Kotaku is seeking freelance contributors with original reporting angles, exclusive access or stories readers cannot easily find elsewhere. Its guide to pitching is direct: generic reviews and previews are crowded, while distinctive features offer more room to earn a commission. The outlet also draws a firm line around AI-produced or AI-assisted drafts.
What makes a game journalism pitch competitive
Originality is the central requirement. Kotaku wants stories shaped by a unique angle, original information, direct experience or access that readers will not find through a quick search. That includes interviews, community stories, studio explanations and profiles of unusual projects.
The standard is not simply “write about something interesting.” The writer needs to explain what is different about this particular approach. A broad topic may support hundreds of articles; the pitch must show why the proposed story cannot be reduced to a recap of existing coverage.
The requested sample headline also helps frame the idea as a story rather than a subject. Writers should identify the conflict, discovery, tension or unresolved question that gives the piece its shape. A completed story does not always need a neat conclusion, but it does need something worth following.
Pitches should be brief, punchy and nearly as compelling as the finished article. Writers should include:
- The proposed word count and filing timeline
- A sample headline
- An explanation of the angle and reporting value
- Why Kotaku needs the story
- Why no equivalent version appears online within five minutes of a search
- One or two relevant writing samples
- A link to a public profile
Kotaku does not need a writer’s complete portfolio or personal history. It wants evidence that the writer can execute the ambitious idea being proposed.
How scope and rates shape the proposal
Kotaku’s published rates connect the size of the assignment to its expected level of work.
| Assignment type | Published scope | Expected work | Starting rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short news post | 300–450 words | News coverage with a defined focus | $50 |
| Short feature | 750–1,000 words | Light research and some original sourcing | $150 |
| In-depth feature | Case by case | Multiple interviews, intensive research or substantial hands-on game time | Up to $300 |
Rates between those bands and for work beyond them are negotiable individually. The higher end is associated with reporting demands, not length alone.
This distinction matters because the best pitch is not necessarily the largest one. A writer with access to a studio, developer or modding community can propose an ambitious feature without padding the outline. A tightly defined post may still succeed if it offers information others lack.
The example pitch shared by Kotaku includes a developer discussing an old game, a strange dispute inside a game’s Discord community and a studio explaining why a troubled project remains unfinished. Each example starts with unusual access or experience. None depends on the subject alone.
Our analysis: a specific angle beats a broad subject
A familiar topic is not automatically a weak idea. The weakness appears when a pitch offers the same access, framing and reporting plan that other writers can offer. Reviews and previews are especially vulnerable because many other outlets are publishing the same material.
Direct knowledge changes the economics of the pitch. Someone who has followed a modding community may see a conflict or unusual achievement that looks insignificant from the outside. A developer or studio may be able to explain a decision that no existing article captures. The strongest proposals turn that access into a narrative rather than a list of topics the writer could cover.
The rates make the trade-off equally clear. A more expensive feature is expected to carry heavier reporting or hands-on work. Requesting the top rate while proposing a general overview would weaken the writer’s case. Conversely, a modest assignment can still be compelling if the pitch demonstrates exclusivity and clarity.
The AI policy is another nonnegotiable part of the package. Kotaku does not accept work produced by AI agents or drafted with their help. Writers need to bring their own reporting, reasoning and prose.
A worked example: turning a modding story into a real pitch
A weak pitch would simply propose “a feature about modders and their new project.” It identifies a subject but leaves the editor to guess what the story contains or why it cannot already be found elsewhere.
A stronger pitch would name the unusual project, explain the obstacle or conflict surrounding it and specify what the writer has learned or can still investigate. It would propose a feature length, provide a filing timeline and sample headline, and show that existing forum posts do not answer the central question.
The writer would also attach one or two strong samples that demonstrate the ability to structure the proposed piece and source it properly. If interviews are not yet secured, the pitch should distinguish documented material from reporting still planned. If the project’s central question remains unresolved, that tension could be part of the story.
This approach gives the editor something concrete to evaluate. It shows the reporting value, estimates the work and avoids pretending that access or certainty exists when it does not.
What to watch next
The most important thing to watch is the relationship between ambition and evidence. A larger fee signals heavier reporting, but the pitch still needs to show why that effort is warranted. The strongest proposals will connect unusual access to a clear narrative and attach samples that prove the writer can deliver it.
Kotaku says it reads every pitch, although it cannot guarantee a response to each one. Writers may also contact individual staff members and follow up if they do not hear back. That makes clarity more valuable than volume: one defensible idea, with a specific angle and relevant proof of work, is easier to evaluate than a long list of possible subjects.
For contributors, the winning strategy is straightforward. Show the access, explain the story’s central tension and demonstrate the writing behind it. A successful pitch does not merely promise interesting coverage; it proves that Kotaku could not easily obtain the same story elsewhere.
Key takeaways
- Original reporting, direct access and a clear narrative are the main reasons to accept a freelance pitch.
- Reviews and previews face heavy competition because other outlets are publishing them.
- Every proposal needs a length, timeline, sample headline, distinctive angle and relevant writing samples.
- Higher rates are associated with heavier reporting, while AI-produced or AI-assisted drafts are not accepted.
Frequently asked questions
What types of freelance stories does Kotaku want?
It seeks features, opinions, essays, reported scoops, investigations and interviews, especially when they offer a unique angle, exclusive access or original information.
How much does Kotaku pay freelance contributors?
Rates start at $50 for a 300–450-word news post and $150 for a 750–1,000-word short feature. Pieces requiring multiple interviews, intensive research or substantial hands-on game time can earn up to $300.
Can a freelance pitch include writing made with AI?
No. Kotaku states that it does not accept work produced by AI agents or drafted with their help.
What should a freelance pitch include?
A submission should state the proposed word count, filing timeline and sample headline, then explain the angle, why readers cannot easily find the same story elsewhere and why Kotaku needs it. It should also include one or two relevant writing samples and a public profile link.