Hello VGChartz community!

It's been a little over three years since we last opened up applications for writing staff. With our GotY write-ups out of the way and a new console release on the horizon, it's time for recruitment once again.

We're looking for Review Writers and general Article Writers, with the latter covering things like best-of lists, gaming op-eds, speculative pieces, and retrospectives. If you love to play and analyze games and/or you have a lot of fun op-ed ideas bouncing around in your head, we hope you'll submit an application.

Benefits:

As a writer you'll have the opportunity to contribute to this site and community as a member of staff, gain a wider audience for your ramblings, have your published reviews listed on OpenCritic, get to vote for the site's GotY picks as a member of staff, have the opportunity to acquire review codes/copies ahead of launch, and also earn a little money based on traffic generated by your articles (please note that pay is quite modest; don’t go into it expecting to make a living).

Requirements:

A small checklist of things we’re looking for from prospective writers:

• You must be a member of VGChartz. If you don't yet have an account please make one before applying
• Good English is a must. We're not looking for perfect English by any means, but you must at least have a good foundation; otherwise it will take too long to polish and edit your articles
• In the case of Review Writer applicants, being a thoughtful, critical, and honest reviewer is a must. We explore the full range of scoring options to provide the most precise, informative assessment possible. This is reflected in our review methodology, which we strongly encourage prospective applicants to read through before applying
• Be receptive to constructive criticism. All game reviews are subject to a peer-review process and all articles go through copy editing
• Active on Discord (or at least willing to be). We use Discord to communicate as a team, speeding up the editing process and making it possible to plan stuff
• Own at least one "active" video game platform (i.e. PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X, NS)

Procedure:

If you're interested in applying to become a Writer, please send an e-mail to these two addresses: vgchartzwriter@gmail.com & csnow@vgchartz.com. Use the subject line "VGChartz Writer Application 2025" and please include the following:

1. Your VGChartz username
2. Your Discord name
3. A little bit about yourself
4. Platforms you own/intend to own in the near future (including Switch 2)
5. At least one article sample, preferably two. If you wish to write reviews for the site then this sample must be a review (and the scoring should follow our review methodology)

The deadline to apply is March 9, 2025 at 11:59pm ET.

Good luck!

FAQs:

Do I need to be published to apply?
No previous professional writing experience is required.

What should a sample review look like?
Try to stick with the typical formula: an intro, a body with the meat of your argument, and a conclusion. Within that, we really just want to see your style and command of language. There’s no minimum or maximum word count, but try to find something that's long enough to support your arguments but not so long that you become lost in the details.

How are reviews assigned?
Craig, our illustrious Editor-in-Chief, posts a thread with the marquee games in a given month. Writers then post the games they wish to play, in order of preference, identifying those titles they plan to buy and those they hope to secure via review code. Games are assigned based on this process. When two or more writers request the same game, the writer who is not approved gets priority for the next conflict.

Will I receive review copies/codes?
Sometimes, yes. Writers source their own review copies/codes. Success rate depends on a number of factors, including the size of the publisher (small publishers are more likely to hand out codes).

How much time does a writer have to review a newly released game?
We have a rule that a review must be published no later than 30 days from launch in your region. We can make exceptions for longer games like RPGs.

What is the team's review scoring scale?
You can check out our scoring methodology here.

Is VGChartz on any review aggregators?
We’re featured on OpenCritic as a Top Critic, and our reviews and scores are listed on N4G. We’re not currently on Metacritic.

What kind of features can I write?
Anything video game related. It could be a top 10 list, a retrospective, an interview, or an opinion piece about the state of the industry. Here's one recent example: https://www.vgchartz.com/article/463815/ten-overdue-fighters-for-smash-bros/

If you have any more questions please ask below.

I always like seeing Alan Wake: The Writer as the tagged game.  ;)

If anyone has any questions about the writing experience, please let me know! I’ve been doing this for almost 10 years, and I’ve seen it all :)

Not needing perfect English gives hope but I can't write for shite. I have the passion but I get to obsessed about the stuff I personally love and can't separate myself objectively or craft an interesting read for the readers. I'd love to do it though. Perhaps, I'll practice with personal reviews in the forums and check in for the next effort to find writers down the road.

Is it ok if I write a review of a forthcoming port of an older game, including all the new info that as been provided for the port (like Xenoblade Chronicles X:Definitive Edition) just for my application?

Totally okay to review any type of game -- remaster, remake, port, you name it. XCX: Definitive Edition wouldn't be eligible, since it launches after the application deadline, but you could review the original, or another remaster that's already out, for example Donkey Kong Country Returns HD.

Thanks for your interest!

To be fair, that kind of passion can be fun to read as well. It might not be fit for 'proper' reviews, but I think it has merit on its own as well, depending on the writing of course.

Good luck to all applicants!

May I use a writing sample from one of my VGChartz user reviews?