It doesn’t matter whether it’s developed by one person in their bedroom or hundreds of people at a world-class studio; any upcoming video game needs a good marketing campaign to help it stand out from the crowd and drum up hype amongst players.
But with literally hundreds of games being released every week, finding an imaginative way to get people excited for your new title is far from easy – even for studios with massive marketing budgets to play with.
Thankfully, there are plenty of outstanding examples from video game marketers with more brains than Professor Layton to take inspiration from. So, without further ado, let’s dive in. Or, if you’re short on time, use these handy links below to skip ahead to the video game marketing campaigns that interest you the most.
- Apex Legends and the influence of influencers
- You won’t ‘believe’ this 1200 sq ft Halo diorama
- PlayStation’s used game instructional video
- A devilishly sweet way to promote Diablo IV
- Bioshock 2’s marketing campaign was a splashing success
- Hitman: take control of a real-life Agent 47
- Konami marketed a game within a game
- Stardew Valley and the power of community engagement
- Saints Row IV’s $1 million special edition
- Generating hype and coverage through season-based events
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ brand integrations
- What can we learn from these marketing campaigns?
1. Apex Legends and the influence of influencers
While EA and Respawn Entertainment’s Apex Legends is one of the best-known battle royale games on the market – with around 25 million players joining the firefight at the shooter’s launch in 2019, many of whom still log in regularly today – you might be hard-pressed to actually remember any actual marketing for the game.
There’s a good reason for that: it didn’t really have any! Well, at least not in the style of the video game marketing campaigns you usually see.
At the time, EA was just coming off the well-documented failure of Star Wars: Battlefront 2 and the heavy backlash to its loot box-centric monetisation and was concerned about what the response might be to Apex Legends being a free-to-play spinoff in the highly acclaimed Titanfall franchise.
Instead, having seen the massive viewership of battle royale titles like Fortnite and PUBG on platforms such as Twitch, EA decided to let influencers promote the game for them.
On 4 February 2019, Apex Legends simply appeared on the market, with the only fanfare coming from prominent streamers like Ninja and Shroud, with whom EA had entered a paid partnership (costing a pretty penny) for 24 hours of exclusive coverage. While undoubtedly a risky move, letting the game speak for itself proved to be the right decision.
Apex Legends rapidly became the most-watched game by live hours across Twitch and YouTube Gaming, racking up a monumental 63.7+ million hours of live viewership on Twitch in its launch period – over 10 million more than its direct competitor, Fortnite.
The game proved to be such a streaming hit that many of the influencers EA had paid to cover it continued to create content for free simply because it was attracting so many viewers.
2. You won’t ‘believe’ this 1200 sq ft Halo diorama
When Halo 3 was about to launch in 2007, it had been several years since the release of Halo 2. Hype was already high for the sequel, meaning Microsoft and Bungie could have played it relatively safe by simply showing off fancy gameplay and still achieved decent results – but they didn’t.
Instead, they came up with Halo 3: Believe, which is widely seen as one the best video game marketing campaigns ever conceived, thanks to its effect on driving up sales.
Microsoft and Bungie commissioned an enormous 1200 sq ft diorama featuring dozens of handcrafted UNSC and Covenant figures. To put that scale into perspective, the pair rented out an entire warehouse to put it all together.
The model itself was very carefully crafted. The director behind it had real-life actors stand in for the Marines, capturing their facial expressions and using them as the basis of the miniatures. Character assets from Bungie, including Covenant models and armour, were also recreated to ensure the model was almost photorealistic.
It all culminated in an enigmatic trailer called “Believe,” which, despite its absence of actual video game footage, managed to capture the attention of gamers and non-gamers alike.
The trailer was complemented by an online interactive fly-through of the diorama, featuring voice-acted soundbites from ‘UNSC veterans’ who shared emotional stories of serving alongside the Master Chief – almost as if it all really happened.
It’s worth noting that, at the time, it was almost unheard of to see a video game universe so faithfully recreated in real life, which made this all the more mindblowing.
