PeskyToaster
Member
yikes, this document is really awkward knowing how the game actually turned out.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Sega's marketing plan and target audience for Aliens: Colonial Marines revealed
- Thread starter Nirolak
- Start date
ComputerMKII
Banned
Weren't these documents internal communication? If so, I'm not shocked if it uses vernacular language. It's not PR
Death Metalist
Member
It was stupid but it was also a breath of fresh air from all the mindless shooting not only that but it was the only place where you could feel abit of tension.
As for that part, I too got stuck but I restarted my last checkpoint and it worked lol, It was a boss fight from what I remember, The big ass alien Rhino thing.
Baron_Calamity
Member
Really, I would never imagine that the guy who created Shacknews would be unprofessional.
I'm Shocked! Shocked!
Seriously though, this doesn't matter. The game wasn't very good. The right marketing wouldn't have saved it. End of story.
Very normal if this is coming from an agency pitch for a Mature title.
You probably wouldn't see this in an internal pitch to Japan.
Or for a game intended to be rated E10+.
EDIT: Burt seriously, I read these things on a regular basis and there isn't anything really that shocking in here. And anyone who thinks that a licensed product isn't aimed largely at a tangentially familiar audience rather than the core fans has probably never worked in marketing. This is, however, what people don't want consumers seeing, the smoke and mirrors part of marketing. Certainly getting some dirty laundry aired in the court systems...
akidnamededdy
Banned
Yeah, I used to work for an agency that did some work for 2K Games (coincidentally) and this kind of language is par for the course in pitch documents and the like.
No, I disagree. I have indeed worked in software development, at some very large companies. I have read pitch documents. It's telling how hard the first document pushes the demographic attack and how desperately it wants to portray quality. Quality quality quality.
It's baldfaced licensed dreck.
ZeroMaverick
Member
"Reasons to BELIEVE" made me chuckle
Markitron
Is currently staging a hunger strike outside Gearbox HQ while trying to hate them to death
I click the link to that E3 demo every time I see it. I had been waiting years for an atmospheric, survival-themed, Colonial Marine FPS that visited the Hadleys Hope colony. It pains me to think the very game that I thought would end the wait turned out so bad that I will likely never get the game I want.
I will never forgive Gearbox for this. I should really stop watching that demo, it was about as interactive as the film.
I will never forgive Gearbox for this. I should really stop watching that demo, it was about as interactive as the film.
Did you work in entertainment?
EmCeeGramr
Member
Ha, no thanks man. There are just way too many quality games on the market right now - and not enough time to play them all! I am rather suspicious of any new IP, though.
efyu_lemonardo
May I have a cookie?
I feel dumber after reading that
fvng
Member
yeah man, preach.
lifeexpectancy
Member
It's pretty dispicable their general attitude and approach with this game. They were essentially just trying to get away with the biggest con they could without getting caught. Too bad they got caught (or held accountable anyway, as it were).
Really? Please elaborate.
Really? Please elaborate.
Morte still delivers laughs LOL
It's an unwritten rule that I have to listen to this every time it's linked.
firehawk12
Subete no aware
At this point I have no idea idea who I despise more when it comes to this stupid game.
Honestly, this is really fascinating to read especially for me considering I'm majoring in communication and have taken some college classes that tended to discuss some of marketing and the process. I am surprised at the language in the document, though. But it seems like from some other posters this is pretty normal for a Mature title and a document like this.
In any case, it's great insight into what these people are thinking with their marketing for games nowadays. I mean, you sort of assume this is what they think but the fact that it's actually what you assumed is kind of surreal. Seeing the words "badass shooter" in there is... funny because of how well it matches up to what most people assume they're going for with a game like this (or with most shooters in general).
In any case, it's great insight into what these people are thinking with their marketing for games nowadays. I mean, you sort of assume this is what they think but the fact that it's actually what you assumed is kind of surreal. Seeing the words "badass shooter" in there is... funny because of how well it matches up to what most people assume they're going for with a game like this (or with most shooters in general).
Haunted
Member
delicious.
Which metric-influencing website netted itself the 1-week exclusive coverage before release? Who has the best negotiators to generate mutually beneficial deals with publishers?
(It was EGM)
Well, except gamers believing positive preview coverage and buying a shit game, but they're not important. Their memory is short and the next hyped release is just around the corner... every time.
Opiate made some excellent posts on the hype machine and its negative influence on the industry as a whole.
You reap what you sow. Too bad some of us had to (literally) pay the price as well.
i'm sure there are plenty of sega internal memos from 1994-2001 that had "oh shit" written on them
Messofanego
Banned
Still, fascinating insight lol
Reminds me of something I found recently.
http://cse.spsu.edu/jpreston/cgdd2002/readings/metal_gear_solid_2_grand_game_plan.pdf
Tons of awesome info about MGS2, but most importantly, the intent of the product is laid out to see. Kojima and his team were very smart with how to present and create MGS2.
http://cse.spsu.edu/jpreston/cgdd2002/readings/metal_gear_solid_2_grand_game_plan.pdf
Tons of awesome info about MGS2, but most importantly, the intent of the product is laid out to see. Kojima and his team were very smart with how to present and create MGS2.
Price Drop
Member
This is a very interesting glimpse of all the bull that happens behind the scenes. It seems the entire basis of what to allow press and users to see is a giant game of stop loss to minimize damage to any product no matter what.
I remember seeing ACM in a theater at E3. Pitchford was there and a great hype man for the game and what we saw in the theater was incredible - 60 FPS, fantastic visuals and sound with a mass of aliens, explosions and power loaders at the end.
The industry is getting shady with what's previewed and what the final product is. What is shown at E3 (developer controlled previews cough cough) just can't be trusted anymore.
I remember seeing ACM in a theater at E3. Pitchford was there and a great hype man for the game and what we saw in the theater was incredible - 60 FPS, fantastic visuals and sound with a mass of aliens, explosions and power loaders at the end.
The industry is getting shady with what's previewed and what the final product is. What is shown at E3 (developer controlled previews cough cough) just can't be trusted anymore.
AzureSkies
Member
This is simply just beautiful.
I'm not disagreeing with you, of course quality is a major focus. But alongside that is also the question "who can we target this towards to make the most money"?
The product being of a high quality and it being marketed well aren't mutually exclusive.
The
quote is about as close as we've gotten to seeing the underbelly.
And, although very OT, it makes me wish the US govt regulators brought things to court instead of running the shakedown racket they do because people never get to see internal documents. If only there were some prosecutions of the criminals behind the global meltdown, we might have more insight into how the world actually works and how it can be changed.
DoktorEvil
Banned
What's funny is if they localize Yakuza 5, they'll have the money they would've gotten for Aliens.
Man, there's no scenario out of this I can imagine Pitchford getting off.
intheinbetween
Member
bwahahhahahaa rotflol
Oh god, this gif gets me every time
sechsterangriff
Member
If there ever was any doubt on the lack of course or strategy in that company, here's some solid evidence...
Nikodemos
Member
ice_burn.gif
Exploding8
Member
This is so amazing that it makes me want to try Planescape Torment (I've never had it on my mind while I'm in the mood for a story heavy RPG so I've never gotten around to buying + playing it).
Freedom = $1.05
Banned
the purpose of this terrible gif is what now?
Similar threads
- Poll