Hiiiiiiiiiiiii!
Can you believe it's almost end of year? Gah. Things go so fast. Feels like it could really creep up on you and mess something up like a game launch... Get it? GET IT? That is my segue into this month's newsletter topic. Please clap.
Anywho...
Game Delays π
Whaaaaat? A game delay?! That never happens! (Sarcasm.)
Honestly, while announcing a game delay may feel bad, it's often not as bad as many people expect it to be if done right. While it can be disappointing, it's common nowadays to see announcements from studios that need more time to work on their game.
While we still want to avoid delaying, sometimes we find ourselves in a situation where we have to write up some communications for it! Here's how I would tackle something like this:
Own it: Don't try to hide the news under lots of fluffy wording, just get to the point. Say it succinctly, near the beginning of the post.
And when I say "fluffy" wording, I mean there's no need to kowtow yourself saying how bad or sad the situation is! You don't need to already tell players how they should feel, just get to the fact of the matter. For example, you could change something like "you will be REALLY disappointed in us for reading this" and use more neutral language like "we're shifting the date to [date]". You can still acknowledge it might be disappointing, but ultimately it's not up to frame how they should feel first.
Explain: Next is to give a short explanation on why you are delaying, not an excuse or a way to assign blame somewhere else. Talk about what happened and why it's needed.
The details here don't need to be extensive - players won't necessarily care about the weeds of it all. They just need confidence that all is well.
Promise: This is the most important part! This is what comes after and makes people focus on "what's next". Instead of wallowing, there should be something else for players to look towards. Usually this is a new release date, even if you're not exact about it. It could also be part of the explanation - maybe there's new or more content coming because of the delay!
Gift: This is just where you talk about the progress you've made and "gift" them with some insider information/reward for reading. Like a "you are putting up with this delay, but look at what you're gaining through it" moment. This can also be a great way to instill confidence in your game and production. You may have to show some new assets you have been working on, or explain a mechanic players have been curious about more.
This is not as 100% bulletproof way to have a smooth game delay, of course. It's still possible some people will be disappointed, and that's normal. But the point of this is to give you some sort of a framework for when you may need to use it!
A small note is that you only get so much goodwill. One delay is normal, two is a disappointment, but three starts to make it a question of your production skills. The more frequently it happens, the more you're going to have to work to get that trust back. So make sure the team is sure on the new release!
Community Activity π
Every month I ask a skill testing exercise! Have an activity idea or want to ask a question? Submit one anonymously.
The question:
What's the community issue you had to deal with that you dreaded the most, if you're comfortable talking about it?
Feel free to email me back with your answer! I always respond.
Community Chatter π¬
Here are the interesting and helpful things I've seen this past month.
Game News/Resources
Community & Marketing Game Jobsβ
βThese are not endorsements.
- βBend Studio - Contract Community Manager (Remote)
- βElectronic Arts - Director of Global Communications - Apex Legends (Los Angeles, USA)
- βKabam Games - Senior Community Manager (Vancouver, Canada)
- βMattel Digital Gaming - Associate Marketing Manager (El Segundo, USA)
- βNorsfell - Video Marketing Artist (Montreal, Canada)
- βObsidian Entertainment - Contract Social Media Content Creator (Irvine, USA)
- βQloud Games - Contract Creator Partnerships & Influencer Marketing Manager (Remote)
- βRiot Games - Sr. Community Management Lead - Riftbound (Los Angeles, USA)
- βSanta Barbara Games - Part-Time Social Media Manager (Remote)
- βUbisoft - Sr. Community Developer (Montreal, Canada)
That's it! Hope you have a good spooky month - I'm going to pick apples this weekend woohoo. (Fun fact I am allergic to fresh apples. NOTHING IS GONNA STOP ME! I FEAR NOTHING!)
β€οΈ
Victoria
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1:53 AM β’ Aug 25, 2026
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