The results speak for themselves. Halo 3 garnered an estimated $170 million in sales in the United States alone in the first 24 hours, making it the biggest entertainment launch in history (at the time). It did so well that some people blamed it for poor box office sales!
3. PlayStation’s Used Game Instructional Video
There were many missteps in Microsoft’s original launch strategy for the Xbox One, but arguably, the one that drew the biggest backlash from players was that every game (even those entirely single-player and purchased on disk) would require regular access to a solid internet connection.
More so, the console was said to link all games to a player’s account, a move that would have stopped the used game market dead in its tracks and made even lending a game to your friends a weirdly complex affair.
Of course, these plans were short-lived. Players worldwide were collectively outraged by the announcement at E3 2013, and within just a few days, the console maker had retracted all of its problematic plans. But by that point, Sony had already seized the opportunity to use the mistakes to the PlayStation’s advantage.
In a genius marketing move, PlayStation reacted to the situation by creating a video from a hotel room demonstrating how sharing games would work on the PlayStation 4. The video – which features former Sony president Shuhei Yoshida – lasts only 21 seconds and shows just one step, passing a game from one person to another.
That was all Sony needed to demonstrate the night and day differences between its console and Microsoft’s. Following its release as part of Sony’s E3 presentation that year, the video generated more than 18 million views, cementing the PlayStation 4 as the console “for the players.”
4. A devilishly sweet way to promote Diablo IV
Everyone loves chocolate. But you know what could make it even sweeter? That’s right, hordes of demons and blazing hellfire.
Lilith & Co was an over-18s-only “goremet” pop-up chocolate shop which opened last year in Soho, London, to promote the launch of the latest instalment in Blizzard’s demonic role-playing franchise, Diablo IV.
The shop sold all kinds of tasty (yet diabolical) creations based on the world of Diablo, from miniature creations like skulls and bones to a life-sized Loot Goblin corpse. There was also an unfinished bust of the Khazra demon, demonstrating the chocolate-making process used to craft the lifelike replicas.
Guests could purchase some of the smaller items (prices started at £6.66) while the larger pieces were auctioned off. All proceeds went to SpecialEffect, a charity that supports people with physical disabilities by helping them continue to enjoy video games.
Of course, it wouldn’t have been a Diablo event without some gameplay, so the store had early-access previews of the new title downstairs where visitors could try out the game before its official launch date.
The unusual mix of demon slaying and chocolate munching caught the press’s attention, with everything from PCGames to Techrader and the NME popping along to see what the despicable treats tasted like.
While we’re sure this chocolate shop alone wasn’t the only contributing factor behind Diablo IV’s tremendous success, which rapidly surpassed $666 million in sales and broke several sales records for Blizzard, it will have made a significant impact.
Bonus video game marketing campaign: Diablo IV’s monstrously-large mural
Diablo IV’s got another sensationally satanic video game marketing campaign that is definitely deserving of some worship, a 100ft tall mural of the RPG’s villainous she-demon Lilith.
This gloriously hellish piece of artwork appeared in three locations worldwide (London, Berlin and Stockholm) in the run-up to the game’s launch, and drew a lot of appreciation from Diablo fans — including our very own director and co-founder James!
5. Bioshock 2’s marketing campaign was a splashing success
As the sequel to one of the most acclaimed first-person shooters of all time, Bioshock 2 had Big Daddy-sized shoes to fill. Fans were desperate for information, too, as the game had already been teased via a hidden trailer in the PlayStation 3 version of the original BioShock.
Rather than fight off the horde of rabid fans, the 2K Games marketing team decided to play into their hunger with a cryptic campaign called “Something in the Sea”. It began with a mysterious website launched in March 2009, which hinted at the return to Rapture and invited players to explore its depths.
Over the next few months, visitors were greeted with eerie audio recordings, enigmatic messages and hidden clues, all hinting at secrets beneath the waves. These detailed the story of a fictional father, Mark Meltzer, who had been searching for his abducted daughter and ultimately discovered Rapture.
