview of the progress made on the game so far, and a plan on how to move forward in the future. This will help potential investors understand the current state of the game and the potential for future development.
- Call to action: what you want the listener to do after hearing your pitch, whether it be investing, giving feedback or further discussion.
- Include a slide at the end of your presentation that provides a way for the audience and potential investors to contact you.
To craft an effective indie game pitch, it’s important to keep the following tips in mind:
- Keep it short and sweet with approximately 10 slides
- Practice until you can deliver the pitch in less than five minutes.
- Create an attractive/stunning presentation with a trailer and engaging design and graphics: Use trailers, screenshots, artworks, charcters and other visual materials to help tell the story of your game and make it more engaging.
Examples
Keep in mind that for a live presentation, you should focus on incorporating more visual elements and keep the text minimal. However, if sending a pitch via email, a greater amount of text will be necessary. The content below should serve as an example of a script for a live presentation, rather than the text that should appear on the actual pitch slides. Here is an example of a live pitch for a fictive game called “Sapiens”.
Game concept example: Our game, Sapiens, is a deep simulation and management game that follows the history of Homo Sapiens society. Players will start from the early days of humanity and guide the evolution of their civilization through various challenges and milestones. The core gameplay revolves around resource management, diplomacy, and technological advancement, allowing players to experience the challenges and triumphs of humanity’s journey. The unique twist is that the game incorporates historical events and discoveries, giving players an educational experience while still having the freedom to make their own decisions and shape their own civilization. Our vision for Sapiens is to bring history to life in a new and exciting way and to give players a deep understanding of humanity’s journey.
Target audience example: Our game is targeted towards history enthusiasts, strategy gamers, and fans of deep simulation and management games. Players who are interested in learning about the evolution of Homo Sapiens society and the impact of their decisions on the course of history will find this game especially appealing. These players want to experience the thrill of managing a society from its earliest beginnings to the modern era and are looking for a game that offers a complex, immersive and challenging experience.
Competition and unique selling points example: Sapiens is a deep simulation and management game that follows the history of Homo Sapiens society. It sets itself apart from the competition by offering a unique mix of strategy, resource management, and historical accuracy. The game features a complex AI system that simulates the decisions and actions of civilizations, allowing players to experience the evolution of society in a dynamic and realistic way. Our game stands out from the competition by providing a level of detail and immersion that has never been seen before in a society simulation game, making it a worthwhile investment for anyone interested in strategy and history games.
Team example: Our team is composed of two highly complementary individuals, John Doe and Jane Doe. John is an experienced game designer with a background in anthropology and a passion for simulating complex systems. He has been working in the industry for over 10 years and brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. On the other hand, Jane is a talented programmer with a focus on user experience and a passion for storytelling. She has been working in the industry for 5 years and brings a fresh perspective to the project. Together, John and Jane form a dynamic duo, bringing their expertise to the development of Sapiens, from the game design to the coding. They are both dedicated to creating a unique and immersive simulation and management game that follows the history of Homo Sapiens society.
Traction/development plan example:
So far, we have completed the conceptual design phase of our deep simulation and management game, Sapiens, which follows the history of Homo Sapiens society. We have a team of experienced developers who have worked on similar games, and we have received positive feedback from early play testers. Our plan for the future includes completing the development of the game’s core mechanics, creating a polished user interface, and expanding the game world with additional content and features. By the end of the year, we plan to launch a closed beta test with select players and gather additional feedback to refine the game before a full release. This comprehensive approach to development will ensure that we create a high-quality game that will stand out from similar games on the market.
Call-to-action example: After hearing about our deep simulation and management game, ‘Sapiens,’ we would like you to consider investing in our project. We believe that with your support, we can bring this game to life and provide players with an unforgettable experience while they learn about the history of Homo Sapiens society. We would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions, and we would be happy to discuss the specifics of our investment opportunities. Our goal is to take this game to the next level, and with your help, we can make that happen.
What’s next?
This article offers a detailed way for creating a compelling pitch for your indie game. However, it is essential to remember that the pitch is just the tip of the iceberg, and there is a vast amount of information that you need to collect and analyze to make a successful presentation – and for the success of your game too! Therefore, I recommend that you continue reading and supplement your knowledge with these two articles, which will aid you in refining your pitch creation process.
Creating a Winning Business Model and Competitive Analysis for Your Indie Game
If you’re looking for personalized guidance or feedback on your pitch, or require more general information on launching an indie game, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me (my contact info are at the bottom of this page).
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