My ideas on the future of video game advertising and PR

[the_tyrant]

Conventional video game advertising has already reached its limit
Even bribing game reviewers don't work anymore
therefore, video game companies need to think outside the box
i suggest the following marketing techniques:

Astroturfing
Video game companies should learn from the Chinese government, and create 50 cent parties(payed internet commentates link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/50_Cent_Party)
so there will be a large number of people posting on forums pretending to be players (actually marketing people) saying how good the game is

Forum manipulation
Bribing moderators, and deleting posts that point out the game's problems.
of course, no game could be 100% perfect. Posts actually pointing out problems should be replaced with stupid nitpicking complaints. Also, the best idea is to only allow posts pointing out the game's problems a few days before creating a patch fixing the problem. Creating the impression that costumer service is good.


Black propaganda
needless to explain, video game companies should hire PR agents pretending to be the fanboy of their competitor's products. This could ruin their competitor's products' reputation

turning bad posts into satire
turning every post pointing out the above marketing techniques into funny, satire posts(like the "subsim army of zombies" post)

of course, the above techniques will only work for a few years. after that, people will know of them, and they will lose their effect.(maybe even become illegal)

of course, the video game companies will think of ways to turn video games into truly addictive substances, and these techniques won't be needed any more

[antikristuseke]

Errrr....
That is not the future, that is the reality right now.

[Raptor1]

Is this a not-so-subtle subtle jab at someone?

[SteamWake]

Originally Posted by the_tyrant

Even bribing game reviewers don't work anymore

no not at all

[Takeda Shingen]

Hmmm.......

What's wrong with the zombie thread?

EDIT: When does the moderator bribing start? Are we talking cash or are we going straight for stock?

[antikristuseke]

Those pictures and not so unused cleenex are still up for grabs

[the_tyrant]

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

Hmmm.......

What's wrong with the zombie thread?

EDIT: When does the moderator bribing start? Are we talking cash or are we going straight for stock?

I'm not jabbing you. I moderate a forum too, and some moderators are quite corrupt

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

Hmmm.......

What's wrong with the zombie thread?

EDIT: When does the moderator bribing start? Are we talking cash or are we going straight for stock?

Nothing wrong with a bit of zombie therapy



If the bribery takes the form of beer....cut me in for a crate or three

[krashkart]

My plan: conquer the world, then cram my video games down everyone's throats. If they do not comply, send the offenders off to be "re-educated".



In the Consolidated Krashkartista Republics, everyone will love my video games.

[Catfish]

Hello,
there is a recently developed sim and the advertising worked and still works right now, as described in the above post

The initial critics turned out to be written by the very producers, and if now something is criticized there are at once 10-20 posts that tell they accept everything and they can wait and this is the best sim they ever saw.
One person asks a reasonable question, and instantly there are 20 answers, like:

"But the sim does not do what was advertised ?"
20x "Yes, but it will ! Just wait and pay constantly !"

"I do not like the online requirement ?"
20x "I like it personally, i deliberately want it because pirates are so bad !"

"But the server is offline all the time ?"
20x "Must be your internet connection, ask your provider !"

"This and that does not work at all ?"
20x "Stop whining, look at the positive things !"

"But why did you say this will work and it does not ?"
1x Thread locked, poster banned.


But most young people are used to Xbox, PS/3 and do not ask why it should be different with PCs. Indeed, why should it ? With a software industry that has declared war to the customers and their rights, there can not be any surprise ? You are not even allowed to sell your software anymore, this just passed the US courts.

Greetings,
Catfish

[John Channing]

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

Hmmm.......

What's wrong with the zombie thread?

EDIT: When does the moderator bribing start? Are we talking cash or are we going straight for stock?

Bribes?

I'm in.


JCC

[krashkart]

Originally Posted by John Channing

Bribes?

I'm in.


JCC

Mmmm-hmmm. Just sign on the dotted line. Cash is in the briefcase, all small bills.






Do not read the small print.

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by krashkart

My plan: conquer the world, then cram my video games down everyone's throats. If they do not comply, send the offenders off to be "re-educated".

<snip>

In the Consolidated Krashkartista Republics, everyone will love my video games.

Are you hiring graphic artists?

I'm good with 3ds max and photoshop.

I'm also good with military tactics and technology.

[ETR3(SS)]

Originally Posted by Catfish

Hello,
there is a recently developed sim and the advertising worked and still works right now, as described in the above post

The initial critics turned out to be written by the very producers, and if now something is criticized there are at once 10-20 posts that tell they accept everything and they can wait and this is the best sim they ever saw.
One person asks a reasonable question, and instantly there are 20 answers, like:

"But the sim does not do what was advertised ?"
20x "Yes, but it will ! Just wait and pay constantly !"

"I do not like the online requirement ?"
20x "I like it personally, i deliberately want it because pirates are so bad !"

"But the server is offline all the time ?"
20x "Must be your internet connection, ask your provider !"

"This and that does not work at all ?"
20x "Stop whining, look at the positive things !"

"But why did you say this will work and it does not ?"
1x Thread locked, poster banned.


But most young people are used to Xbox, PS/3 and do not ask why it should be different with PCs. Indeed, why should it ? With a software industry that has declared war to the customers and their rights, there can not be any surprise ? You are not even allowed to sell your software anymore, this just passed the US courts.

Greetings,
Catfish

I wonder what game that was? Might you have a link for the US Court decision? I'd really like to read it if you wouldn't mind.

[Catfish]

Not the direct link but it's all there, called the first sale doctrine :

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/201...sale-doctrine/