How early should a game be promoted?

[tolworthy]

I actually have two questions: how early should I promote to game players, and how early should I promote to the press?

To put this in context, this is my first game, due for release December 2007, in development since 2000. Everyone who has heard about it has said complimentary things, and it is unusual enough to be newsworthy. (The biggest adventure game in the world, the first time Les Miserables has been adapted into a game, the first game to cover adult topics like philosophy and poverty, etc.) Obviously I would like a gradual build up of interest until the release date. But maybe that is unrealistic? Why should anyone care about a game that nobody has seen, by a developer with no track record?

Specifically:

1. Is it worth putting time and effort into raising awareness at this stage, or should I plough any spare hours into the game instead?

2. I would like to put up a "press" section on the web site, with stories that might interest newspapers, but would that just reduce the interest later when the game is actually released?

[Anthony Flack]

I would think that there isn't really any benefit to putting effort into gaining attention when you don't have a game to sell yet and can't capitalise on that attention. It will mean you will sell more copies in the initial period when the game is finally released, but if you're planning to launch it from your own website first of all, a "soft release" is often recommended anyway. So you can sort out any nasty bugs and problems with your ordering system and stuff like that.

Then, when everything is going smoothly, ramp 'er into overdrive. If anyone feels differently, I'd be interested to hear ya' theories.

[Nexic]

I think you should try to raise awareness but not much more than you've already done. As Anythony said any money spent on markerting now would be more effectively spent after the game is actually done. Just add the odd few screenshots every now and then, keep active in the communities and maybe give periodic news on how the development is coming along.

I've never done this before but the kind of games I make aren't really unique or niche enough to have much interest before launch anyway. Obviously this is not true for you since you're making a niche and highly original game.

[theshadowfan]

Sometimes I think the answer is based off of the game's genre. I've found that adventure gamers could care less when a game will come out. As long as they know about it and the game has a good story they'll want to buy it. Your game doesn't need hype like fps do. Your audience will be there when the game is released as long as they remember the release date. Therefore I wouldn't recommend that you really start to push your game/website until you're at least 6 months from launch. Be aware that you have to continue to update your website after your initial push. Make sure that gamers never think your game is dead.

[tolworthy]

Thanks for the responses. What you have said makes a lot of sense.

[terin]

My opinion on this differs somewhat from what has been said.

WHEN depends entirely on what you have in place to capitalize. The other posts say when the game is done you have the most to capitalize on- which is probably true.

However, with a well designed website, good e-mail collection, an active forum, other products, ect. ect. you can capitalize on attention REGARDLESS of if your project is complete or close to complete.

So imagine your store front (website) is a bucket. If you have no other games, no e-mail collection, and no community gathering point it is a bucket without a bottom. Each item you add to your site to enhance it's stickyness is like adding a part of the bottom or plugging holes in it. Eventually you'll start catching water.

-Joe

[Indiepath]

My opinion on this differs somewhat from what has been said.

WHEN depends entirely on what you have in place to capitalize. The other posts say when the game is done you have the most to capitalize on- which is probably true.

However, with a well designed website, good e-mail collection, an active forum, other products, ect. ect. you can capitalize on attention REGARDLESS of if your project is complete or close to complete.

So imagine your store front (website) is a bucket. If you have no other games, no e-mail collection, and no community gathering point it is a bucket without a bottom. Each item you add to your site to enhance it's stickyness is like adding a part of the bottom or plugging holes in it. Eventually you'll start catching water.

-Joe

Totally agree with this, just visit www.gamespress.com and see how much hype the major developers build about upcoming(nevercoming) products - it's daily tidbits of information in some cases.

[Sharpfish]

So imagine your store front (website) is a bucket. If you have no other games, no e-mail collection, and no community gathering point it is a bucket without a bottom. Each item you add to your site to enhance it's stickyness is like adding a part of the bottom or plugging holes in it. Eventually you'll start catching water.

-Joe

A great way to visualise it. I worry that if I followed that route I would spend more time on web activities than game development (one reason I removed the forum I had before anyone actually bothered to sign up)... I doubt I would have droves of forum posters anyway (players) not having any games and for now I suppose the downsides (moderating and spamwatch/hack watch) would be more trouble than they are worth.

I have wanted to post concrete details about my WIP for a while now, but the reality is no-one cares, except maybe a few curious fellow-devs who just want to see if I can cut it or not. Players and possible future buyers will not be searching for "new obscure casual game from unknown developer" so I decided my attention was best served on developing the games themselves before shouting about them too much.

So until you have active players who are fans of your games coming to your site, I doubt there is much word of mouth to harvest.

Having said this, in the case of tolworthy he does have a different kind of game that has a market and a niche searchable term so if I had his game in the works I would probably be previewing it within a month or two of it's release.