3. Show Players Why It's Next-Gen
PS4 and Xbox One are the most socially connected consoles the games industry has ever seen. Players are capturing, sharing and spectating games like never before, and its high time the development side got in on the action. Insomniac Games, best known for the Ratchet & Clank franchise and upcoming Xbox One exclusive Sunset Overdrive, is setting the example on this one. Their next project, Slow Down, Bull, will be
streamed live throughout its development process (not all the time, mind you, but weekly), putting the progress of the game directly in front of consumer eyes. This nails what countless marketing campaigns struggle to do: allow player feedback to play a live role in the creative process and remind players that the game theyre interested in is a very real, growing project, not just a name. Theres no reason for total silence in such an interconnected age. A few minutes of footage here, a picture there, even a biweekly Q&Aany interaction can go a long way in holding player interest and, more importantly, allowing fans to interact with devs, both sides working to make their new game the best it can be. Well, maybe some fans will do nothing but shout from their soapbox. Trade-offs.