VGPR #001: I Have No Idea What I'm Doing
It says it right there
Welcome to the VGPR newsletter from me, Lizzie Killian, founder at FIFTYcc PR.
The VGPR newsletter features interesting developments and topics impacting public relations in the video games industry. I'll be collecting news, resources, and other fun stuff (hey, it can't all be serious) that I find personally useful and interesting in the hope it can benefit other PR professionals in the gaming industry, or really anyone looking to get their career started in PR.
VGPR began as a small online group in 2016. I had been a member of a PR community more broadly focused on the tech industry, but I really wanted to connect with more PR professionals in the video game industry. VGPR became that group, and gained interest by sharing job openings, media opportunities, shifts in the media landscape, and other industry news.
So, in this first issue of VGPR: Xbox Game Showcase’s most watched trailers, Billboard Magazine’s special gaming issue and other non-endemic publications moving into games coverage, my work from home setup, media moves, and some PR job openings.
Xbox Game Showcase’s Most Watched Trailers (According to YouTube)
In terms of strictly trailers, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 would’ve been in the lead with over one million views on YouTube across Xbox, IGN, and GameSpot. While the actual Halo Infinite “Step Inside” cinematic trailer did not get as many viewers as the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, Fable, Forza Motorsport, or Avowed trailers, the combined viewership for Halo’s cinematic trailer, gameplay reveal trailer, and gameplay demo put it at the top of the list. Halo Infinite’s reception is a different story, but an interesting lesson in anticipating and managing audience expectations (I’m still a fan of Halo and am excited for Infinite).
Halo Infinite - “Step Inside”, Official Campaign Gameplay Premiere, and Official Gameplay Reveal Trailer
Billboard’s Gaming Issue TL;DR
Non-gaming publications like the musically-focused Billboard and NME are moving increasingly into games coverage. This creates new media opportunities for gaming and offers examples of how a more general audience views games and its communities. Here are some of the topics covered in Billboard’s gaming issue (July 25, 2020), and the people who wrote about them (note that this issue focuses on really top level gaming brands such as Fortnite, Twitch, Call of Duty, etc., and industry trends backed by data and dollar figures):
Tatiana Cirisano did an interview with Travis Scott on his performance in Fortnite and how video games are paving a new path for the live-music business
She also covered how Twitch is "shaking up the music industry" by signing deals with artists, growing its internal music team, and handling music licensing issues
Dan Rys wrote up a deep dive on FaZe Clan and how it has bridged the gap between gaming, culture, and music
Josh Glicksman organized an impressive timeline from 1978 to present day on how the gaming and music industries became "friends with benefits"
And speaking of music and gaming…
For more consumer-focused pitches
Also in the media
Polygon’s Chris Plante started a video game newsletter (I swear I was planning this one out before I learned about his!)
Vox lays off 72 staffers, and Colin Campbell leaves games media entirely
Tamoor Hussain is now Managing Editor of GameSpot
Chris Kohler left Kotaku and is now Editorial Director at Digital Eclipse
Kirk McKeand is leaving VG24/7 on August 20
What’s old is new again
G4 returns in 2021! But what does it all mean? Will it go head-to-head against VENN? Do I need a TV? What will Gen Z think?
Working From Home
I got my first taste of working from home in 2015 when I started experimenting with PR consulting for the first time. It was hard. I was mostly just working off an old MacBook Pro at the dining room table, sometimes moving to the guest bedroom that was poorly lit and full of random stuff. By the time I started consulting full time in 2017, I felt like I had learned all the ropes of working from home that helped me become more effective: don’t work from bed, make sure to shower and dress as though you were going to an office, set work/life boundaries, etc… oh, and of course a good WFH setup helps! Here’s my little corner:
Always on my desk:
Poketo Concept Planner, because Google Calendar isn’t enough
A selenite crystal, because every PR person needs to cast away the bad vibes
A guitar pick, because I’ll eventually get a couple of minutes to play a little tune… eventually…
Want to share your WFH setup? Please send it along to vgpr.insider@gmail.com!
PR Jobs
Amazon - PR Manager, Amazon Games (Irvine, CA)
Capcom - PR Coordinator (San Francisco, CA)
Electronic Arts - Director, EA SPORTS Communications (Orlando, FL)
Epic Games - PR Manager (Cary, NC)
Gearbox Software - Public Relations Manager (Frisco, TX)
Kalypso Media - (Senior) PR Manager (Seattle, WA)
Nintendo - Manager, Public Relations (Redwood City, CA)
Riot Games - Senior Manager, Communications & Public Relations, North America (Los Angeles, CA)
The Pokémon Company - Public Relations Associate Manager (Bellevue, WA)
The Pokémon Company - Public Relations Manager (Bellevue, WA)
And that’s all she wrote. If you like what you see here (or don’t), please send me an email at vgpr.insider@gmail.com. What would you like to see more or less of? I welcome all feedback and suggestions, and if you have an idea you’d like to submit for future issues, please reach out!
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