• save_vs_death [they/them]
    ·
    edit-2
    5 months ago

    Everyone says marketing doesn't work, but they all still do it anyway, because it does work. Lest we forget most gaming media nowadays just regurgitate press releases from AAA publishers, and for all the piss and vinegar in their reviews, will not score them below some commonly accepted "ok" grade (or, heaven forfend for everyone's bottom line, refuse to review the game at all).

    Yeah, shitty ads don't work, boo hoo. Meanwhile gamers will trip over their dicks to watch "The Game Awards", Nintendo Directs, Playstation State of Play, and Xbox Showcase. All of those 4 are essentially just ads for games, they're just game trailers, and they draw in the crowds. Did anyone tell them? Do they not know? Are they not aware these are just ads for games? Because clearly, if they knew this was just marketing they'd hit the X button and close the window.

    • darkmode [comrade/them]
      ·
      5 months ago

      Not only that, people will pay good money to be advertised to and even travel hundreds of miles or more to attend Penny Arcade eXpo, Blizzcon, etc, the gaming industry’s version of defense contractor expos

    • Coca_Cola_but_Commie [he/him]
      ·
      5 months ago

      I still go back and watch the cinematic trailer for Wrath of the Lich King sometimes. I've never even played the old RTS warcraft games, but when I saw that trailer on our satellite TV back in 2008 I thought it was the most incredible thing I'd ever seen and had to play the game. Because of the strength of that ad I've given blizzard hundreds of dollars over the years. I even bought some the ancillary media. I saw the movie they put out like five times. I didn't even like it that much. When they put out lorebooks a few years ago I bought those even though I hadn't been a regular WoW player for a number of years and even though I've come to despise WoW's approach to lore and storytelling. And all of that off the back of one incredible advertisement.

      Hell, even as a long time D&D player there's an alternate world where BG3 just isn't on my radar if they never release a cinematic trailer. It'd just be a game that the slightly annoying gays, tumblr users, and the people who are too into Critical Role won't stop talking about.