Sunday Thoughts: Fans
All about you guys.
Published: 19:00, 23/01/2011 by Kris [Halbpro].
3Sometimes writing for TSA feels pretty weird. I mean it’s pretty weird that I can write stuff in a little box whilst watching An Evening with Kevin Smith and a few hours later all of you will be reading it. There’s enough of you that it can feel a little bit intimidating if I stop and think about it for more than a few seconds. However the part makes it all feel weirder is that the audience feels pretty huge to me, but is really a drop in the ocean when you compare it to the sales figures for a lot of games.
It’s not just us though, even though sites like IGN are big targets for publishers and developers trying to get their game out there they don’t have the audience that mirrors the sales figures of titles. It’s the same in every industry really, you get those strange beasties called ‘fans’ that sit and read everything that comes out about a game or movie or author or, well, anything really. In the internet age there’s a community for fans of everything, and that by no means is a bad thing.
So why do people target these ‘hardcore’ fans through the media if they don’t make up the majority of the people they’re going to sell it to? The thing is traditional ad campaigns are expensive. Very, very expensive in fact. The cost of a full page advert in print media or a TV spot is astronomical. The advertising cost of any product takes up a huge chunk of the budget, so any way you can get it cheaper is a good thing. The other issue with traditional ads is that even though they cost a huge amount of money to put out, people have gotten very good at ignoring them. We’re so heavily bombarded by adverts in the modern world that most of the time we tune them out or just skip past them.
What’s this got to do with fans though? Well it’s simple, fans pick up a product early and will advertise it for you. They’ll show it off to their friends, talk about how awesome it is and generally paint it in a good light (assuming the product’s any good to start with). This is, basically, how Apple market the iPhone, although they do it with all of their products to some extent. Not only are you getting new advertising, you’re getting it for less than free. Early adopters are paying you for the product so they can then tell all their friends how amazing it is. You’ve managed to flip your gigantic cost that doesn’t produce particularly good results, into a profit that is actually pretty effective at getting the word out there.
Of course there is the cost of selling it to your fans, but that’s negligible really. Really it’s a subset of selling to your fans, you sell it to sites like us. Someone convinces us that a game is awesome, which is either very easy or very hard depending on how you do it, and we tell all you guys that it’s awesome. Our readers then go buy it, confirm that is indeed awesome and then tell all of their friends that it’s awesome and they go buy it.
That isn’t the be all and end all of selling of course. There is a case for spending insane amounts of money on TV ads, it just depends on who your target audience is. In my estimation, for the vast majority of games, you can buy up a few key advertising spots to try and sell it to the general public and get a similar result to buying ten times as many. There’s a point where everyone who could be interested is now interested, and the law of diminishing returns takes hold.
However for a few games, mostly big hitters like Halo or Call of Duty, it makes sense to advertise everywhere you can. That’s because those games have a fairly different fan base to most titles. These are the franchises where people buy every iteration of the game, but those are pretty much the only games they buy in a year. I don’t have an issue with that at all, if they’re enjoying themselves then who really cares?
The fact that they’re only buying these franchises, coupled with the fact that there’s a pretty good chance they’ll buy any new game in the series, means that basically just having an advert that goes “HEY! You there! There’s a new game in that series you love! Buy it! Buy it now!” makes a lot of sense. You’re just informing them that there’s a new thing in the series they love, and letting them know they should buy it.
Now those are pretty different groups of fans that you’re advertising to, but it kinds of annoys me that the group who take an interest in things in general seem to look down on the fans who just have the series they buy every year. It’s the same as people who discuss the Xbox 360 being categorically “better” than the PS3 (or vice versa), or that the PC is “better” for gaming than consoles. Neither approach is better, they’re just different. Let people like what they like and everyone can be happy.
Most Comments This Week
- Gaikai’s Streaming – Does This Mean No PS4? [65]
- PSN Store Update: 23/05/12 [55]
- First Party Vita Games Drop To £12 On PSN [52]
- PSN Store Hit With 80023163 Errors [51]
- Is Something Big Coming To PlayStation Plus Soon? [50]
- “Leap” Motion Controller Could Revolutionise Gaming [43]
- Ghost Recon: Future Soldier PS3 Install Is Huge [42]
- Australian & New Zealand D3 Players Suffer High Ping Rates [41]
- Sony Files Patent For Game-Interrupting Soda Adverts [40]
- Ghost Recon Future Soldier Review (PS3, Xbox 360) [39]
Latest Reader Comments
- Sunday Thoughts: Leaking E3 And Ethical Debates
-
New Hardware, New Plus: All Eyes On Sony This E3
- 15:14 Phizzy: Lag-free internet (instantaneous communication) violates the laws of cause and effect. It’s physically...
- 14:58 Radiitz: You’re entitled to your opinion, however, I won’t ever rule out lag-free internet in the...
