Developing a great game is only part of the challenge for game developers in the age of digital distribution. Gamers can’t buy your wonderful game if they don’t know it exists, so getting the word out about your latest and greatest creation has become a vital part of the game development/self-publishing process – and it’s quite a challenge. Big publishers with their multi-million dollar marketing budgets can pay for huge advertising campaigns and arrange expensive press junkets, whisking a hoard of journalists off to a swish venue to demo the game…. followed by a good deal of entertaining.

It’s hard to get noticed

Gamers will know that these big budget games are on the horizon and journalists will write about them because they know there is a ready audience of readers waiting for information. The same can’t be said for the debut title from “Minuscule Studios” as they beaver away on their first ever game. For independent developers with a much smaller/non-existent marketing budget it’s a different story. Blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter Feeds and press releases are all essential tools to build awareness. Of course building awareness in this way takes time -  If people don’t know about you/your game, then they are unlikely to know about your Facebook page either.  It takes time, plus a steady trickle of information, to raise awareness. The hope is that customers will learn about your game and, become interested, and in-turn, tell others about it. Another hoped for outcome is that the gaming press become aware of your game and start to write about it.

Press releases, screen shots and videos sent out to journalists are a great way to let them know you exist. An even better way – and one of the hardest to pull off – is to embark on a press tour and get some real face time with the gaming press. Actually getting to sit down with the press and show them your game can go a long way to boosting your chances of success.

As the latest step in our marketing campaign for Space Ark, our Technical Director Simon Morris has been out and about meeting up with UK journalists, while I have undertaken a US press tour. Simon hit the road first and met with Gamespot UK, FemaleGamers.co.uk, Thunderbolt Games, Brutal Gamer, Electronic Theatre and Girl Gamers UK to show off the latest build of the game.

FemaleGamers.co.uk
“Space Ark is so full of fun, from its bright colours, catchy music, cute characters and wonderfully transformed planets to the sheer addictive pleasure of trying to get as many combos as you can, collect fruit and avoid dying, all whilst bouncing away.”

It’s not easy to get next to even one journalist, let alone a gaggle of them. It takes time, effort and luck. Obviously, as with any business, money can substitute for some of this (you can pay a PR agency to help you). However you manage it though the benefits can be enormous; not only as a result of the increased exposure your game will get. Previews and Reviews are the mainstay of the gaming press but building a good relationship with the press can lead to interviews, developer diaries and assorted other features that will all help to raise awareness of your game.

Brutal Gamer
“Space Ark is a lot of fun. It’s childish and silly but it’s brilliant and incredibly addictive. Completionists and people who like to compete will be in their element here”

It’s not just about gaining exposure

A press visit is not just about giving out information – its a two way process. Getting hands-on the game with the game developer helps the journalist get a better insight into the game. Any questions can be answered and almost as importantly they can see the passion that the developer has for the game. It is also a great way to get independent feedback on your game. Journalists are gamers too and as such they are an excellent source of feedback. Importantly they aren’t invested in the game in the same way that the developer is, which means that their comments and feedback will likely throw up any quirks or problems that the developer may have got used to during the development process. These problems will be thrown into sharp relief when the journalist point them out.  Hopefully you will also get to see them reacting positively to all the great parts of your game as well.

For the second leg of our press tour I flew out to San Francisco to meet with members of the US gaming press including OXM, IGN, Gamespot, Team Xbox, CVG, Gamepro and Giant Bomb, G4, Game Trailers, EGM & Gaming Evolution.

Gamepro
“I must’ve been playing Space Ark for at least the amount of time that Marchant had spent telling me how to play it, but I didn’t even notice. The game is that fun. I was actually kind of bummed out when he wanted to switch to multiplayer because I wasn’t ready to share, in a way.“

As a result of the visits we gained some great insights into Space Ark; a game that we have all become very close to internally. As a result we were able to make final changes to the game before submitting a final version to Microsoft for certification.  It was also really gratifying to have people confirm the  addictive nature of the combo and bonus fruit collecting, the desire for players to beat their previous scores (and those of their friends) and the insanely frantic multi-player mode.

CVG
“Do you remember when games were jolly? When the key to success wasn’t how angry you could make your protagonist, or how many shades of brown you could coat the walls with? 20 years ago all you needed was a bright blue sky, happy animal hero and a crap-ton of fruit to collect – Space Ark resurrects this spirit.”

All in all a very rewarding and enjoyable experience. Now we just need to get the game finished and released.