The Game Industry and Marketing
 

Well, I've always kind of noticed something about Video Game Marketing. It seems (at least to me) that American Game Companies concentrates more on being an organized marketing scheme that wants to sell for as much money as possible, though, I only mean that in general. I know that ALL companies concentrate on making money, however, companies in Japan such as SNK seem to concentrate on making a high quality game that people will enjoy rather than making money and won't try to make any half assed games that might be based off of a movie. Nintendo seems to be mixed on this in a way, they might make a game that's not too good quality in one part of the company, while in another part of the company may concentrate on making a good game and taking time and effort to make it. They treat it more as an art than they do as a way of just making money. Sorry if this isn't really a clear explanation of what I mean, however, I just want to ask, what are your opinions?

While there is a lot of passion in this industry, game developers are ultimately out there to try and make money. The companies like SNK realise that there is a direct correlation between the quality of games and their sales within their target market. However this might not hold in other markets. Unfortunately for gaming connoisseurs, many sub-par movie spinoff games will provide huge revenue boosts for large companies despite full production starting late and being rushed in order to complete the game close to the release of the movie. Branding sells too.

*Sigh* True, but still, I don't want to make money my first priority. I want to make quality games and not having to try to make games just so they can "Sell sell sell". Branding does sell as well, but people seem to make a crappy misconception that just because this company makes it, it's automatically a good game. Also, it seems like the Japanese and American gaming industry are very different in style. Deep Space, Halo, and Diablo (Blizzard games) doesn't look anything like what a Japanese game would be. King of Fighters, Metal Gear Solid, and Mario are kind of easy to distinguish as a game not made by American hands. Then there's Fable which is very odd and has a different kind of style to it (I believe this was created in England). Anyhow, does it really matter that much where you live to how the game comes out?

Become an indie developer :p

Well your upbringing does effect your design output. Just like lots of things do. So I would say it doesn't limit you to make only games of that area but when people grow up in the same space they are experiencing similar things.

You make a very interesting point... Anyhow, I'm not so sure I'd do well as an indie developer... I mean, it would be good on one hand because I'm a bit more capable in smaller groups, however, I feel like the games I want to design are meant for bigger companies with larger capabilities and such, then again I could work up the funds to help us out. *Sigh* I'm not so sure what I wish to do... XD Life's one Hell of a bitch eh?

In regards to marketing:

Honestly, to me there are two reasons you market a product:
1) Make money
2) Promote company + product for PR reasons

Sometimes #2 seems to be intricately linked to #1, but sometimes it isn't. For instance, if a studio made an advertisement showing off more than one game they've developed, I'd say it was #2 which helps them with #1 in the future, but directly would turn little profit now.

On the first post: I'm actually not sure what you see with marketing there. I think your little bit of rage at movie-tie ins and poor quality games is not against marketing, but licencing and publishing. At the end of the day, publishers have the final say as to what a studio does. It's rare that a studio can make what it wants (Valve is an example of this) as most don't/can't fund themselves. Therefore, if a publisher says "we got movie rights to xxxxxxx, make a game", most studios sigh, nod and dish out what they don't want.

So in the end, what this topic is against is publishers more than marketing. But we still can't blame the publishers, because honestly they are much more in tune with the broader audience than developers who want to make a game they, and a small slice of the pie, would play.

So really in the end: blame the public.

*Sigh* It's odd... It almost sounds as if in the end, I have no choice but to go into a Indy Company... Shigesto Itoi (A video game designer and famously known as the creator of the Mother/Earthbound series) had once said something... "I wanted to make a game that I wanted to play" That's stuck with me for quite a bit and in my opinion, it was a genius idea. I want to play a game that's of top quality and that people will enjoy as much as I would. Itoi wanted to make a game that references American Culture and many of the things that he enjoyed much such as The Beatles (Also my favorite band as well), The Blues Brothers, and so on... I'm not really sure what to do now...

Fundamentally, money is everything. You can't just make a good game, you have to make a good game that will sell or at worst, just make one that sells. Marketing plays a big part in both of those factors.

Ultimately, the games industry is a business. This is why there are so many indie/bedroom games that people do in their spare time because they can't do it at work.

But why does it HAVE to be like that? I know it's always been about marketing, however, it seems to be that it's becoming so much of a market now, though, that's true for most things too.

Example: Martial arts has become more about marketing nowadays. Not too many care about respecting what they learn and want to use it as a way to look good by trying their skills on someone.

Anyhow, I know that we need money to fund the games and such, however, money isn't my number 1 priority. I don't expect every one of the games me and my team makes to amazing, however, I'll try to think of something great to the best of my ability.

It may not be YOUR priority but about the people you work with? Own the studio? You employ? They need to make a living somehow. In fact, how would you make a living while developing your labour of love? How will you get the funding if your number one priority isn't for it to sell more then you borrowed? How do you convince the consumers to buy the game if it is something they have never heard of and/or outside of their comfort zone?