- 14:50 damoxuk: It’s not quite the same. Lag hasn’t changed since Braodband came out. Because at the end of the...
- 14:38 Radiitz: I think lag will become non-existent. Lets look at it this way. 10 years ago, if you were told you could...
- 14:29 damoxuk: Will it though? No matter how fast the internet is there’s always that lag between communicating...
- Meet the Reader: KAMIKAZE-UK
- Community Round-Up: 26/05/12
TSAtv: Original Video Content
Batman book review
Kris Dancing, again
Joe Danger interview
Sonic Generations
23/01/2011 at 19:04
Member since: Forever
Speaking of fans, I found an old battery powered hand fan today. Good times.
23/01/2011 at 20:06
Member since: Apr 2010
Hahaha.. Why did that comment make me laugh so much? :L
23/01/2011 at 19:06
Member since: Apr 2009
Cool.
23/01/2011 at 19:14
Member since: Oct 2010
hmmm, interesting thoughts.
23/01/2011 at 19:44
Member since: Oct 2008
I know a guy who used to a fan of tractors. He doesn’t like them anymore though. You could say that he’s “an ex-tractor fan”.
23/01/2011 at 19:50
Member since: Apr 2010
My eyes! *clutches face screaming*
23/01/2011 at 19:56
Member since: May 2010
*headbutts his laptop because of the bad pun* Oww great now i have the letter noob imprinted on my head and i’m bleeding.
23/01/2011 at 19:57
Member since: Apr 2010
I made a comment similar to this in regards to the Crysis demo. The most effective advertising is hype and word of mouth. I would disagree with it being sensible for Activision to spend money advertising games like COD everywhere, because they are such successful franchises. People are generally aware of them coming up long before they arrive, and the odd TV spot and posters will fill in the rest. As you rightly said, most people will buy them year in year out regardless.
It’s the smaller games that need more advertising. Otherwise quality titles like (Psychonauts was the first thing that came to mind, but that’s a bit of a dated example now! Let’s say…) Enslaved end up passing by relatively unnoticed while the sequels relentlessly dominate the market.
23/01/2011 at 20:07
Member since: May 2010
I am a reasonable fan of a lot of games and i think everyone on TSA is as well. I hate fanboys who will insult you just for not liking their game. every game will have it’s fans and fanboys. IMO the worst fanboys are the COD/xbox ones as they will resort to insulting you. I generally don’t pay attention to the adverts. If i see a game that i’m interested in i will look at the gameplay vids on youtube or ask other people for their opinion on it. This was an interesting read RAEN. I really do wish i could insert the Hodgi smiley into this comment.
23/01/2011 at 21:04
Member since: Jun 2009
Didn’t you go around slamming COD/MW to anyone that would listen. To me that’s just as bad as a fanboy telling you why 1 game is better than another game.
24/01/2011 at 07:15
Member since: May 2010
@moshi No, i said i just didn’t like them. I did not go around saying COD IZ CRAP LLOOL!!!!!111122 i think iQ has just dropped by 100 points by that.
23/01/2011 at 22:00
Member since: Apr 2010
This comment is hidden.
23/01/2011 at 22:11
Member since: Apr 2010
This comment is hidden.
23/01/2011 at 22:27
Member since: Feb 2009
Somebody kill me.
23/01/2011 at 22:29
Member since: Forever
I guess I would take the time to respond properly, but you clearly have no idea what you are talking about.
23/01/2011 at 22:32
Member since: Jul 2009
*Facepalm*
23/01/2011 at 22:35
Member since: Aug 2009
Oblivion mods…..
23/01/2011 at 22:36
Member since: May 2009
I’d love if PC gamers were actually like that, then we’d have some more people to laugh at.
Here’s the thing: I bought a decent PC (£300, not £5000) last year that runs Crysis (though I have no intention to play it) and love it, as much as I love my PS3/Xbox/Wii. PC gaming is great.
Sure, I can upgrade, but graphics aren’t a huge deal to me; if it runs smoothly I’m happy (and my PC that has nowhere near the specs of a £5000 machine runs Mass Effect 2 very well – so I’m glad I can enjoy that great game).
Personally, I think that Steam’s a great service, mouse and keyboard controls are great and Half-Life 2 is a great game that I’ve just got around to playing, not bothered with any mods for it, although there are some great ones out there that people have made.
If I ever saw someone that acts like those examples you have given, I’d slap them. They’re making PC gaming look bad.
To me, the worst people are the non-fans, who exaggerate everything and use examples that are quite frankly absurd and unrealistic to pretend fans of something else are complete idiots, when in fact, the only idiots are the people making these strange claims.
23/01/2011 at 22:44
Member since: Jul 2009
I agree with Blair. I have built a PC that has cost around £600, not £5000. Does everything I want and more.
