Tag: Starcraft

The Brand Benefits of Publisher Conventions – BlizzCon

Conventions and the video game industry go hand-in-hand: there’s the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX), Germany’s Gamescom, Comic-Cons, and more. Other than QuakeCon (and EA Play this year), it’s rare for publishers to host their own consumer-facing “mega event.” Most companies like Capcom, Ubisoft, and Nintendo share the stage and make special reveals during E3 (which is no longer open to the public) and other general gaming events.

Blizzard Entertainment is not like many companies, though as its 10th annual BlizzCon wrapped on November 4-5 celebrating all of the brand’s biggest franchises. Selling out in roughly 10 minutes, it is safe to say this annual convention is one of the most popular in the industry with no signs of slowing down!

Hosting a convention to promote your own properties and celebrate your fan base can be an extremely effective brand marketing strategy — evidenced by Blizzard. Publisher conventions can make fans feel rewarded, important,and valued. It gives attendees a chance to meet the artists and developers behind their favorite games, creating a personal connection that helps strengthen their brand affinity.

In order to understand why publishers should host conventions of their own, TriplePoint takes a look at what makes BlizzCon an impressive marketing tool, unique from other experiences, and what other companies can do to provide that same value. TriplePoint has taken all of this into account and has established five key BlizzCon 2016 brand marketing takeaways:

 

Surprising Announcements / Unique Information Distribution Structure

Each year, BlizzCon is home to new reveals and big surprises surrounding its IPs (World of Warcraft, Starcraft, Diablo, Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm, and Overwatch). Key highlights from this year’s BlizzCon included the eagerly awaited new Overwatch hero, Sombra, the Overwatch League announcement, Diablo 3’s upcoming Necromancer class, and Hearthstone’s new expansion Gadgetzan, and more. Interestingly enough this year Blizzard chose to separate its product news from esports news, with product on the first day and esports on the following day.

Blizzard’s strategy to lead its announcements with product news is because unlike product, which has more timing flexibility, esports stories need time to develop — tournaments need to be played and winners need to be determined. Having designated days for both types of stories ensures a steady flow of information for the press and consumers. Press will have enough time to cover, news will be easier to digest, and information won’t get lost — they can dominate the news cycle.

 

Watch the Best of the Best Play

Esports are another unique aspect of BlizzCon that is surprisingly not explored by other video game conventions.The best players from around the world gather to BlizzCon to showcase their skills and compete for huge prizes. The convention center is split into several parts where each space is devoted to specific tournaments in Blizzard’s gaming library. Having world championship tournaments during BlizzCon generates tournament results and team interview coverage, fandom, and an overall event spectacle.

 

Green screen by PhotoBoothless, find out more at http://www.photoboothless.com/

Network with Industry Professionals

BlizzCon serves as a mecca, drawing in fans from all over the world and from different backgrounds. Since there is something for everyone, BlizzCon was filled with cosplayers, community managers, artists, press, developers, representatives from other games, tech companies and more. BlizzCon is a dense concentration of video game industry professionals and offers immense opportunity to connect with key industry players.

 

Get Up Close and Personal with Devs and Artists

One of BlizzCon’s greatest strengths is being able to generate a personal connection with fans through intimate events like Signing Areas and Q&A’s. Often times at conventions developers have little time to talk about their games, only showing cutscenes and trailers of games without being able to provide details on other aspects — not the case at BlizzCon. Not only should developers and artists interact with press, but the community itself is just as crucial. Q&A’s set time aside for the community and helps them understand where developers and artists are coming from when designing a game. Blizzard understands this and does it well.

 

Hands-On Experiences

BlizzCon had many demo stations for Blizzard’s key titles, filled with new content yet to be released to the public. This concept is not new for video game conventions, but BlizzCon has the advantage of knowing virtually all consumers will be interested in all demo stations; therefore can optimize and personalize the content for the trade show attendees (vs. a content free-for-all at an event such as PAX). BlizzCon’s demo stations allow players to take their time, experience the new changes implemented into franchises they are deeply invested in, and provide valuable feedback. Sure, companies can host events for press to test a demo, but it’s equally important for the game’s community to experience it. It brings insight from different skill levels and backgrounds as well as tests what works and doesn’t work with its most important stakeholders — the fans.

 

Red Shirt Guy!

BlizzCon is a celebration of not only Blizzard’s video games but also its dedicated community they’ve cultivated for many years. Conventions can serve as an effective marketing tool, providing long-term value and building faith with your audience. In the end, players want games to succeed and to have fun. Personalized trade events such as BlizzCon are a great way to connect and celebrate with the fans.

 

A Console Gamer’s Transition; or, How I Learned to Love PC Gaming

In my last blog post, over a year ago, I wrote about how I learned to love my iPad for the gaming device it is, and about how the gaming experiences I had been having on it were changing my previously narrow-minded stance on what defines a true video game.

I was very much a console – and console only – gamer until jumping into mobile gaming. I still love my iPad for its gaming prowess, and in fact have since then expanded my handheld gaming to a Nintendo 3DS XL. But, while that portion of my gaming habits has not changed, another has: the time I spend on my console (an Xbox 360) has decreased dramatically.

