Carpetbaggers, Snake Oil and Video Game Marketing
I am not a great fan of trade shows and expositions such as E3. Nor do I care for the accompanying hype culture that inevitably follows in the wake of all the announcements that are made. Too many gamers are easily seduced by cinematic trailers and promotional videos that contain precious little or no in-game footage. The lack of tangible data and quantifiable facts means that they fill the marketing void with their own expectations and hopes. Sadly, these are then dashed upon the game’s final release, resulting in a backlash of acrimony and perceived betrayal. It is a tediously predictable cycle, yet one that so many paying customers never seems to learn from. The Snake oil salesmen become bolder each year and the consumers more credulous. It’s a depressing, symbiotic, abusive relationship.
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