Dan – the reason some announcements never include the platform is because with consoles, you have to get the platform holder’s approval before sending the release. Sometimes, there’s just no time for that, as it can take 24-72 hours, and you have a client who refuses to wait that long to announce their new title after officially signing it. So, you cheat, and just don’t include the exact platform, saving that for a follow up as soon as humanly possible.

As far as being creative, I’ve spoken to as many editors saying “Be creative” as there are saying “Just give us the raw facts, we don’t need a fun release, we just want to hear about your game.” So it’s a toss up on that one.

As Matt points out, you should not use “you” in an announcement. Actually, most wire services will reject any press release containing “you”.

I would love to banish all press releases, and just do informal media alerts with “Hey, here’s what’s up” in a paragraph or two, but alas, some clients want a big announcement for everything, or their partners want an announcement, and no amount of “Seriously, this could be over and done in two seconds, rather than 13 revisions” will stop them. So, you shut up, do your job, and fight the battles worth fighting.

What bothers me is when a press release announcing a game or it’s availability or whatever buries the platform somewhere deep in the body, or doesn’t include it at all. Most of the time this is for PC titles, but still…

I don’t read most of the press releases I get. *SHOCK* It’s not surprising though, really. %99 of them are dull and boring. I like the ones that are self referential and have some fun. I mean, these are videogames, this isn’t supposed to be like healthcare reform.

THE LEAD:
I hate seeing “today announced” in a press release – its not proper form and its simply redundant. might as well say “fatally killed.” Essentially that phrase goes back to olden times of PR, when you might have a press conference and then hand stuff and snail mail your release out. It should be eliminated entirely. How about “hankypants will introduce its latest model of poopants…” rather than “hankypants today announced it will introduce its latest model…” Should be noted, not all PR people agree with me here. But they’re wrong and I’m right.

BODY vs QUOTES:
The BODY text of the release is for facts, features, and highlights. You can get creative here, of course, we do work in video games… I mean, i once said “devastating arsenal of flesh-chewing weaponry” … but the body of a release is not for declarative opinions like “best” or “most fun” – its for facts like, “most maps ever included in a multiplayer shooter.”.

The QUOTE is where you stick your hypey and overstated opinions – those thoughts should come from the executives mouth, not from your statement. It’s his or her opinion that the game is the best, the most awesomest and pushing the genre further. That’s not a fact, so it can’t go in the body of the release.

if you put declarative opinions into the body text, you are writing a marketing/sales one-sheet, NOT a press release. Don’t do that – you are ruining your rep as a PR professional.

Also, don’t address the reader as “you” and ask them “Are you ready to meet the challenge?” That’s a SALES&MARKETING call to action, NOT PR. Keep it pure and proper people!