The website was quite an undertaking in itself. Still, the campaign only really began to make a splash in August 2009, when video game media outlets worldwide received ominous letters from Mark Meltzer, who claimed he would be at Jones Beach, Long Island, on 8 August.
The letters also specified Mark’s expected latitude and longitude and the times and locations of nine other key beach spots to check out that day (including Brighton Beach in England and Rimini Beach in Italy). Similar details were also uploaded to the mysterious website.
Since Bioshock 2 was still not fully unveiled, the gaming community was filled with anticipation and curiosity as no one knew what awaited them at these locations.
On the day, hundreds of fans gathered around beaches worldwide, hoping to uncover the mystery, generating a ton of social media activity. At each site, wine bottles produced by a fictional Rapture vineyard containing posters and other artefacts from Bioshock washed up on the shore.
While the posters withheld details about the game’s plot, leaving some disappointed, they added to the enigmatic aura surrounding BioShock 2, intensifying the buzz surrounding its release.
When it was finally released, BioShock 2 topped the sales charts and was considered a success for 2K Games. Within the first month of its release in February 2010, BioShock 2 sold over 3 million copies worldwide across multiple platforms, including Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.
6. Hitman: Take control of a real-life Agent 47
Agent 47 is one of the most well-known characters in video game history, but after the release of Hitman: Absolution in 2012, he was in a bit of trouble. While the game received generally positive reviews, it was largely seen as a step down for the franchise that failed to reach sales expectations.
As such, developer IO Interactive decided to go back to the drawing board and reboot the series with the simply named Hitman: A live service-esque take on the series that returned Agent 47 to his roots, with huge, imaginative spaces where players could devise all sorts of diabolically tactical ways to execute an ever-growing list of targets.
But convincing long-term fans that a reimagining of a beloved franchise is worthy of the hype is a challenge with any reboot, Hitman included. To help prove to players that Agent 47 was back on form, the developer and publisher Square Enix sought the help of film production studio Realm Pictures and a few influencers.
Realm Pictures recreated one of its then-upcoming levels in real life to show what the game was all about. The influencers, which hilariously included the Chuckle Brothers, were put in charge of an actor playing Agent 47, whom they had to instruct through the level and help successfully eliminate the target.
It’s a ton of fun to watch the madness, and plenty of series fans seemed to agree. The video has since accrued almost six million views on YouTube and proved to be a great piece of pre-release marketing for the game.
The Hitman reboot went on to be a tremendous success, and has since spawned two subsequent sequels and a full-blown rebrand into the “World of Assassination”.
7. Konami marketed a game within a game
You’d be forgiven for not giving Hideo Kojima’s survival horror demo, P.T., much attention when it was first unveiled at Sony’s Gamescom presentation in 2014. It had a very short blink-and-you’ll-miss-it trailer and was created by a seemingly unknown developer, 7780s Studio.
The only noteworthy aspect of this ‘interactive teaser’ (as it was described) was that it was released for free immediately onto the PlayStation Store, which is where things started to get interesting.
P.T. sees players stepping into an eerie hallway that appears stuck in an endless loop, with a sinister ghost haunting their every move. It has a meticulously crafted atmosphere, unsettling audio design and chilling visuals, instilling a horrific sense of dread.
Word of mouth rapidly spread and went viral quickly, sending gaming forums and social media into a frenzy. Players tried to uncover precisely what this unusual “teaser” hinted at by studying every nook and cranny of its looping hallway.
Eventually, some clever folks figured out a specific sequence you had to follow to end the nightmare, which revealed a trailer for a new instalment in the long-running horror series Silent Hill, starring Norman Reedus (perhaps most known for his role in The Walking Dead) and created by none other than Hideo Kojima (as well as Guillermo Del Toro).
It was a brilliant act of marketing deception, demonstrating that sometimes, the best way to sell a game is to let people simply play it. P.T. garnered mass critical acclaim, with many journalists calling it their Game of the Year – no small feat for what was just a demo.
Those familiar with P.T. will know that despite its overwhelming reception, Silent Hills was ultimately cancelled due to a reported breakdown in the relationship between Hideo Kojima and Konami and subsequently removed from the PlayStation store.
