The Pitch Document/Proposal

Hello again, this time we will be looking at the Pitch Document or Proposal and discussing its various aspects.

The pitch usually comes after a publisher has looked over your concept document and decided there might be something to it. This is usually the first important step in building a good relationship with a publisher and is also a proof of the ability of a developer to stand their own. Sometimes a pitch might be the 1st document a publisher sees from you skipping altogether the brief high concept. A typical pitch document consists of several key elements that are as follows:

          Outline of the Project

Here you will be looking to convey the project as clear and as intriguing as possible. It is a section not unlike the high concept, but a bit longer. Usually it spans one or two pages detailing the main mechanics and what the game is all about.

          Business Information

This is probably the most important section of the document in regard to showing the publisher that the developer is a serious and capable bunch! This section is a bit longer and the developer has to include relevant information about several key subjects.

Costs - the developer has to show realistic estimates of the costs, show them you understand the math, but don't try to explain it to them! The publishers work with money a lot more, so to speak, so they will know if you are pulling numbers out of a hat or if you are way off.

Timetable - know your (time) limits. Identify key areas as milestones in development. Here you should strongly relate time with costs and show them you can plan for issues as well. Contingency plans and buffers, while realistic, will be greatly impressive.

* As far as costs and time goes there are a number of tricks and methods you can use that are mostly described and could be learned from project management/software project management books and web resources. For example estimating that your staff will work 6 days a week is quite a bad idea and building your timetable around that assumption is a good way to lose money fast.

The team - like with costs and timetable, this section is also all about credibility! If your numbers are correct you are way ahead, but if you can showcase your team whether it is with art, technological prowess or simply by having a renowned person in your company's midst, you should include that.

Additionally you will be looking at things like the target market/s, formats (platforms), possible holes in the market that your game seeks to explore (i.e. "Nobody has developed an X type of game in the last few years and we are seeking to exploit that."), languages, etc.

          Demo

And last but not least there is the Demo. Now some might argue a demo is not a mandatory part of a pitch, but in my opinion publishers nowadays expect a demo anyway, so you better have one. Don't be confused - a demo in the pitch is not the same demo you see before a game comes out. On the contrary, it is a prototype of the game, featuring core mechanics (maybe even not all) and possibly innovative features that make your game unique. It is of utmost importance that your demo runs smoothly without glitches and bugs. Your demo will mostly be viewed by non-technical people so for them it is important to look and feel good rather than what is under the hood.


In conclusion, what you are aiming at with your pitch is to have your idea, your game accepted for development. You are basically attempting to convince people to give you money to make it. I reiterate - it's about credibility, you should appear like a capable company or you probably won't get the deal. Have finance information to backup your estimates, have tables to show how you will manage your project in time. Support your idea as much as possible. An example is if a renowned person in the industry thinks your idea is the next big thing, mention it!

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Until next time.