What to Prepare Before You Commission Launch Content

“Make it look exciting” is a starting point, not a creative brief. Without a clear description, a playable build, and a list of approved scenes, a trailer can promise features that are not in the game. A little preparation helps the first draft feel like your game from the start.

Describe the game in one sentence

Try: “A short adventure in which a lighthouse keeper restores light to the islands by solving environmental puzzles.” That tells the editor who the player is and what they do. “A relaxing game” gives a mood, but not a shot to capture. If the game has received an age rating or content classification, share the approved wording. Do not guess or create a rating that has not been issued.

Flag claims that need proof or are not ready to publish. If co-op is planned but has no confirmed release date, leave “coming soon” out of the trailer. Check the current rules for each store and ad channel before publishing.

What to hand over—and what to check

Make the shot list specific. Instead of “show exploration,” try “the keeper turns the lighthouse lens and its beam reaches the next island” or “the player solves the bridge puzzle and sails onward.” If you share another game as a mood reference, label it clearly: use it for pacing or color only, never as footage for this trailer.

Agree on the review steps

1. Share the one-line pitch and facts that are already confirmed.

2. Agree on the build, platform, and scenes the team can capture.

3. Review the first draft for accurate features, rating, and claims.

4. Separate copy edits from requests to capture gameplay again.

5. Check the destination store’s current specifications before export.

A typo is a copy fix; footage from the wrong build needs a new capture. Naming that difference up front makes feedback easier to act on. If the game includes paid random items or another feature with a disclosure requirement, confirm which rules apply and provide the approved source wording for the team to use.