The only way to access P.T. now is if you installed it onto a PlayStation 4 before its removal from the store, which at one point caused the consoles to reach up to $1,800 on eBay!
While it might not have a happy ending, the game’s clever marketing campaign undoubtedly helped cement its place in horror history.
8. Stardew Valley and the power of community engagement
Stardew Valley is one of the most celebrated indie games in video game history. Its relaxing farm life simulation gameplay has won the hearts of more than 20 million players across various platforms. Even its soundtrack has a huge following, with an Orchestral Tour set to travel the world next year (promoted by yours truly).
However, most would agree that the most impressive thing about Stardew Valley is that this indie darling was developed and marketed by just one man, Eric Barone (also known as ConcernedApe).
Because of that, Stardew Valley’s marketing strategy was distinct in that it primarily relied on word-of-mouth, social media and community engagement.
For example, throughout the development of Stardew Valley, Eric provided regular updates on social media platforms and forums on how the title was shaping up, helping to create early anticipation among fans who were intrigued by the game’s concept and nostalgic appeal reminiscent of classic farming simulation games like Harvest Moon.
Barone was an incredibly active member of the game’s burgeoning fandom on Reddit, answering questions and sharing new content, which helped the title become a mainstay on the popular Games subreddit months before its debut.
Barone also blogged about his work on the game’s website, giving a behind-the-scenes look you wouldn’t usually see. Eric also responded to fan inquiries and made changes to various aspects of the game based on feedback he received, helping foster a sense of community and loyalty among players before release.
When Barone finally released the title onto Steam, he was met with an overwhelmingly positive response, and a significant part of that was because he had carefully engaged with the community.
9. Saints Row IV’s $1 million special edition
Saints Row arguably started as a glorified clone of Grand Theft Auto but quickly made a name for itself in later instalments by introducing the more outrageous aspects of its gameplay – be that superpowers, shark-summoning shotguns, or road trips with a tiger.
So it was perhaps fitting then that the team at Volition thought apt to market the fourth instalment in the franchise by releasing a one-of-a-kind special edition that was as eye-catching and ridiculous as its gameplay – with a whopping $1 million dollar price tag.
Available exclusive from UK retailer GAME, the exorbitantly priced “Super Dangerous Wad Wad Edition” contained:
- Saints Row IV: Commander in Chief Edition
- A full-sized replica Dubstep Gun
- A full day of spy training
- A trip to space with Virgin Galactic One year’s membership of E25 Super Car Club and a Lamborghini Gallardo to make it worthwhile
- Plastic Surgery of the purchaser’s choice
- A shopping spree with a personal shopper to create the ultimate Planet Saints capsule wardrobe
- Seven nights for two at The Jefferson Hotel in Washington
- Hostage rescue experience
- A brand new Toyota Prius and insurance to give something back to the environment
- Seven nights stay in the Top Royal Suite at the Burj-al-arab with flights for two
It was never actually confirmed by publisher Deep Silver whether anyone purchased the Wad Wad Edition, but we don’t think that was ever really the objective. It was more likely conceived as a clever ploy to market the new title by poking fun at the high price tag of video game special editions.
It was effective, garnering extensive media coverage on sites like The Verge, GameRant, Rock Paper Shotgun and more. One publication even ran a financial breakdown of everything included in the Wad Wad Edition, concluding that it was of terrible value, cementing the entire joke.
Deep Silver followed up on this idea with the Saints Row reboot, which had its own joke edition revealed on April Fool’s Day worth $100,000,000. You couldn’t purchase this one, but the buyer was said to become CEO of Deep Silver, get a book deal, have their student loan debts paid, a fleet of expensive cars and several other benefits.
10.Generating hype and coverage through season-based events
Unlike the other examples on this list, this one isn’t a specific marketing campaign that we’re impressed with; it’s more of a broader trend. Simply put, many video games with LiveOps strategies are leveraging the power of real-world seasonal events to boost their revenues.
