For years now, the DICE Awards has been a showcase for both experienced and up-and-coming game developers, discussing their drive in the art of making games. This year’s show is no exception, as the event has already kicked off with a panel on gaming/magic featuring performer Penn Jillette and Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford, and another panel featuring game director Hideo Kojima and film director Guillermo del Toro is set to take place later in the week.
So, what can marketers learn from the annual event? Quite a bit, it turns out. While the panels focus on what generally makes games tick, it’s grasping this content for creative purposes that companies can take advantage of, like highlight a particular feature that’s set to be a huge draw for the game.
A majority of panels from the DICE event is streaming all week long, so that those that aren’t in attendance can still learn something from a number of gaming superstars and other media favorites.
The Right Kind of Promotion Works Wonders
“We’ve all had to get innovative to get discovered through a multitude of social media channels,” said Niccolo DeMasi, chairman and CEO of Glu Mobile, when it comes to the reception of games, as well as how they can increase their impact across the likes of Twitch, Facebook and other social means. Obviously this is a huge takeaway on the marketing front, since promoting a game the right way can help it reach new heights.
A key example of that: last year’s hit Rocket League, which found an immense audience through an introduction as a game in Sony’s PlayStation Plus program. In addition, the game has gotten a huge social push since its launch, including consistent streams on Twitch, as well as thousands of mentions on Facebook and Twitter. That, in turn, has made it a hit on other platforms, including Steam and, starting this week, Xbox One.
Immersion and Originality Go a Long Way
Ubisoft’s Tommy Francois also noted that “there needs to be a fight for player immersion and enrich player experiences.” That’s true, as some players feel certain titles act like “cookie cutter” pieces instead of delivering true gaming experiences. However, more titles these days seem to be producing more of an original result.
For instance, Ubisoft is set to deliver a one-two punch at retail over the next month in terms of immersive experiences. The first-person adventure Far Cry Primal (which ships next week) removes the typical gunplay factor, replacing them with a club, a bow and arrow set, and the ability to convince animals to do your bidding.
In addition, the long-awaited MMO Tom Clancy’s The Division, which arrives at retail on March 8th, promises to be far more engulfing to gamers than previous games in the military series, with an open-world environment, vast multiplayer options and a variety of missions to choose from — improving on the idea of giving players choice.
Finding the Right Attention At the Right Time
During the opening panel for the show this morning, Penn Jillette noted, “Gaming needs to be free of choice. Put the attention where they want it and study what people take for granted.” Making note of “hot trends” in the industry can be just what some companies need in terms of finding a right product for the right time.
For instance, Electronic Arts jumped on the Star Wars bandwagon at just the right time, bringing back the multiplayer game Star Wars: Battlefront one month before the release of the mega-blockbuster film The Force Awakens. Considering how many players requested its return, EA was more than happy to take advantage of the opportunity. As a result, the game has sold over 13 million copies, and is expected to continue selling well through the year, leading up to the release of the next Star Wars film, Rogue One.
There are several things happening at the DICE Summit over the next couple of days, with companies and developers taking part, including an Awards show that will honor the best of the best in gaming. There are plenty of trends for marketers to learn from games as a result.
