Nintendo 'Really Wanted' Saints Row on 3DS, reveals THQ

[famousringo]

jarrod said:

Soleron said:

Mr Khan said:

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Has Microsoft done much to that effect? They've largely ignored Nintendo in their run so far, unlike Sony and Sega who have focused their attention there. Really everyone ignored Nintendo through the GameCube era, and its more been Sony speaking against Nintendo this generation than Microsoft (though they've gotten a few jibes of their own)

Malstrom believes (yes, I know) that MS uses legions of viral marketers posting on message boards to influence thought in that direction. Like how Gamespot/IGN boards were flooded with 'DS/Wii are kiddy' on their launches or 'Kinect has so much potential' at E3 even though few people believed those things so confidently.

" Viral Marketers act as ‘shepherds’ on popular message forums or websites in order to corral opinion the way their company wants. Viral marketers appear at certain specific times such as during promotion of a company’s product or when that company’s product is released. For example, viral marketers were unleashed when ‘Natal’ was unveiled at E3 2009 as they declared how ‘amazing’ it was and tried to shepherd all other opinions about it. You could instantly spot the viral marketer when they would use language like ‘just imagine the possibilities!’ as in trying to shepherd other people to ‘use their imaginations’ to invest in Natal. What was really funny was that gamers did do this. They ‘used their imaginations’, and it got out of control. People began ‘imagining’ a brand new console successor to the Xbox 360 which, if it kept going on, people would begin to stop buying Xbox 360s  because ‘they read on the Internet that the Xbox 360 successor would come out with Natal’. Microsoft had to make some public comments, and they reigned in their little marketers."

Microsoft does try to court virals.  I was approached on GAF once, and offered free games and invited to an event.

A few free games and a party? That's some damn cheap marketing.