Mass Publicity
The fact still remains that reviews are pivotal to the marketing roadmap of a publisher. These opinion pieces play an important — if varied — role across the development process. For the publisher, they are an indication of how the game will be viewed across the larger potential audience. For the developer, they provide necessary feedback on how their game’s mechanics, aesthetics, and narrative are being received by fans. For the outlet, reviews generate the coveted visitors that help them keep the lights on. Finally, for consumers, reviews are a way of getting a glimpse of a game before purchasing it.
Specifically for the publisher, the embargo date is important marketing in and of itself. For an entire day, their game will appear on the front page of every major and mid-tier media outlet, and the consumer has the ability to compare and contrast multiple reviews at the same time to see if everyone is coming to the same conclusion. While this prospect may seem like mass chaos, it is actually quite beneficial for everyone involved in the process.
This mass publicity can be make-or-break for a game, and that makes it extremely pro-consumer. If the game is critically well-received, it may motivate those on the fence about it to purchase it, thus incentivizing the company to keep making quality games. If the game doesn’t review well and low scores go up across the internet in mass, it will lower sales and dictate the future direction of that title.
A well-timed embargo looks different depending on the game, but if they are done well, it can protect and inform the consumer. Do you think embargoes are pro or anti-consumer? Should outlets be allowed to publish a review or gameplay video whenever they want? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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