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Forums - Sales Discussion - How do you personally advertise/promote games?

theprof00 on 28 December 2009
SaviorX said:

Sometimes when you really like a game, you try to find your own way to spread the word around.

 

I remember when visiting Gamestop, I would always move Punchout and other games in front of the shovelware on the shelves. Whenever I hear people talking about a certain game, I try to casually mention another lesser-known title that could appeal in a similar manner.

 

My sig isn't much, but I like the countdown I have going until the No More Heroes 2 release. Word of mouth has definitely helped games a lot (Valkyria Chronicles anyone) so it is effective. I just want to know how ya'll do it.

What a slave...

jk, I myself do the same thing when at gamestop. I even mentioned a ps3 game that Rol liked because he was interested in racing and I trust Rol's opinion with that genre.

I think I just like to be helpful more than anything else. But I recently got 4 of my friends to preorder Bayonetta from GS when I stopped by for some Smash Bros and had a case of 7 Bayonetta posters for pre-ordering and mentioned the 5$ off promotion for preorder.



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youarebadatgames on 28 December 2009
Riachu said:
FastFord58 said:
youarebadatgames said:
You don't unless you are a tool.

Hyuck hyuck.

 

So you've never told a friend or family member, even in passing, about a game you were excited about or interested in? I'm not saying like, sales pitching the thing, but just csually talking about it. Most human beings do this from time to time about videogames or otherwise.

 

 

You should tell friends and family about games you love and hate.

Sure, but I never tell them they have to get it or such unless they ask me.  There's a difference between expressing an opinion and advertising/promoting when NO ONE IS PAYING ME.

It's very annoying when you don't want to see advertising and some shrill thinks everyone needs to know about it.  It's why I have sigs turned off.



Baroque_Dude on 28 December 2009

"How do you personally advertise/promote games?"

Well, I do it personally.

Joking.

I rarely promote games, actually.



"I think that I don't think."

- Soli Deo Gloria -

The FUTURE is the FUTURE. Now... B_E_L_I_E_V_E!

Akvod on 28 December 2009
nordlead said:
Akvod said:
nordlead said:
This is how RubangB advertises games.... you just have to stare

Me and my mom love playing that together (I love pissing her off by taking the powerups, killing her, and laughing at her when she dies completely on her own account), and she's playing that shit all day and night O.o

rubangB or the game? O_o

Whichever is funner



twesterm on 29 December 2009
SaviorX said:
twesterm said:
  1. It's a studios choice to develop whatever game they develop.  Those studios could develop those games if they wanted to, it would be completely up to them.  I doubt they would since you can make more money off the AAA games though assuming you're well established which they are.  Also, I doubt most of their developers would choose to work on Chicken Shoot after working on Metal Gear Solid 4.  It would be a waste of their talent and doing that would result in losing a lot of that studios talent.
  2. It's funny you say it isn't my money to spend yet you're the one who hides lesser games trying to get people to spend money your way.  And I wouldn't rather people spend more money on games, I would rather them just buy games.  As long as they're supporting the industry how they can, I'm cool with that.  Some people can't afford to blow $50 on a game and I completely support them buying shovelware if that's what they can afford.  As long as their kids are happy, what else could you ask for?

@Nord

ew.

-edit-

I should add, AAA games are a *HUGE* risk for a huge return while shovelware games are a low risk for a low return.  If a studio like Konami is well established and has franchises like Metal Gear Solid, it significally lowers that HUGE risk of making a AAA game.  Whatever they decide to make, they are in the business of making money and the AAA game they know they can make and sell will be their choice.

Now if you're talking about some not huge established studio, think of shovelware as them paying their dues until they can afford to make that AAA game they've always dreamed.  The only real caveat with that is that if they make shovelware game after shovelware game, their studio will get a reputation and publishers won't be so quick to give them money for a huge game.

