Game Trailers These Days

[BanzaiCat]

Just wanted to vent a moment about game trailers. I might be the only one on this, but I'm thinking some of you feel the same way.

Game trailers (I'm mainly looking at Steam) have become more about marketing and glitzy BS than actual gameplay and content. Not all of them do this, certainly, and I know too this is probably not much of a revelation to anyone, but all too often what you see in a trailer has nothing to do with what you see when you play the game. I also realize that they have very little time to gain a gamer's attention to look at their product. But I would argue the fact that gamers have longer attention spans when it comes to games, and pay attention to these things. Is anyone else frustrated with game trailers?

Sure, plenty of trailers claim that their content was grabbed from 'in-game content,' but usually they're accomplished from impossible angles that you might not be able to get unless you take hours of time to see that 'perfect shot'...which is exactly what publishers do, it seems. I've done video production for years, and those of you familiar with it too will understand how even a three-second shot might take hours to set up and shoot to get 'perfect.'

However, all too often, I find myself going to YouTube to find video reviews or, better, Let's Play videos, to get a REAL idea as to how a game plays. I'm tired of game trailers looking like movie trailers. I think it's disingenuous to try to be cinematic with a game and show it from angles that may not be fully represented in the game.

I'm also finding that more and more often, trailers devote about 1/3 of their length at the beginning for company logo circle-jerks. It seems like an awful waste of time and video space to display something that nobody really cares to see for THAT long of a period of time (I mean, you can see the dev/pub names on the product page), and spread it out over way, way too much of the trailer. Now, I don't mind seeing a company logo on the screen, or a "from the producers of" messages, but come on...1/3 of the trailer? GET ON WITH IT.

To a lesser extent, including game review blurbs from game sites I've never heard of (e.g., "Buy this game now" - some dude's basement blog) seems to be a lot of unnecessary filler, too.

I want to see the GAME. I want to see how it PLAYS. I don't need any "In a wooorrrrrld where..." introductory masturbation.

I'm probably in the minority with all of the above.



Okay, rant over. For the most part. I'm sure some of you will tell me how wrong or ridiculous I'm being.

[Nefaro]

I don't even watch the official trailers anymore.

Best to find an LP on YT.

[bob48]

I'm definitely with you on this one, B_C.

[undercovergeek]

I agree with all of it, but I'll join you on the rant sofa for the logos at the start.......

My goodness a 1 minute trailer for XXXXXX.... Click

Blackness, 3...4..5....6 logo comes slowly into view ....25,26,27...... From the makers of 48,49,50,51 ten seconds of non game footage, fade to black with release date 65,66,67 end

[BanzaiCat]

Blackness, 3...4..5....6 logo comes slowly into view ....25,26,27...... From the makers of 48,49,50,51 ten seconds of non game footage, fade to black with release date 65,66,67 end

[Sir Slash]

I'll go along with Yoda on this one to. But that doesn't mean I can stop watching them.

[bayonetbrant]

[JasonPratt]

I enjoy cinematic game trailers for their artistic merits (if any), but I don't expect them to be showing actual gameplay. That's what Youtube reviewers and previewers are for.

Still, those are AAA titles. Games with less budget often show the gameplay.

[airboy]

Just wanted to vent a moment about game trailers. I might be the only one on this, but I'm thinking some of you feel the same way.

Game trailers (I'm mainly looking at Steam) have become more about marketing and glitzy BS than actual gameplay and content. Not all of them do this, certainly, and I know too this is probably not much of a revelation to anyone, but all too often what you see in a trailer has nothing to do with what you see when you play the game. I also realize that they have very little time to gain a gamer's attention to look at their product. But I would argue the fact that gamers have longer attention spans when it comes to games, and pay attention to these things. Is anyone else frustrated with game trailers?

Sure, plenty of trailers claim that their content was grabbed from 'in-game content,' but usually they're accomplished from impossible angles that you might not be able to get unless you take hours of time to see that 'perfect shot'...which is exactly what publishers do, it seems. I've done video production for years, and those of you familiar with it too will understand how even a three-second shot might take hours to set up and shoot to get 'perfect.'

However, all too often, I find myself going to YouTube to find video reviews or, better, Let's Play videos, to get a REAL idea as to how a game plays. I'm tired of game trailers looking like movie trailers. I think it's disingenuous to try to be cinematic with a game and show it from angles that may not be fully represented in the game.

I'm also finding that more and more often, trailers devote about 1/3 of their length at the beginning for company logo circle-jerks. It seems like an awful waste of time and video space to display something that nobody really cares to see for THAT long of a period of time (I mean, you can see the dev/pub names on the product page), and spread it out over way, way too much of the trailer. Now, I don't mind seeing a company logo on the screen, or a "from the producers of" messages, but come on...1/3 of the trailer? GET ON WITH IT.

To a lesser extent, including game review blurbs from game sites I've never heard of (e.g., "Buy this game now" - some dude's basement blog) seems to be a lot of unnecessary filler, too.

I want to see the GAME. I want to see how it PLAYS. I don't need any "In a wooorrrrrld where..." introductory masturbation.

I'm probably in the minority with all of the above.



Okay, rant over. For the most part. I'm sure some of you will tell me how wrong or ridiculous I'm being.

This seems insane from a marketing communications standpoint.  Unless the brand name is driving sales, then not focusing on the product features themselves should not drive sales.
Having trailers that "look better than gameplay" would make sense in getting a snap sale.
I'm sure there are some added complexities to how the trailer drives sales, but if what you are describing holds true part of it makes no sense.

If I remember I'll copy this down and put it into my research file.  This could be tested empirically from a content perspective.  If you could get sales data somewhere, the two could be linked and you could see what did and did not work.  What should happen is mostly what your common sense tells you.

Sorry if this post seems way out of character, but I've published advertising research for 30 years now and this should have already been researched and published - somewhere.

[W8taminute]

I don't even watch the official trailers anymore.

Best to find an LP on YT.

+1


Even the official screenshots are made to sell the game based on cosmetics rather than how the mechanics work in a game. 

[Toonces]

Completely with BC and W8 on this one.  I can't remember what trailer I was watching on Steam not that long ago, but like the first minute was producer logos and other blather.  I couldn't believe it!  I was watching the little track line inching to the right and I realize that there's only about 30 seconds left by the time we get to the actual shooty shooty!

And, like others, I have found that the best way to determine if a game is something I'll like is to go straight to Youtube and watch some lets plays or gameplay captures. 

I'm sure, though, that a great cinematic trailer, like Star Wars Battlefront, probably drives more sales than showing  actual gameplay.