Pitch a game concept clearly in two minutes, with a hook, a core loop and a reason to believe.
Why it matters
Designers pitch all the time: to teammates in a meeting, to a lead when proposing a feature, to a publisher or funding body, to a game jam team at 9 pm on Friday. A clear pitch gets an idea a fair hearing; a rambling one gets it forgotten, however good the idea. Pitching is also a test of your design: if you cannot explain the game in two minutes, it may not be clear yet.
The core idea: what the listener needs
Every listener is silently asking four questions:
- What is it? (the hook and genre)
- Who is it for? (audience and platform)
- Why will it work? (core loop, unique angle, evidence)
- What do you need from me? (the ask)
A good short pitch answers all four, in roughly that order.
A two-minute structure
| Time | Part | Example (folding puzzle game) |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00-0:15 | Hook | "Fold Lands is a calm puzzle game where you fold paper maps to bring villages together." |
| 0:15-0:35 | Audience and feeling | "It's for players who love relaxing puzzle games and the feel of craft; every fold should feel physical." |
| 0:35-1:05 | Core loop | "You study a map, fold it along creases to line up roads, connect every village and unlock the next region." |
| 1:05-1:30 | Reason to believe | "Our paper prototype tested with eight players; all finished the first set and asked for more. Here's a 10-second clip." |
| 1:30-1:50 | Scope | "Two people, nine months, PC and Switch, 40 puzzles." |
| 1:50-2:00 | Ask | "We're looking for an artist to join the team." |
Hooks and comparisons
A common hook format is "X meets Y" or "X, but Y": "a farming game, but your farm is on a whale's back". Comparisons are useful because they borrow the listener's knowledge, but they also set expectations, so pick comparisons that are honest and widely known. Then add what makes yours different; a pitch that is only "like X" invites the question "why not just play X?".
Show, do not just tell
Evidence persuades more than adjectives:
- a short gameplay clip or animated GIF
- a photo of the paper prototype in use
- one playtest result ("seven of eight players replayed the first level")
- a single striking piece of concept art
Avoid claims you cannot support, such as "it will be the next big hit".
Pitching to different audiences
- Teammates: focus on the experience and what each discipline will get to build.
- Leads or producers: focus on scope, risks and how it supports the project's pillars.
- Publishers or funds: add market, budget, timeline, team track record and a playable build. Many publishers list what they want in a pitch deck on their websites; follow their format.
Handling questions
Questions are good: they mean someone is engaged. Listen fully, answer briefly, and if you do not know, say so and say how you would find out ("We haven't tested that yet; it's our next playtest goal"). Do not argue with feedback in the room. Write it down.
Common mistakes
- Starting with lore. "In the year 3045, the kingdom of..." loses listeners before they know what they do in the game.
- Feature lists. Ten features in a row are hard to remember. One hook and one loop are not.
- No ask. Listeners do not know what you want from them.
- Running over time. Respect the limit; it shows you can scope.
- Reading slides word for word. Rehearse until you can speak naturally.
Quick recap
- Answer four questions: what is it, who is it for, why will it work, what do you need.
- Use a two-minute structure: hook, audience, loop, evidence, scope, ask.
- Show evidence (clips, prototype photos, playtest results) instead of hype.
- Adapt to the audience, welcome questions and stay within time.
Try it
Open the Do tab, prepare a two-minute pitch and deliver it to someone.