Presentation from GDC15 Free-to-Play summit. Best practices for PR for F2P (PC) games.

1. PR for F2P Games
THOMAS BIDAUX
CEO @

2. @icotom Online Games Consulting & Services
1999 - 2004 France Telecom
2004 - 2008 Ncsoft Europe
2008 - 2015 ICO Partners
T h o m a s B I D A U X
I N T R O D U C T I O N
A L L O N L I N E

3. @icotom Online Games Consulting & Services
PR background
ICO PR history
Data sources
You?
I N T R O D U C T I O N
I C O M E D I A

4. @icotom Online Games Consulting & Services
P R 1 0 1 : W h a t i s P R ?
Get people to talk about you
without paying them to do so.

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P R 1 0 1 : W h y d o P R ?
Brand awareness
Player acquisition
10th hit on the head

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P R 1 0 1 : P R f o r m o b i l e F 2 P
• Will cover PC F2P game
PR today
• PR for mobile is more
difficult and more for
brand awareness

7. @icotom Online Games Consulting & Services
P R 1 0 1 : P R f o r m o b i l e F 2 P

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Editors’ motivation is key
U N D E R S T A N D I N G M E D I A
• Reporting a story is different from reporting news
• Editors have core topics they are more familiar with
than others

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Great story
U N D E R S T A N D I N G M E D I A : F l a p p y B i r d
• Rags to riches
• Exotic
• Drama

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• Game announcement
• First screenshots
• First trailer
• Beta start / preview possibilities (even if press only)
• Release date announcement
• Release announcement (+ launch trailer)
T Y P I C A L G A M E N E W S B E A T S
What is next?

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● Game announcement
● Assets release
● First looks article
● Close Beta (better if press can get in ahead)
● Open Beta (better combined with high
perceived value assets)
● “Launch”
F 2 P N E W S B E A T C O N S I D E R A T I O N
P r e - l a u n c h b e a t s P r e - l a u n c h b e a t s
• New content component release
(Champion; God; Spaceship; Tanks)
- pacing is important
• Interviews (when possible)
• Dev logs (more flexibility)
• Large content addition
• Large feature addition
• Addition to the game
• New platform

12. @icotom Online Games Consulting & Services
F 2 P G A M E S B E A T S C O N S I D E R A T I O N S
• Differentiate between the core news beat and the
regular news beats
• Understand your story – pitch it!
• Understand the media interest – apply your own filter!

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S M I T E E X A M P L E

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[ I N T E R L U D E ] - W H A T A B O U T E S P O R T ?

15. @icotom Online Games Consulting & Services
S P E C I F I C F 2 P C H A L L E N G E S
• Competition for attention
• Pre-conceived ideas on F2P
• Wait-and-See approach
• Monetization is a topic

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T A C K L I N G F 2 P C H A L L E N G E S
• Competition for attention Stand out. Have a story
• Pre-conceived ideas on F2P Research specific media F2P coverage
• Wait-and-See approach Pre-empt doubt, pitch credibility
• Monetization is a topic Don’t avoid it

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O T H E R C O N S I D E R A T I O N S
• Give away opportunities
Control volume: target dedicated media first
• European landscape
Opportunities vary from country to country
Languages considerations – formal vs informal
Scandinavian conundrum
• Early Access
Extra challenge

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Y O U T U B E R S / S T R E A M E R S
What is true for regular games is true for F2P games:
• Access to the game is interest #1, not stories
• Understand channels’ themes and interests
• Going after big fishes is not always the best investment in resources
• It is a community

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T H A N K Y O U
I C O P U B L I C R E L A T I O N S T E A M

20. @icotom Online Games Consulting & Services
thomas@icopartners.com
www.slideshare.net/ICOPartners
www.icopartners.com/blog
@icotom
www.facebook.com/icopartners
C O N T A C T I N G M E

21. @icotom Online Games Consulting & Services
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B R I G H T O N
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C O N T A C T @ I C O M E D I A . E U
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