THE RENAISSANCE MAN


Renaissance PR Founder, Stefano Petrullo, examines what GDC 2026 tells us about modern games communication


for MCV. A


Communication has changed dramatically in those decades, but one thing has not: the central role it plays in launching and sustaining a game.


I’m writing this on my flight back from GDC in San Francisco, reflecting on dozens of conversations — some on the record, many off — about where communication in our industry is heading. The reality is that the industry is going through one of the biggest structural crises I’ve seen in my over 30 years working in games - media outlets are shrinking. Layoffs continue across publishers, developers and journalism. At the same time we are seeing the rise of AI-written content, fake reviews, and publications run by people who sometimes barely exist as journalists. Yet despite all of this, GDC didn’t feel pessimistic. If anything, the overriding feeling was resilience. The people who were there want to make things happen. They still believe in games — and in the passion that drives this industry. But that passion also comes with a clear understanding: the way we communicate games must evolve.


MESSAGE OVER ASSETS


For many years, game communication has been driven by a formula: Trailer


Dev diary


Gameplay video Steam demo Repeat.


At GDC I had countless conversations about beats, trailers and demos — but the real


28 | MCV/DEVELOP February/March 2026


s a former journalist from the 90s — before the internet reshaped everything — I’m delighted to begin this column


THE ROLE OF AGENCIES Another interesting theme at GDC was the increasing reliance on agencies. With ongoing layoffs across publishers and studios, many teams simply do not have the internal manpower to manage complex communication campaigns. But choosing an agency should start with a simple question: What do you actually need? Different agencies specialise in different areas:


discussion wasn’t about assets. It was about message. We are returning to a simple truth: the message is king, not the asset. Assets are tools, but without a clear narrative


they are just noise. A strong message must carry weight across the ecosystem:


• Media need a reason to write about it • Creators need a reason to follow it • Communities need a reason to get excited • Showcases need a reason to amplify it • Platform holders need a reason to support it This is not rocket science, but somewhere along the way the industry started believing communication could be automated through formulas. It cannot.


LESS FORMULA, MORE STORY The most effective campaigns are not driven by checklists. They are driven by the story behind the game: • Why this game exists • Who made it • What makes it different • Why players should care


That means fewer generic beats and more meaningful communication. Sometimes, less really is more.


• Strategic communication planning • Execution and manpower • High-level industry relationships • Experiential activations • Global coordination with local expertise No agency can be the best at everything. What matters most is trust. Trust that the agency understands the


industry. Trust that they can do their job without constant justification. Trust that they are working to make the client’s life easier — because otherwise the relationship is pointless.


If I had to summarise what GDC 2026 told us about communication, it would be this: • The industry may be smaller, but the people who remain are determined to build.


• The communication landscape is evolving rapidly, particularly with the rise of short- form video.


• And perhaps most importantly: there is no longer a one-size-fits-all formula. Every game, every studio, every campaign needs its own approach. And that is exactly why the role of thoughtful, strategic communication is becoming more important than ever.


As I always repeat to my team “we work with people, not brand” and GDC 2026 is probably the stronger validation on my motto…


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