Industry veteran Rebecca Attard Phillips has published a practical guide aimed at helping independent video game development studios manage their public communications effectively. The guide focuses on strategies for building visibility while preventing team burnout, a common challenge in the sector.
Attard Phillips is the co founder of Boost, a video games brand and communications agency. Her professional background includes leading global communications for major companies such as Square Enix, Creative Assembly, and Splash Damage.
Addressing a Core Industry Challenge
The guide addresses the significant pressure faced by small to medium sized studios. These teams must often handle marketing, public relations, and community management with limited resources and personnel. This can lead to overwork and diminished effectiveness in outreach efforts.
It provides structured advice on planning and executing communication campaigns. The recommendations are designed to be integrated into a studio’s development cycle without overwhelming the core team responsible for creating the game.
Strategic Recommendations for Studios
A central theme of the guidance is sustainable pacing. Instead of sporadic bursts of high intensity promotion, the material advocates for a consistent, measured approach to public engagement. This includes planning content calendars aligned with development milestones.
The guide also emphasizes the importance of identifying a studio’s unique narrative. Rather than attempting to match the promotional scale of larger publishers, it suggests focusing on authentic stories about the game’s development, team culture, or creative process.
Practical tips extend to leveraging cost effective digital channels and community platforms. The advice covers how to build relationships with press and content creators gradually, fostering long term support instead of seeking one time coverage.
Broader Industry Context
The publication of this guide occurs within a competitive and fast moving global games market. Independent studios frequently struggle to gain attention for their projects amidst a high volume of new releases.
Professional communications support has traditionally been accessible primarily to well funded studios. This resource aims to democratize access to core public relations strategies, allowing smaller teams to apply professional techniques independently.
The focus on preventing burnout aligns with wider discussions about sustainable work practices in the technology and creative industries. Mental health and manageable workloads have become increasingly prominent topics of discussion within game development communities.
Future Implications and Availability
The guide is expected to be utilized by studio founders, marketing leads, and community managers seeking a structured framework for their outreach activities. Its practical nature is intended for immediate application to ongoing projects.
As the independent development sector continues to grow, the demand for specialized, accessible business knowledge is likely to increase. Resources that address the intersection of creative production and business operations fill a noted gap in available support materials.
Further industry led initiatives focusing on the business sustainability of small studios are anticipated. These may cover related areas such as funding, intellectual property management, and international distribution, complementing existing advice on public communications and visibility.
Source: GamesIndustry.biz
