Maximizing success for a video game requires a strong collaboration between development and marketing teams. Here are the key pieces of information a developer should communicate to the marketing team for best results:
Target audience: Understanding the development teams intended target audience is crucial for creating a marketing campaign that resonates with the players. A developer should provide detailed information on their intent around demographics, preferences, and interests of the target audience. The marketing team will leverage and expand on this targeting and psychographics through a data-informed analysis, further validating optimal targeting.
Unique selling proposition: What sets the game apart from others in the market? The developer should be able to clearly communicate the game’s unique selling proposition to the marketing team, who can then highlight this in their campaigns.
Core gameplay mechanics: A deep understanding of the game’s core mechanics is essential for creating an effective marketing campaign. The developer should provide a clear and concise explanation of the gameplay to the marketing team.
Game’s tone and style: The tone and style of the game should be consistent across all marketing materials. The developer should clearly communicate the game’s overall aesthetic to the marketing team, who can then ensure that this is reflected in their campaigns.
Release timeline: Timing is critical for video game success. The developer should provide the marketing team with a clear release timeline, including any key milestones and events that should be incorporated into the marketing plan. Your marketing team will leverage this for long lead planning with an understanding that production timelines are simply for planning and will likely be adjusted throughout the development of the game.
Competition: Understanding the competitive landscape is crucial for positioning the game in the market. The developer should provide information on the game’s key competitors and what sets it apart from them.
By sharing this information with the marketing team, a video game developer can ensure that their marketing campaigns are tailored to the target audience, aligned with the game’s unique selling proposition, and executed with the right timing and tone. With this collaboration, the chances of a successful launch and ongoing engagement with players are greatly increased.