That is true,
from our perception, as we consider very common, but because of that, it make us to be totally separated by their principles (apples and oranges & vice versa) urge to respond on such remark towards them with a
rebel reasoning, however there's more delicate than meets the eye when trying to define about them of this category of items, when is actually represents a multitude of meanings.
Definitely one meaning is for certain companies which the materials are made for marketing purpose, but they don't go beyond that and do you know why ? * Cause there is no other place to visit other than NeoGaf if you want solid gaming materials since this entire concept from here has actually started [I'm here of this reason] around 2008 by gaffers and from here others took the example and shift to their own website after finding out that such assets actually exist in large sizes. Very known by me are couple of persians sites and the one only website that isn't worthy to give his name because of what they are doing, but further than this, nobody has gone or went. *
Thus, the needs of these materials for the public are not an obligation for the media to do so if we are
NOT part of their equation, we build up this
trend. Nobody else is doing this and they can't. GT, Kotaku, IGN and similar websites are part of the industry. As for the rest of standard website of gaming they can't afford to do that of the reason of what Varth mentioned. Oh, and of course because I can share what I have, that's only up to my decision.
They usually hire the artist (if they don't have any in their team or they just simply want somebody else) according to their size plans or the pattern and then they make deals with any studio client in which they will handle all of the shop advertisement that includes banners, cardboard renders, cardboard shelves and labels, sticker and printing for big events like E3/Gamescom and such or for the public advertisement displayed outside the streets. Not only can they make all of this, but they can do the boxart, artbook and the hole packaging product with the selected art and
that's pretty much it. And very few go through the process of releasing in their Limited Editions, Bonus CD/PressKit including the original format, not to mention the 10 times wrapped up poster that will lose the value in time.
This happens commonly on large companies, but for the independent producers and as publishers of their own product, the perspective is completely different. They print their own assets and display at their studio headquarters covering an entire wall. This is more than hanging up something, it represents that devoted love toward the art they created because through this it will always show how much they care about what they are making and they don't stop only here as they also put some interest towards the fans by releasing their work as you can prove over the past years on this three threads. I mean, c'mon, we can't simply deny that easily everything they released to not exist.
In that way they will acquire a better advertisement, they will grab a much larger customers that will make to love their product even more. About this; Oh Boy, I sure do love one studio that
throws their assets like candy into me, they never bothered with strict ideals, on the contrary they even welcoming you to their assets to any place they are releasing them.
One thing for sure that I know of, is that what is here will grow in time because these materials will become if not, they already are introduced as digital materials and I refer to things that you can already see them everywhere, always showing up as support to any press release news [recently GTA V]. People will gather more interested into them as they are and will be part of the game composition. Hopefully, more companies that are considering them enough important,
will look over their windows, down to the street to see that, out there, others like them seem to exist and maybe other similar NDA arrangements in the world of gaming industry will be removed from the list or be more friendlier.
Yes, I thought about THQ myself, lately. That is one of the most troubling thing to see. Most of the old materials are lost or forgotten in a dusty HDD inside some antic box thrown in corner on which only the universe knows where now. Once more, for them what is lost remains lost and they move forward, but for us is suffering because is how we see this in our own way. Even today I'm trying to find for myself some really rare stuff. I don't want just to have it on my HDD, it will soon appear on one of my walls because through the art I'm looking and remember about the game that I like so much about.
I didn't want to give examples of companies because I didn't want to expose myself to what I'm work with.
