How to Write a Cover Letter for Game Jobs: The Ultimate Guide

A great resume might be the key to landing your dream job, but it won’t make a difference if nobody reads it. That’s where your cover letter comes in. A great cover letter helps you stand out from the crowd. And it makes that recruiter or hiring manager eager to learn more about you — rather than passing you over.

In short, a great cover letter can be your key to getting noticed, scoring an interview, and ultimately landing your dream job.

So let’s dive in and learn exactly how to craft a strong cover letter, step by step. We’ll offer specific advice, look at cover letter examples and samples, and provide a cover letter template you can copy-paste to get started writing your own.

Know your audience

The very first step — before you even start writing! — is to research the company you’re applying to. What games have they made? What’s their company culture like? What sets them apart from other game developers?

It might sound boring, but it’s an important step, because you’ll use this info to tailor your cover letter. You’ll show the company you’re a good fit by mentioning their games, and explaining why you love them.

So fire up your laptop, and start taking notes! Here are some ways to get started:

Visit the company’s website. Start by exploring the company’s official website to learn about their products, services, and mission statement. Especially check out their “About Us” and “Careers” pages, to get a feel for their culture, values, and work environment.

Read reviews and news articles. Look for reviews on websites like Glassdoor to see what current and former employees are saying about the company. Search for news articles and press releases, to get up to speed on their recent releases, partnerships, or controversies.

Dive into their social media. Follow the company’s social media accounts, for updates on their latest news. This can give you insight into their communication style, and help you understand their brand personality.

Study their games. Since you’re applying to a game company, you’d better make sure you’re familiar with their games. If you don’t have time to actually play them, you can watch gameplay videos and read reviews. Try to understand their game mechanics, art style, and audience. It will help you mention some specifics about their games in your cover letter.

Visit them at industry events. If you can, try to attend some game industry events, conferences, or webinars where the company will have a booth on the show floor or expo. You’ll learn more about their games, and — if you’re lucky — maybe even network with some of their team members.

Research their competitors. If you can get a sense for the company’s competitors, it can give you valuable context for your cover letter. Because when you know what sets the company apart, you’ll be able to emphasize why you’re specifically interested in working with them — instead of the competition.

Network with their employees. If possible, use LinkedIn to connect with employees who work at the company. If you have any mutual friends who can connect you (in person on online), that’s even better. Ask them about their experiences, and get their perspective on the company’s culture and values. You might even get some helpful “insider” interview tips.

Researching ever company you apply for can seem like a lot of work — and it is. But when you gather the info and use it to really customize what you write, your cover letter will be way more eye-catching. As a hiring manager myself, I can say for sure that the extra effort, and genuine interest, will get you noticed.

Tell a personal story

Why write a dry, boring cover letter? The best ones are personal, engaging, and (dare I say it?) even fun to read.

One way to do that, is to start with an interesting story about how you got into gaming, or maybe a project you worked on. Something that grabs the reader’s attention, and shows them why you’re passionate about making games.

But writing a good story (while also keeping it short!) can be challenging, especially if you don’t have any ideas to start with. So here are a few examples to give you the general idea. These examples are fake, but they’re realistic enough to make the the point. Read them over, then take a shot at writing one based on your own personal experiences.

Example 1: Game Designer

“Growing up, I was always captivated by the magical worlds of video games, and I knew early on that I wanted to be a part of creating those experiences. When I first played “Fiction Quest,” your studio’s groundbreaking RPG, I was instantly hooked. The intricate storylines, beautifully designed characters, and immersive gameplay truly resonated with me. As a result, I spent countless hours learning about game design and even created my own RPG in high school. That project taught me the importance of teamwork and communication, as I collaborated with friends to develop the game’s story, characters, and mechanics. Joining your team as a game designer would be the perfect opportunity to bring my passion and experience to life, while contributing to the continued success of your amazing franchises.”

Example 2: Game Programmer

“My journey into game development began when I discovered the joys of modding my favorite games. I was fascinated by the process of altering game mechanics, tweaking levels, and adding new content. This curiosity led me to join an online community, where I worked with other modders on a widely popular overhaul mod for “Blazing Blaster Battles.” During that project, I honed my programming skills and gained valuable experience in collaborative development. As a game developer at your studio, I’m eager to apply the knowledge I’ve gained from my modding experiences, and contribute to creating innovative and engaging games that captivate players worldwide.”