Knowing that, it's not likely any studio in the business of making games for gamers, isn't likely to suddenly switch to shovelware.  They might make some lower budget games that are lower risk and low return, but established studios that are making the games you love aren't likely suddenly switching to shovelware.

BOLDED: Good point.

But on the developer thing... Seeing as to how a lot of these companies bitch and complain about AAA (in this case) Wii games not selling (but none of them have made one...)  why waste talent on these games?

You say that since they are well established, that they "can make more money off the AAA games" but they do not.

I see that hiding the shovelware could pose a problem; if their junk doesn't sell, they could just move to another console and support that. However, if they stop supporting it and go on somewhere else to make these "AAA" games, why weren't they doing that on the last console in the first place?

 

Remember, making any game, even shovelware carries risk with it.  Just because you can make more money on a AAA game doesn't mean it's a definite or even likely.

Making a AAA game or even just a normal games has two huge problems:

  1. it costs A LOT of money
  2. it has a HUGE risk

It's simple enough to have a genius game idea but it's terribly difficult to find funding, develop it, and then sell it.  Each of those are difficult in themselves but all three together, well, it's amazing any AAA game makes money these days.

And I'm not sure what you mean by the last part of your comment.  The PS2, Xbox, and Gamecube all had plenty of shovelware.  There might be more this gen, I don't really know, but if there is I would assume because gaming is more mainstream than it was five years ago.



 

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SaviorX on 29 December 2009
twesterm said:
SaviorX said:
twesterm said:
 

I see that hiding the shovelware could pose a problem; if their junk doesn't sell, they could just move to another console and support that. However, if they stop supporting it and go on somewhere else to make these "AAA" games, why weren't they doing that on the last console in the first place?

 

Remember, making any game, even shovelware carries risk with it. Just because you can make more money on a AAA game doesn't mean it's a definite or even likely.

Making a AAA game or even just a normal games has two huge problems:

  1. it costs A LOT of money
  2. it has a HUGE risk

It's simple enough to have a genius game idea but it's terribly difficult to find funding, develop it, and then sell it. Each of those are difficult in themselves but all three together, well, it's amazing any AAA game makes money these days.

And I'm not sure what you mean by the last part of your comment. The PS2, Xbox, and Gamecube all had plenty of shovelware. There might be more this gen, I don't really know, but if there is I would assume because gaming is more mainstream than it was five years ago.

Let me try to set up a scenario.

I am Square Enix. On the PS3, I just made Chocobo Racing 2 and 3. They look like 2005 Xbox360 games and are shorter than the original PS1 game. Overall, they're mediocre. Chocobo Racing 2 and 3 then tank at retail. After seeing that I say, "Well, PS3 owners don't deserve my games, I'm going to the 360!"

Then, the next game I make is Chrono Trigger 3 on the 360 and everyone gets pissed. Why did I not make this great game on the last console, but suddenly find the need to do it now?



Leatherhat on July 6th, 2012 3pm. Vita sales:"3 mil for COD 2 mil for AC. Maybe more. "  thehusbo on July 6th, 2012 5pm. Vita sales:"5 mil for COD 2.2 mil for AC."

twesterm on 29 December 2009
SaviorX said:
twesterm said:
SaviorX said:
twesterm said:
 

I see that hiding the shovelware could pose a problem; if their junk doesn't sell, they could just move to another console and support that. However, if they stop supporting it and go on somewhere else to make these "AAA" games, why weren't they doing that on the last console in the first place?

 

Remember, making any game, even shovelware carries risk with it. Just because you can make more money on a AAA game doesn't mean it's a definite or even likely.

Making a AAA game or even just a normal games has two huge problems:

  1. it costs A LOT of money
  2. it has a HUGE risk

It's simple enough to have a genius game idea but it's terribly difficult to find funding, develop it, and then sell it. Each of those are difficult in themselves but all three together, well, it's amazing any AAA game makes money these days.

