Hi #gamedev and #indiegames Do you have to list your game's features for a press release? A steam page? A website? Wondering how to write it so that people will actually be interested? Here is a thread on making them better (1/11)

(2/11) The trick is, instead posting a list of "features" translate them into "benefits" for the potential customer. Benefits are basically features + context. Here are some examples from an old school copy writing book by Robert W Bly...

(3/11)Feature: Pencil is a wooden cylinder surrounding a graphite core.
Benefit: Can be resharpened as often as you like to ensure clean, crisp writing

(4/11) Feature: Cylinder is hexagonal
Benefit: Won’t roll off your desk

(5/11)You do this because shoppers haven't played your game yet so they don't know why it is cool to have 30 different sword types. But if you translate that feature to say "you can customize your weapon to align with how you like to play" they will understand it better.

(6/11)To do this translation, take your original list of features and just answer the question "so what?" "Why is that cool?" Feature: Dual Wielding? Just say "so what?" and just keep asking over and over "so what?" Eventually you will have your benefit.

(7/11)You can also figure out the benefit by imagining the player using and enjoying that "Feature." Then ask yourself "why they are they enjoying themselves?" "What did that feature unlock to cause that good feeling?"

(8/11)Also features don't sell a game, stories do. When vice city came out they could have written the features: "Over 7 radio stations with 84 total tracks from the 80s."
"More than 200 hidden jumps." but that didn't sell the game for me...

(9/11)The thing that sold me was when my friend told me he was "listening to Mr. Mister on the radio and hit a jump right when the song hit the chorus: "take! these broken wings! and learn to fly!" That is features turned into benefits.

(10/11)If you want more examples look at this great "benefit" list from fortnite. https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite/en-US/chapter-2-season-3

(11/11)You can also read my full blog for more tips on turning features into benefits: http://howtomarketagame.com/2020/07/06/how-to-make-your-games-features-more-interesting/