Marketing themed games through their themes's channel (instead of games channel)

[Martoon]

Since the marketing channels specific to computer/video games are getting more and more crowded, I've been thinking more about the concept of taking a game with a particular theme or topic, and hitting up marketing channels directed at people interested in that theme. For example, if you have a fishing game, instead of trying to push the idea of fishing via game-related channels, push the idea of a game via fishing-related channels. If you have a wombat breeding simulation, sell it through whatever channels target wombat enthusiasts, etc.

Microsoft's Train Simulator was a pretty successful product. From a gamer's viewpoint, it's a very dull game (any way you cut it, driving a train != compelling gameplay). But train enthusiasts ate it up, because it has accurate reproductions of several trains, and has geographic data for various tracks around the world, etc. I seem to remember reading somewhere that Microsoft did a lot of their marketing for it through different train enthusiast channels, instead of through game channels.

I'd like to here about any experiences people have had with this (selling directly to fans of the game's theme instead of software/game channels).

[RedKnight]

You need a Gimmick.

[Savant]

Sounds good, but also a lot of common sense. Basically, "Advertise to the people most likely to buy your product". That's really the holy grail, now isn't it? :)

The trick is to find them.

[Jim Buck]

I think these types of games need to be sim-oriented in order to appeal to these types of niche crowds. I don't think, for example, you could make a goofy train racing game and sell it to train enthusiasts. Same goes with fishing games. My guess is that Feeding Frenzy wouldn't necessarily appeal to the fishing crowd any more than to a general audience. In fact, they might be turned off since it's not realistic.

[FlySim]

Yep, if you write a "wombat breeding simulation" you should know something about wombats. My brother kept our fly fishing game real (he's a guide in Colorado) and without him the game would have sucked. Our advertising is easier to target than a general game: google adwords, banner ads on fly fishing sites and even a couple of ads in the mags. By far the adwords have been most effective.

But I think if you can find an underserved niche where the people are passionate about the sport/hobby, it is easier to get a sale.

[bentlegen]

Poker-simulation games have clearly been more targetted at poker and gambling crowds, especially with the recent wave of popularity poker has been riding in North America. I'm sure there are plenty more examples.

- ben

[terin]

This is a great post that makes a great point, but makes it in a somewhat wrong way.

Creating a theme game and targeting that audience is the same as any other target market. The only difference is by making the theme game you made it easy to determine who your target is :-)

So, yes, it is a great way to get a good idea of target market. One caveat:

Careful that you don't mistake a topic for a target market. Do people who like fishing enjoy fishing video games? I'd bet the ratio is a lot lower than people who like NASCAR enjoying racing games. Similar demographic, different circumstance. NASCAR fans can't go drive a car 250mph every day but people who like fishing could just GO FISH. Your target market in a fishing game may end up being people who don't like real fishing much, and those people won't be frequenting fishing sites.

-Joe

[FlySim]

Do people who like fishing enjoy fishing video games?
I think in our case this is true because fly fishing in fairly technical and our sim attempts to get the details correct. I also think this may reduce the appeal for the general population. We get a great conversion rate (~4-5%) with our targeted audience and a fairly crappy one (~0.75%) with a broad one (we spent a couple days one the front page of download.com - lots of downloads not a lot of sales) That said, I think we could do a better job trying to market to the more general gamer, but only on the cheap.

[Andy]

I know for sure that almost nobody from real pinball fans don't like and don't even worried to try ANY pinball PC simulations - including even our (superb, excelent etc. ;) ) own.

REM: Just a warning to give you the correct vision on situation some time.

[terin]

yep, its a generalization! Sometimes it will be wrong, that's ok. My point is to make sure you don't get caught believing that because you have a theme you have a demographic match.

Andy's example is perfect, no matter how realistic your video game pinball game is, a pinball fan won't be your target audience.

-Joe