Example 3: Game Tester

“As a lifelong gamer and natural problem solver, I’ve always had a keen eye for spotting bugs and inconsistencies in the games I play. While others may find it frustrating, I see it as an opportunity to improve and enhance the game experience. In college, I joined a game testing club where we would volunteer our time to test indie games, providing developers with detailed feedback and bug reports. One memorable experience was when our testing efforts helped a small dev team fix a critical game-breaking bug just days before their launch. This experience solidified my passion for game testing, and reinforced the importance of our role in the industry. I am excited to bring this same dedication and attention to detail to your company as a game tester, ensuring your releases are polished and ready to delight players everywhere.”

Highlight your skills

Next, write a paragraph about your skills and how they match the list of “Requirements” in the job posting. Be specific about your experience, and use examples to back up your claims. And remember to keep it relevant to the role you’re applying for.

What if your experience doesn’t perfectly line up with the job description? Well, that’s actually pretty common — especially for people just starting their careers. What you can do instead, is focus on your transferable skills and relevant accomplishments. The trick is to explain how your existing skills could be applied to the new job.

Mapping the skills in the job description to your personal skills can take some thought. But here are some steps to follow:

Identify your transferable skills. Read the job description carefully, and make a list of the “Required” skills and qualifications. Next, think about your own experiences, and make a list of any transferable skills that you’ve developed. Common examples are things like communication, project management, problem-solving, and teamwork. Even if your experience is from a different industry, emphasize how those skills can be applied to the new job you’re applying for.

Draw connections. In your cover letter, draw connections between the skills you listed from the job description, and the transferrable skills you listed from your own experiences. Explain how your background has prepared you for the new role, even if it’s not a direct match. For example, if you’ve worked in bookkeeping for a small business, you can explain how your attention to detail and problem-solving ability are valuable skills for a game tester job.

Mention relevant accomplishments. Think about anything else you’ve accomplished that might show your ability to excel in the new job. It could be a successful project you completed on time, a challenging problem you solved, or an award you received. When you give concrete evidence of your capabilities that align with the job requirements, it makes a stronger case for why you’re a good fit.

Show enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Employers look for candidates who are eager to learn, and can adapt to new challenges. In your cover letter, express your enthusiasm for the role and the company. Then mention any steps you’ve taken to build your skills — things like attending workshops, taking online courses, or participating in game jams.

Show your personality

The game industry is all about creativity, collaboration, and fun! So let your personality shine through in your cover letter.

Use a friendly tone. Be natural. Be genuine. The person reading your letter wants to know you’re someone they’d enjoy working with.

Here are some writing tips for letting your true self shine through:

Be authentic. Write in a genuine and sincere tone that reflects who you are. Don’t try to sound like someone you’re not, or use overly-formal words just to impress the reader. Just be yourself — let your passion for game development come through.

Use a little humor. Adding a touch of humor can make your cover letter more fun. Just be sure to keep it professional — obviously, this is a time to avoid jokes that someone else might find offensive or inappropriate.

Be enthusiastic. You’re excited about the idea of working at this game company, right? Let that excitement come through in your cover letter. Use positive, energetic language. Show that you’re genuinely interested in the opportunity, and eager to contribute to the team.

Show your interests outside of work. This is optional, but if you want, you can mention personal hobbies that might be relevant or show your unique personality. For example, if you’re a volunteer mod for a gaming chat group, write about how your passion for inclusive communities has shaped your career aspirations.

Use a conversational tone. Write like you’re talking directly to the hiring manager, with a friendly and approachable tone.

Keep it short and sweet

A cover letter shouldn’t be a novel. Stick to one page, and try to make every word count. Be concise and clear, and avoid rambling. Remember the rule: less is more.

I don’t know why, but sometimes when people write cover letters, we tend to write in a dry, business-like manner. So, after you finish the first draft of your cover letter, take a look at this list of common “overly formal” phrases in the “Don’t” column, and change them to the simpler, more friendly phrases in the “Do” column.

Don’t	Do
I am writing to express my interest	I’m interested
In order to	To
At this point in time	Now (or) Currently
In the event that	If
In spite of the fact that	Although, (or) Though
With regard to	About, (or) Regarding
It has come to my attention that	I’ve noticed, (or) I see
The reason why I am applying is that	I’m applying because
It is my belief that	I believe, (or) I think
As a result of my experience	From my experience
I have been given the opportunity to	I’ve had the chance to
I am confident in my ability to	I can
In conclusion	To sum up

Proofread, proofread, proofread

If your cover letter is full of typos and grammar mistakes, it really makes a bad impression. So read it out loud to catch any errors, then ask a friend or family member to check it for you. It’s always better to have another set of eyes on it.

