Gamescom has come-and-gone, and many new XR titles came into view. Moreover, many of the bigger names in the industry highlighted a cavalcade of titles thanks to the ‘Home of XR’ booth at the show. Right now, it feels like XR gaming is in a particularly good place. So, what does that mean for studios that weren’t at the show??
I made a post prior to Gamescom about how revealing a new game at the show may not be the right idea for everyone. Events such as these are certainly not ‘one size fits all’. There’s so much happening that it’s easy to get lost in the mix. And of course, that’s before we even consider the cost of such an endeavour!?
If you feel like you’re ready to make an announcement and think that now that Gamescom has passed it’s the perfect time, you should maybe think again! Why am I telling you to put on the breaks? Well, here’s a few reasons:?
- There’s just so much! While you might feel that your game deserves the exposure, there’s so much already happening at events such as Gamescom that it’s easy to get lost. This will remain the case for a few weeks yet, as the conversation surrounds the bigger titles from the show.?
- Press and influencers are very busy. One of the best ways to get your messaging out remains press and influencers. With there being so much content, their agendas will be very full (take this from a former journalist of 17 years!). Even though Gamescom is now over, producing the content takes a long time. They won’t clear their schedules for at least another week, if not two!?
- Prestige. If you weren’t presenting at Gamescom, chances are you’re not working on the next Batman VR game. Big IPs will continue to lead the conversation for a few weeks, and fighting against Xenomorphs or The Caped Crusader is not advisable in any context!?
So now you understand that while the event itself has concluded, Gamescom is far from over. Instead of making your announcement now and likely failing to capatilise on the buzz, it’s time to plan to create your own! Moving forward, here’s a few suggestions for how to do this:?
- Get out in Front. Plan your announcement in plenty of time. If you’re ready to fire, begin your conversations with press and influencers in the last week of September once the Gamescom dust has settled.?
- Social Media. A lot of effort is required to be invested in social media in order to reap the rewards. You should never ignore any specific channel just because you ‘think’ it’s not for you. Try everything, and get those channels set up now ahead of your reveal! A week in advance is not enough. Aim for at least a month, if not two. Post regularly in the build up; not necessarily every day, but enough to show a stock of content for when you’re ready for a full reveal.?
- Performance Marketing. If you have a budget to invest in paid advertisements, you need to begin your research into which channels will maximise your ROI before even diving into A/B testing. Assumptions can drain your budget quicker than you can hit that pause button!?
Hopefully this article has been helpful, and may prevent some smaller studios having their XR game announcement fall flat! Of course, if you’d like any assistance ensuring that your big reveal makes an impact please reach out to me to learn how Tiny Brains can assist you!?