To say the only game PC gamers have is Crysis is pretty stupid, if I’m honest. Recently I have been playing the likes of DiRT2 and Fallout New Vegas on my PC, which I’m pretty sure are big titles.
23/01/2011 at 22:44
Member since: Jun 2009
Well said.
You can get a very, very good gaming PC for say £800 now that will max out pretty much game out there at 1080p.
To be quite blunt BG123 you sound just as moronic as those fanboys you try to chastise.
23/01/2011 at 23:22
Member since: Forever
My computer was just over £400 and can play Crysis at 1080p with no frame-rate issues and everything on max.
23/01/2011 at 23:29
Member since: Aug 2009
It doesn’t cost much play a few decent games, my current pc was around £400, but I tend to go for older titles than newer ones but I if I ever needed to upgrade it would be for Skyrim I can’t wait.
23/01/2011 at 21:04
Member since: Jan 2011
The fans on my PS3 are way too loud, I wouldn’t mind picking up the PS3 Slim with the latest SKU-2503….
23/01/2011 at 21:07
Member since: Nov 2009
Nice super quietness that model.
23/01/2011 at 21:05
Member since: May 2010
Fanboyism is very prominent in the world of gaming compared to other industries within the entertainment industry where the fans are so loyal…its frustrating because ill be honest i prefer the PS3 to the 360 but i can accept the advantages and disadvantages of both consoles unlike noobs…but level headed fans are what make tsa in particular refreshing :)
23/01/2011 at 21:33
Member since: Oct 2010
here here.
23/01/2011 at 21:42
Member since: Jan 2010
YES! 99.9% of people on TSA are level headed and rational, compared to probably about 50% on other sites.
And in terms of the best gaming console, the best one is the one you enjoy the most, so some people get carried away when other people don’t like what they like (fanboyism).
23/01/2011 at 21:47
Member since: Oct 2008
I’m a TSA Fanboy! (can I have a free shirt now please?)
23/01/2011 at 22:31
Member since: Forever
If you were a real fanboy, you’d buy one yourself ;)
23/01/2011 at 22:36
Member since: Oct 2008
Well played, Sir. You are indeed a cunning one.
23/01/2011 at 23:22
Member since: Forever
…and one for me :D
23/01/2011 at 21:40
Member since: Apr 2010
I’m a ps3 fanboy all day long. I don’t like the xbox, but I don’t feel the need to slag it off, because by not slagging it off I know that I’m right lol
23/01/2011 at 21:46
Member since: Oct 2008
Just so you guys know, there’s a crazy ass “B” in the bottom right corner of my screen and it’s only appearing on this news article.
I’ve uploaded a screenie for you to see it.
http://i55.tinypic.com/28kpnwz.jpg
23/01/2011 at 22:01
Member since: May 2009
Same here. I can click it but it doesn’t appear to do anything… TSA ARG please? :)
23/01/2011 at 22:08
Member since: May 2009
Huh. http://twitpic.com/3stcgj
23/01/2011 at 22:18
Member since: Oct 2008
Someone better not have robbed my details when I clicked that…
23/01/2011 at 22:30
Member since: May 2009
Can Nofi or someone assuage our fears here? :S
23/01/2011 at 22:45
Member since: May 2009
A new development in the ARG: The button says more than just B. It says “Bl” and at least one more letter. I only noticed because I turned my laptop off and looked at it on my iPhone (rounded buttons let me just see the next letters). If I was still on my PC I’d research further and be able to say for sure, but my guess is that the button says “Blocking Disabled”
23/01/2011 at 22:50
Member since: Oct 2008
Value=”Blocking Disabled”
23/01/2011 at 22:08
Member since: Apr 2010
I like that you use Chrome.
23/01/2011 at 22:32
Member since: Forever
Thanks for all those credit card details, guys! :D
23/01/2011 at 22:37
Member since: Oct 2008
That’ll fund the old London trip. Seeing as you’ll be using my card can you pay for me too?
23/01/2011 at 22:58
Member since: Forever
I think it’s Kris’ Opera pop-up blocker…
23/01/2011 at 23:00
Member since: Oct 2008
Ah right, cool. It’s sorted now. The omnipotent coder steps in once more to right the wrongs of the internet.
23/01/2011 at 23:12
Member since: May 2009
Once again Nofi shows himself to be the best site admin evar. Vigilant, knowledgable and considerate, Her Majesty the Queen has been known to call upon him
in times of need. A few months back, a certain dictator was spamming Queenie with asylum requests. It was cases exactly like this that made Liz glad she had the best operatives in the world to call upon. Her aide was all a panic and was beseeching the Queen for orders, when she waved a wise hand and said “There’s a man who lives a life of danger. To everyone he meets he stay a stranger…”