Besides using your editing software’s built-in grammar and spell-checkers, you can take it to the next level using one of these great online tools to check your work:

Grammarly. This is a widely-used writing assistant. Sure, it checks for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. But it can also suggest improvements to your sentence structure, clarity, and tone. You can get it as a browser extension, desktop app, and mobile keyboard, so it’s pretty easy to access and use.

Hemingway Editor. This online tool analyzes your writing for readability — then it highlights complex sentences and suggests simpler alternatives. It also identifies passive voice and adverbs, which helps you create a more concise and clear cover letter.

ProWritingAid. This one uses AI to offer suggestions to improve your grammar, writing style, and overall readability. It also integrates with popular writing platforms like Google Docs and Microsoft Word.

LanguageTool. Its name might be boring, but LanguageTool is great. It’s an open-source grammar, style, and spell checker that supports multiple languages. You can use it as a browser extension, desktop app, or online editor.

If all this proof-reading and grammar-checking seems like overkill, let me assure you — it’s worth it. Typos in your cover letter give the impression that you don’t have good attention to detail, or that you simply don’t care.

You’re already putting so much work into writing your cover letter, why not make sure it’s the best it can be?

End with a “call to action”

For the very last paragraph, wrap up your cover letter by thanking the reader for their time, and inviting them to get in touch. Let them know you’re excited to discuss how you can contribute to their team.

This section can be short and sweet, because you want it to be as direct as possible. Here are a few examples of strong “call to action” paragraphs that prompt the hiring manager to take the next step:

• “I’m eager to discuss how my skills and passion for game design can drive success for your upcoming projects. Please feel free to contact me at your earliest convenience to schedule a conversation.”
• “I would love the opportunity to explore how my background in game development aligns with your team’s needs. I’m available for an interview anytime, and I look forward to speaking with you soon.”
• “I’m excited about the possibility of joining your team as a game tester, and I’m confident in my ability to contribute to your team’s success. I look forward to discussing my qualifications with you in more detail.”
• “I believe my unique blend of creativity and technical skillls would make me a valuable asset to your team. I’d be thrilled to discuss how I can contribute to your upcoming projects during an interview.”
• “I’m confident that my passion for the game industry, plus my experience in quality assurance, will make me a strong candidate for this role. Please feel free to reach out so we can discuss how I can help your team achieve its goals.”

The idea is to end your cover letter with a clear call to action, encouraging the hiring manager to take the next step — calling you in for an interview.

Cover Letter Template for Game Jobs

There are a thousand ways to write a cover letter. But sometimes, the hardest part is just getting started. So here’s a template cover letter you can start with — just paste it into your writing software, and start fleshing it out with your own history and personality.

Do I need to write a different cover letter for each company I apply for?

The short answer is, yes. Sure, it might be tempting to create a generic cover letter and send it to multiple companies — and many people do just that. But taking the time to write a unique cover letter for each application is crucial. Here’s why:

Shows genuine interest. Customizing your cover letter shows that you’ve done your research on the company, and you’re genuinely interested in the role. Hiring managers can easily spot a generic cover letter, and it gives the impression that you’re not truly invested in getting a job at this specific company.

Highlights relevant skills. Each job posting will have slightly different requirements, sometimes even at the same company. So writing a unique cover letter lets you emphasize your skills and experiences that are most relevant to the exact job you’re applying for.

Makes a stronger connection. A personalized cover letter helps you build a connection with the hiring manager. When you address them directly, discuss shared values, and talk about how your background fits the company culture, it makes you more memorable.

Is a cover letter required for a game job application?

Not every game job application will explicitly require a cover letter. Even so, it’s always a good idea to include one with your application. Besides all the reasons discussed above, a cover letter can include important information that’s nearly impossible to fit into your game resume.

Here are a few things that your cover letter can show, but your resume can’t:

Showcase your personality. A cover letter lets you inject your personality and passion for the game industry into your job application. This helps hiring managers get a better sense of who you are, and how you might fit into their team’s culture.

Fill in the gaps. Do you have any employment gaps, career changes, or other unique circumstances that might not be obvious from your resume? A cover letter gives you the opportunity to add context and explain your situation.

Be proactive. Even if a cover letter isn’t required, including one shows that you’re proactive and willing to go the extra mile. That can make a positive impression on hiring managers, which increases your chances of landing an interview.

That about covers it

Whew! You made it through. By now, I hope you have a solid understanding of why you need a cover letter, and the exact steps to writing one that’s super effective. And you even have a bunch of examples to get you started, plus a cover letter template to kick it all off.

Now it’s time to start researching those game companies you’re applying to, and then start writing a cover letter of your own. Follow the steps above, and you can’t go wrong. If you need any help, let me know in the comments below.

Write on!