CW's Guide to RPG Reviewing
I need to start out by addressing comped copies and the convention environment. If you are a reviewer and are intending to go to a convention with the intent of scoring a bunch of review copies, my initial reaction is “Don't Do It!” Let me explain why. At big gaming conventions the publishers there have a few goals in mind, one of which is to sell games. Most folk you encounter are going to be put off at the thought of handing out a free copy of the game. They don't know you, you can't show them any worthwhile credentials (such as links to past work), and even if they were somewhat interested most will rightly want to hold onto copies of their game to sell to actual customers.
The worst part of the whole thing, though, is that you have gone to a gaming convention and here you are basically doing cold call sales work towards publishers and designers you may like quite a bit. This isn't cool for them, and it's way worse for you. Where's the love of games that got you to the con to begin with? Fortunately, there's a better way.
First, if you know there's a game you want to review then contact the publisher ahead of the convention. Provide your credentials, mention you'll be there and ask about stopping by the booth to chat. This gives the publisher an opportunity to provide you with a review copy if they so choose, but it's even more valuable in that it creates a connection between your online persona and who you are in real life.
In fact, that connection is incredibly valuable to the comped reviewer. Online interactions are very impersonal, but once there's a face attached to a username the relationship has room to grow in a positive way. This is what you should really be doing at a con if you want to grow a reputation as a reviewer – simple networking. Shake hands, compliment great games, and make yourself known while having a good time along the way. Afterward just send a follow-up email and see where things go.
The only thing to watch out for in doing this is the employee with no decision making powers. This happens with larger publishers, but there's an easy way to avoid it. Do your homework before attending the con and check to see if the people you really want to talk to will be there. If they won't then the whole approach is moot and you're better off making an email introduction, as discussed in some of my previous articles. Note that whether you're sure or not you should always treat everyone you encounter as a business contact, showcasing the highest in courtesy and respect. You're not going to make friends with a publisher by offending a hard working employee.
Second, if you do decide to approach folk about review copies then the time to do that is at the end of the convention. For Gen Con, Sunday around noon is a great time. By then the stock that is going to sell has mostly sold and a publisher may be more willing to take a chance on getting some worthwhile product exposure. Do keep in mind, though, that there's a lot going on and the publisher wants to go home, too. Keep your pitch short and sweet, and if they're not buying it then simply thank them and move on.
As always, those that do give you review copies at a con are giving you their trust and you have an obligation to make sure that trust is respected. I strongly recommend following up with a friendly email after the con, thanking the publisher for the review copy, and then another email once the review is posted. This cements the relationship by showing that you're reliable and demonstrating that you upheld your word. It's a great way to build the relationship as well, especially since many publishers have been burned by past “reviewers” and welcome dealing with someone who will follow up with them.
Finally, I recommend avoiding picking up any review copies you are not familiar with or are not sure you want to review. Some of my worst experiences as a reviewer have come from accepting review products without realizing what I was doing and ending up with something that wasn't a good fit for me. If someone offers you a review copy and you have absolutely no idea whether it would interest you or not, I recommend politely declining. Tell them you've already got plenty on your review stack, but you'll follow up with them by email if that changes soon. This gives you an opportunity to learn a little more about the game later and decide if you want to commit to investing the time in a review.
To wrap it all up, I recommend having a great time at the con and networking more than cold calling publishers for products. The former builds relationships that can be very valuable in the long run, while the later meets with spotty success and is a fairly unpleasant way to spend con time. Know what you want to do ahead of time and you'll be set. Remember, great game reviewers are people who love games so let your love of games shine at a con – that's what the con's there for.
