For those who want to get paid to write about games, here’s a list of 25 publications that pay for writing on the topic.
Become a paid subscriber and get full access to our private database of 2,000+ publishers that pay including payment rates and contact information.
If you’re new to pitching, I highly recommend taking our short course on pitching here.
- GamesIndustry.biz is a website about the games industry. They cover “every facet of the games industry, from design, development, publishing, marketing, distribution or retail, all the way through to media, freelance and studying.” They are looking to expand their freelance roster. They accept pitches for investigative pieces, interviews with industry figures, academy articles, and editorials. They encourage pitches from writers of diverse backgrounds. According to their pitch guide, their standard rate is £250 per article. To learn how to pitch them, visit this page.
- IGN is an internet media company that covers video games, TV, movies, tech, and comics. They’re seeking games features, entertainment features, news, previews, and reviews. According to their pitch guide, rates are $300-$1,000+ for games and entertainment features, $30-$400 for news, $300 for previews, and $150-$400 for reviews. To learn more, refer to their pitch guide.
- Rock, Paper, Shotgun is a website that offers PC gaming news, reviews, previews, and opinion. They are currently looking for community reports, interview-led features, reviews, lists, and “spawn point” articles. According to their pitch guide, they pay a standard rate of £200 for articles of 1,000 to 1,500 words. They may pay £250 for reviews of particularly long games or interviews of multiple subjects. They are not always open to pitches. Details here.
- Restart is a gaming news website. They’re seeking pitches for reviews and other feature pieces from both seasoned and up-and-coming freelance writers. According to their pitch guide, the average rate is $200 per article. For more information, refer to this page.
- Aftermath is a worker-owned site focused on video games and internet culture. They accept pitches from both new and established writers: “Free from the pressures of SEO, traffic, and the latest big game, we want stories that highlight important, under-explored facets of gaming and technology, as well as stories that hold powerful figures to account.” Rates are $300 for shorter pieces, and $500 for pieces involving more in-depth reporting and analysis. To learn more, refer to their pitch guide.
- PCGamesN is a website that covers all things PC gaming. They are always seeking stories, op-eds, guides, and features about the best games on PC. They are particularly looking to promote underrepresented voices from diverse backgrounds. According to an old tweet from their strategy editor, rates start at £110 for 800 words. To learn more, refer to their pitch guide.
- Wargamer is a website that publishes news, guides, and reviews of tabletop games and digital wargames. They are always looking for stories, op-eds, guides, and features about tabletop games and wargames. They are especially interested in hearing from underrepresented voices. According to a deleted tweet, they pay £75 for 600 words, £150 for 1,000 words, and £200 for 2,000 words for features. For guides, they pay £75 for 600 words, £150 for 1,000 words, and £175 for 1,500 words. For reviews, pay is £100 for 700 words and £200 for 1,500 words. For more details, refer to their pitch guidelines.
- Geek Native is a blog for gamers that covers role-playing games (RPGs), computer games, comics, tech, sci-fi, anime, books, movies, and shiny gadgets. According to their website, “as an experiment a small monthly budget is being set aside to pay for written content.” They will pay for news, tips and tricks, and industry commentary. According to their pitch guide, their rate is $0.12 per word for articles of 750 to 1,000 words. This fee includes any tax and transfer fees. For details, refer to this page.
Leave a Reply