In fact, according to GameRefinery, more than 90% of the top-grossing 100 iOS mobile games use seasonal events to boost their revenues, with players now expecting an influx of new content as the holiday seasons approach.
The events often vary from region to region for obvious reasons (e.g., it’s unlikely anyone outside of China will rush to a Chinese New Year event). Still, generally, almost any significant date in the calendar year is worthy of the LiveOps treatment – be that Christmas, Halloween, Pride Month, St Patrick’s Day, or any others you can think of!
Events like these are an excellent opportunity for game studios to give their games a seasonal makeover with new story content, game modes and seasonal cosmetic items that will drive engagement and open up new monetisation opportunities.
Let’s look at some of the games that got involved with this year’s Valentine’s Day as an example:
- Marvel Contest of Champions added a new quest called Till Deathless Do Us Part that focuses on Captain America and the Falcon, in tandem with the theatrical release of A Brave New World.
- Pikmin Bloom marked the occasion with lots and lots of chocolate, offering event-specific costumes players could obtain by collecting Cocoa Beans from special missions.
- LEGO Fortnite Brick Life launched a new update that encouraged residents to spread the love by giving out flowers, love letters and heart wands.
- Goddess of Victory: NIKKE’s ‘Romantic Valentine’ story event introduced two new SSR characters and multiple minigames.
Some games even collaborate with other IPs and popular franchises as part of their seasonal event offerings to boost attention, like the Stumble Guys crossover with Care Bears, which leads us nicely to our next point…
11. Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ Brand Integrations
When Nintendo planned for Animal Crossing: New Horizons to release in March 2020, they surely could not have foreseen that it would be at the peak of a global pandemic that had locked people all around the world inside their homes.
With very few ways left to keep ourselves entertained, the concept of building your own tropical paradise was hard to resist.
New Horizons saw unprecedented success for the series, selling 11.77 million copies in 12 days. New Horizons sold more physical copies in its first week than the launch sales of all its sister titles combined, making it the biggest single game launch on Nintendo Switch ever at the time.
That momentum continued throughout the months to come. Animal Crossing New Horizons’ lifetime sales are now over 43 million, and the title is reportedly Japan’s best-selling video game.
But one of the most interesting factors that helped to keep the Animal Crossing craze going was the number of brands reaching out to customers in-game and through the power of social media.
Luxury fashion brands like Cath Kitson, Gucci, Marc Jacobs and Valentino introduced official custom designs to the game, allowing players to personalise their avatars when they were stuck indoors.
This is just one of the many examples of branded integrations and IP collaborations that have become commonplace in video games today, many of which we’ve worked on ourselves.
Simply put, IP and brand collaborations are an incredibly effective way to market a game, giving a great hook to capture the media’s attention and prospective players, with Newzoo reporting that such crossovers can boost game DAU by over 11%.
What can we learn from these video game marketing campaigns?
Obviously, not every studio has the budget to build warehouse-sized dioramas or wash up fictional merchandise on beaches around the world, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t aspects of these video game marketing campaigns everyone can learn from:
- The best video game marketing campaigns execute a novel idea that matches players’ expectations. You wouldn’t expect the demonic world of Diablo to match up with a chocolate shop, which is why the contrast between the two was so effective.
- Video game marketing campaigns that seem “real” have a much greater impact. Halo 3 and Bioshock 2 made their fictional worlds feel almost tangible, and players were excited to become part of these universes.
- Communication can be a powerful tool, particularly for those with limited resources. Stardew Valley shows that keeping an open dialogue with your players on forums, social media and through blogs can build a powerful connection between players and your title.
- Similarly, consider what’s happening in the real world when considering ways to promote your game. Particularly for live service titles, incorporating content themed around popular events and holidays can enhance engagement.
- Partnering with famous brands and IPs can be a powerful way to catch the attention of new players and open up new media opportunities. We recommend carefully considering whether any such partnership makes sense for your title.
You’ve seen the best; now check out the rest. If you enjoyed this post, check out our blog post on some of the biggest video game PR failures for tips on what to avoid when promoting your upcoming game.