Sometimes an entire week or two will go by without firing up the 360 hidden in my TV stand. The cause of this sea change is the dreaded nemesis of console gaming – a PC. Ever since upgrading to a gaming PC, I have found that the vast majority of my gaming time over the last few months has been spent at a desk in my living room rather than on the couch. This is a situation I would never have imagined a year ago.

The lure of Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm was too much for me, and it spurred me to update a hand-me-down gaming rig to modern capacities. From there my wallet and gaming sensibilities were assaulted by Steam.

If a crime was committed here, Steam truly was the villain. I dove into the Steam store, its multitude of games and its many sales. It bewitched me with its treasure trove of games, both past and present, and the ease with which one can go on a shopping spree of immense digital proportions.

The barrier to getting my thumbs on lots of great games became so much lower once I set up a Steam account than had been the case on Xbox Live! What’s this? FTL is on sale for five dollars? Sure! I can get my hands on that Total War: Shogun 2 game I remember from a couple years ago for only $15? Wham, bam, thank you ma’am!

My newfound obsession with PC gaming is beyond the deals though. The rise of indie games on Steam has brought some incredible content my way. FTL is outstanding. Rogue Legacy is more addicting than Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Dungeons of Dredmor is roguelike heaven. In this, my views on what it means to be video game worth my time have continued to evolve as well. I may still have a controller in my hand, but it’s hooked up to a PC so I can play a spectacular indie game that I can’t access on my Xbox.

Not only have I found an incredibly stark contrast between Steam and Xbox Live, I’m also perplexed by it. Why isn’t Microsoft more open to open the indie floodgates? Does it really take a new console generation to allow self-publishing on a Microsoft platform?

Whatever the answers are, my newfound PC gaming glory has me seriously doubting my own participation in the next console generation. Only time will tell if I am able to stay strong or if the hype of the upcoming holiday season will turn me toward a big purchase. Whatever the outcome, my gaming horizons continue to expand and, regardless of the cause, my interactive entertainment is better off for it.

The Gaming Culture Shock

Last semester, I was fortunate enough to have a once in a-life-time opportunity of studying abroad in Korea, my motherland. Born in Korea but having lived most of my life in the United States, I consider myself to be more aligned with American customs and lifestyle and as a gamer, I am well-cultured in American games. So on a trip to dabble in Soju, Korean rice wine, and explore my roots, one of my main goals of studying abroad was to also educate myself in the Korean gaming culture.

When considering the possibility of culture shock, one usually imagines having to adjust to a foreign country’s language, food, and other cultural practices. For example, many of my friends had trouble adjusting to Korea’s numerous delicacies. While most of them were already introduced to the basic Korean barbecue (Galbi, Bulgogi) many of my friends had trouble eating raw seafood, like live octopus legs that stick to your throat. Luckily, in my case, I had no problem with Korean food. However, I was unprepared for the major differences I would find in Korea’s gaming culture.

First, to understand Korean gaming culture, I found that we have to consider games not only as gaming commodities but also as sports. Like a sports team, professional gamers in Korea join teams that are sponsored by companies and becoming a professional gamer in Korea is more of a career choice. With tremendous support and sponsorship from entrepreneurs, professional gamers can earn a steady income.  Therefore, it is common to see professional gamers promote their companies’ products or serve as spokespeople on television ads.  It is also common to see the face of a professional gamer on consumer goods such as energy drinks, cup noodles or other snacks. Prominent Korean gamers acquire a huge fan base. When I was at a shopping mall observing a competition between two Starcraft gamers, I was astonished to see a group of girls cheering as if they had just seen the pop sensation, Justin Bieber.

E-Sports, also known as electronic sports, receive a lot of media coverage in Korea. While E-Sports compile of numerous video games, the Starcraft franchise draws the most coverage and fans. The Starcraft franchise is the most recognized game and product in Korea. Kids, teenagers, and adults of all ages know about this game not necessarily just because they have played them, but because Korea has a reputation to produce the best professional Starcraft players. With multiple TV channels dedicated to gaming, broadcasts of live or recorded Starcraft games are narrated by announcers and analyzed by game enthusiasts. Similar to John Madden and the NFL, announcers in Korea share the same enthusiasm and passion for E-sports. Moreover, announcers provide play by play commentaries, professional opinions, and in-depth critiques. Other programs include interviews, reality shows, and variety shows that star and feature professional gamers.

From my study abroad trip, I was surprised by the extent gaming was socially accepted and even applauded in Korea. Seeing that one can make a living by playing video games and getting a look at how mainstream media covers video games in depth, I realized that gaming in the United States is not as widely followed and celebrated. Professional games are celebrities in Korea. They have a strong fan base, reality TV shows, and media coverage that give recognition to their profession. Moreover, because professional gamers are seen on TV or on consumer goods, an average consumer can easily recognize a professional gamer. However, in the United States, gaming is still considered a leisure activity that does not fall in media’s agenda. It’s fair to say that E-Sports has a more tight-knit following in the United States rather than the mainstream following in Korea. Because narrated Starcraft games are almost never televised in the United States, fans rely on the internet as the primary way to find coverage of E-Sports. Moreover, the only people in the United States who watch E-Sports or recognize professional gamers are fans who actively seek and follow E-Sports. Because of the limited mainstream coverage, professional gamers in the United States do not receive the same recognition and fame as professional gamers in Korea. More or less, it seems almost impossible that we would see the face of a professional gamer on a cereal box or a soda can in the U.S.