General: 5 Marketing Campaigns You'll Never See

Stradden · May 2009

MMORPG.com contributor Sanya Weathers takes over the top five list this week with a satirical look at MMO marketing departments as she counts down five marketing campaigns that players will never see.

Five awesome systems, not thirty hacked together chunks of derivative mediocrity!

We decided that since we didn't have thirty million dollars or a publisher with a "when it's done" mentality, we would be better off choosing five systems we could execute with originality and style. Those five systems - and only those five - are listed on the back of the game's box. There's no mention of the features we hope to patch in if enough of you buy the freaking thing. In our pre-launch interviews, no one has talked about the features we partially built, but ended up cutting during the prioritization meeting three months before gold master. Finally, all five systems work together and make perfect sense for our story and gameplay.

Read Five Marketing Campaigns You'll Never See

TheHavok · May 2009

uh.......ok

Thradar · May 2009

This article comes across as being written by someone who is bitter and spiteful. Is it really necessary to use the term "tits" in an article that represents your site mmorpg.com?

Yeesh. You can do better than this.

TheHavok · May 2009

I do like boobies....i'll give you that

Stradden · May 2009

Originally posted by Thradar

This article comes across as being written by someone who is bitter and spiteful. Is it really necessary to use the term "tits" in an article that represents your site mmorpg.com?
Yeesh. You can do better than this.

Actually, in this article, the author uses the term "tits" in a satirical way, highlighting the often immature attitudes toward breasts that are taken in video games.

Nightbringe1 · May 2009

While a funny article, it is also very sad.

It is sad because it is true.

streea · May 2009

The article is... very awkward. While it's obvious that Sanya is trying for satire, the different "points" don't really flow together. At one point, it's making fun of the fact that gamers think that all companies care about are T&A, and yet the last point makes fun of... a company not hiring an expensive executive and instead hiring four competent programmers? Huh?

TheHavok · May 2009

I probably should have read this part first:

"MMORPG.com contributor Sanya Weathers takes over the top five list this week with a satirical look at MMO marketing departments as she counts down five marketing campaigns that players will never see."

I applaud this thread.

AllNewMMOSuk · May 2009

Instead of sounding like satire it sounded more like a person who really didn't understand what it takes to make an MMO and what it takes to make a profit on an MMO. I dunno it just wasn't very good. The best part was her profile said she was 11 years old (which I'm guessing is not true) but she's talking about balls in mouthes, awkward.

Talroc · May 2009

Ok so when does this get released.Sounds like a hell of a game,made by people who just want to make a game.

Yes I know this is a satirical look.

But come on isnt this what everyone wants.......but will never get....

great article funny as tits ,keep up the good work

Sanya · May 2009

Humor, sadly, is not like stepping on a land mine.

Mrbloodworth · May 2009

Originally posted by TheHavok

I do like boobies....i'll give you that

Who dosn't?

Thradar · May 2009

Satire is a tricky thing. It just doesn't work in this case. I didn't find any part of the article satirical or funny.

/shrug

Back to work.

PS. If you have to tell us it's "satire"...then it isn't. Just sayin'.

TheHavok · May 2009

Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

Originally posted by TheHavok

I do like boobies....i'll give you that

Who dosn't?

Stradden · May 2009

Originally posted by Thradar

Satire is a tricky thing. It just doesn't work in this case. I didn't find any part of the article satirical or funny.
/shrug
Back to work.
PS. If you have to tell us it's "satire"...then it isn't. Just sayin'.

Just because you didn't find it funny doesn't mean that it's not satirical. You just didn't get it, which is fine.

Sanya · May 2009

The real problem with satire is that it resonates differently for different people. I showed a draft of this to three people - one chuckled, one wiped tears of laughter from his eyes, and the third went "Uh, weak."

That's pretty good for someone with my sense of humor. Usually, most people think my humor is weak.

I tend to think that if you gotta tell people it's a joke, it loses 30% of the funny - the intro was written after the fact at editorial insistence. See the whip marks? They burn.

shava · May 2009

If it's any comfort, as a marketing person, I thought it was a hoot. Except for the various coercive sex references which I just found a little squicky, but hey, stand up is usually crude these days.

Shava

Sovrath · May 2009

Originally posted by TheHavok

I do like boobies....i'll give you that

I endorse this message.

mszv · May 2009

I thought it was really funny!

ninjajucer · May 2009

The article does point out a serious and often occurring flaw in todays industries in that companies tend to go over tghe top in order to get their player base for their game. AoC went for a hardcore mature look, but the game lacked a fun factor. DAoC went for a fun PvP type atmosphere, but never went further with the idea and that stagnated the population. EQ was innovative and after doing everything, you were left with nothing. EQ2 gave more of the same. SWG did it right, then went ahead and gave the something for everybody a flip which became everything for somebody and thus didn't work out.

The point is, that these companies, all MMOs whether free or not all grasp a niche audience with some sort of marketing scheme, from hardcore to casual, ninja looters to Bind on Pickup, nudity to anime. Every one of these games has made mistakes because a dev thought it was a good idea at the time. The problem with all of these companies comes down to one common problem. Ego.

After all, what MMO game has ever taken back a gamebreaking patch or expansion and stated that they admit the idea really didn't work, so we'll undo the changes. Fact is, not one game dev will ever admit to failure. After all of this Sanya does point out that while devs and designers have many flaws due to inflated egos, they are still human and subject to the same peer pressures and politics of life in general as everyone else.

All the MMOs are fun to someone, always somebody will welcome the newest push for a new pizazz be it nudity, dungeon, expansion or whatever. And with those choice, always will there be someone who thinks otherwise.

Sallas89 · May 2009

I do not often comment with stuff like "this stinks" and "this really sucks" beucase I know I probly couldn't do much better but I have to say this is probly the most boring and stupid article I have ever read in the gaming world.

noob

gnlLucid · May 2009

Pretty bad when the editor has to continually defend "satire".

This was not satire, it was a nice attempt, but not "satire"..... I "got it"... but then again I have actually worked for multiple development studios with released games...

It just sounded like someone who hasn't the slight idea of how a business is ran in the real world.

Samhael · May 2009

LOL, the posts here have actually made the article even more amusing. /score

So... where's this island and how do I get to it? (do I need to provide my own oarsmen?)

Brynn · May 2009

I see this thread has the usual assortment of nay sayers who nay say just to nay say in every thread they can find.

I liked your article, Sanya. And feel it's high time someone pointed out all the game developing flaws that are turning off so many of us long time experienced players. You did it with satire making it fun to read.

I don't return to any thread I've posted in, so don't bother to flame me, nay sayers.

Mrbloodworth · May 2009

Originally posted by Sovrath

Originally posted by TheHavok

I do like boobies....i'll give you that

I endorse this message.

Who is that anyway?

Damitman · May 2009

Originally posted by Sovrath

Originally posted by TheHavok

I do like boobies....i'll give you that

I endorse this message.

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General: 5 Marketing Campaigns You'll Never See

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