And I'm not sure what you mean by the last part of your comment. The PS2, Xbox, and Gamecube all had plenty of shovelware. There might be more this gen, I don't really know, but if there is I would assume because gaming is more mainstream than it was five years ago.

Let me try to set up a scenario.

I am Square Enix. On the PS3, I just made Chocobo Racing 2 and 3. They look like 2005 Xbox360 games and are shorter than the original PS1 game. Overall, they're mediocre. Chocobo Racing 2 and 3 then tank at retail. After seeing that I say, "Well, PS3 owners don't deserve my games, I'm going to the 360!"

Then, the next game I make is Chrono Trigger 3 on the 360 and everyone gets pissed. Why did I not make this great game on the last console, but suddenly find the need to do it now?

Wait, what are you trying to prove there?  Bad business decisions?

That really doesn't have anything to do with hiding shovelware.



 

SaviorX on 29 December 2009
twesterm said:
SaviorX said:
twesterm said:
SaviorX said:
twesterm said:
 

I see that hiding the shovelware could pose a problem; if their junk doesn't sell, they could just move to another console and support that. However, if they stop supporting it and go on somewhere else to make these "AAA" games, why weren't they doing that on the last console in the first place?

 

And I'm not sure what you mean by the last part of your comment. The PS2, Xbox, and Gamecube all had plenty of shovelware. There might be more this gen, I don't really know, but if there is I would assume because gaming is more mainstream than it was five years ago.

Let me try to set up a scenario.

I am Square Enix. On the PS3, I just made Chocobo Racing 2 and 3. They look like 2005 Xbox360 games and are shorter than the original PS1 game. Overall, they're mediocre. Chocobo Racing 2 and 3 then tank at retail. After seeing that I say, "Well, PS3 owners don't deserve my games, I'm going to the 360!"

Then, the next game I make is Chrono Trigger 3 on the 360 and everyone gets pissed. Why did I not make this great game on the last console, but suddenly find the need to do it now?

Wait, what are you trying to prove there?  Bad business decisions?

That really doesn't have anything to do with hiding shovelware.

Yessir. If your shovelware games were hidden or whatever and didn't sell, you may bring your support elsewhere.



Leatherhat on July 6th, 2012 3pm. Vita sales:"3 mil for COD 2 mil for AC. Maybe more. "  thehusbo on July 6th, 2012 5pm. Vita sales:"5 mil for COD 2.2 mil for AC."

twesterm on 30 December 2009
SaviorX said:
twesterm said:
SaviorX said:
twesterm said:
SaviorX said:
twesterm said:
 

I see that hiding the shovelware could pose a problem; if their junk doesn't sell, they could just move to another console and support that. However, if they stop supporting it and go on somewhere else to make these "AAA" games, why weren't they doing that on the last console in the first place?

 

And I'm not sure what you mean by the last part of your comment. The PS2, Xbox, and Gamecube all had plenty of shovelware. There might be more this gen, I don't really know, but if there is I would assume because gaming is more mainstream than it was five years ago.

Let me try to set up a scenario.

I am Square Enix. On the PS3, I just made Chocobo Racing 2 and 3. They look like 2005 Xbox360 games and are shorter than the original PS1 game. Overall, they're mediocre. Chocobo Racing 2 and 3 then tank at retail. After seeing that I say, "Well, PS3 owners don't deserve my games, I'm going to the 360!"

Then, the next game I make is Chrono Trigger 3 on the 360 and everyone gets pissed. Why did I not make this great game on the last console, but suddenly find the need to do it now?

Wait, what are you trying to prove there?  Bad business decisions?

That really doesn't have anything to do with hiding shovelware.

Yessir. If your shovelware games were hidden or whatever and didn't sell, you may bring your support elsewhere.

No, I'm talking about SE failing because of their bad business decisions, not because you're trying to hide their games.

If SE wants to believe a game can't sell for whatever reason, that has nothing to do with you trying to hide a game and everything to do with whatever their research is.