Sara Elsam — Steam Page Copywriter, Game Marketing & Freelance Games Journalist

I'm Sara Elsam. I've spent over a decade writing about, writing for, and building campaigns around games — digital, tabletop, and the weird ones that don't fit neatly into either category. My journalism work appears in Eurogamer, Rock Paper Shotgun, Variety, The Guardian, and the BBC. My marketing work has taken games from wishlist obscurity to publisher meetings, Next Fest features, and influencer campaigns that actually convert.
Whether you're a solo developer trying to articulate what makes your game worth caring about, or a studio that needs someone who can run the whole operation, I can help.

Let's talk about your game!

🚀 Game Copywriting

Whether you need Steam Store copy, a profitable Kickstarter, or crafty puns, I'm a game copywriting and branding specialist. I've collaborated with industry giants like the BBC, Humble Bundle, Atari, PQube, and Plarium, as well as the indie developers behind acclaimed titles like The Forgotten City, Exo One, and ScourgeBringer.

Mobile • 21/12/2023

Abyss

Localised in-game UI, lore and mechanics text and penned App Store copy with The Game Marketer for this roguelike mobile game from Chinese studio Titans Entertainment.

Steam • 21/12/2023

The Flower Collectors

Created Steam page copy and game title in collaboration with Future Friends.

Steam • 21/12/2023

ScourgeBringer

Collaborated with Future Friends to create copy for gorgeous fantasy roguelite Scourgebringer

Steam • 21/12/2023

The Forgotten City

Wrote copy for the popular time-loop adventure game The Forgotten City with indie games PR agency Future Friends

🪐 Game Features

From cursed text games to icy juggernauts with hearts of gold, I write about all things weird, wild, and evocative in the world of games.

Eurogamer.net • 17/05/2021

Reap your reward: cursed games illuminate the ghosts of our past

PALE LUNA SMILES WIDE.

Variety • 31/10/2018

Video Game Review: ‘Call of Cthulhu’

Cyanide’s Lovecraftian outing promises an immersive world of cosmic horror and consequences but instead delivers a clunky detective adventure that is both formless and repetitive.

Eurogamer.net • 02/07/2018

Petscop, the internet's favourite haunted video game

Petscop is the internet's most popular haunted video game, and no-one knows yet what it all means, nor what it's all leading to.

Eurogamer.net • 11/06/2018

Wolfenstein 2 and the anatomy of a blockbuster hero

First blood.

💡Game Developer Interviews

I've had the privilege of interviewing many legends in both gaming and tabletop.

Retro Gamer Magazine • 12/04/2021

The making of Clock Tower: "The most important thing for me was the stillness"

Survival horror has been a mainstay of gaming for decades now; horror and hiding in cupboards go hand-in-hand it seems.

Wyrd Science • 04/02/2021

Phantoms of Oppression

From cursed vampires to systemic racism, Sara Elsam speaks to Banana Chan about the forces at work in Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall.

Senet Magazine • 04/02/2021

Lord of Creation

An extensive, exclusive interview with Martin Wallace, designer of Brass, Age of Steam and Wildlands, featuring insights into his upcoming games Rocketmen and Bloodstones.

Tabletop Gaming • 29/12/2019

Hello Darkness: horror in Dungeons & Dragons

Chris Perkins reveals the horrors beneath the Curse of Strahd campaign.

⭐ Game Reviews

I've reviewed games for the likes of Variety, Rock, Paper, Shotgun, Senet and Dicebreaker.

Senet Magazine • 03/01/2024

Escape The Dark Sector

A review of grimdark sci-fi dungeon board game Escape the Dark Sector.

Dicebreaker • 09/12/2019

Preview: So far, The King’s Dilemma is a delightfully cruel legacy board game packing tons of roleplaying fun

A breath of fresh heir.

Rock Paper Shotgun • 01/07/2019

What Call Of Cthulhu and The Sinking City could learn from this interactive fiction classic

Tentacles at dawn.

Variety • 22/11/2018

Video Game Review: ‘Fallout 76’

A humdrum Skinner Box set in the end times.

✍️ About Sara Elsam

I help game developers and publishers bring their visions to life with impactful marketing strategies and compelling content. With over eight years of experience in the games industry, I understand the nuances of the market and what it takes to connect with players. My background spans marketing roles at studios like Relentless and Climax, freelance journalism for leading publications (Eurogamer, Rock Paper Shotgun, Variety), and agency work.

I've collaborated with industry giants like the BBC, Humble Bundle, Atari, and Plarium, as well as indie developers behind acclaimed titles like The Forgotten City, Exo One, and ScourgeBringer. My passion for games, both digital and tabletop (contributing to Dicebreaker and Tabletop Gaming), fuels my dedication to helping my clients succeed.

Tofu Pixel From Artist Tofu Pixel

Let's talk about your game!