Poll: The Barren Wasteland of the Average Gamer's Mind

[Jamash]

Any one else remember how much GTA 3 was marketed?

Me neither. A good game "will always find a way."

I don't remember much marketing for that at all. I think I saw a display in a shop when I bought it, and perhaps a magazine advert, but it was a complete impulse buy for me.

I knew of the GTA series but I wasn't a huge fan, however I did really enjoy 3D driving sandbox games like the Driver series on the PS1, so I could conceptualise how much fun it could be, which was basically Driver + ultra-violence + PS2 graphics = good game (probably).

Also there weren't any comparable games on the PS2 at the time, so I bought it to satisfy my urge for a PS2 version of Driver 2 and got a lot more than I bargained for.

Funnily enough, the exact same thing happened a generation later when I bought the unknown Saint's Row to satisfy my urge for a 360 version of Grand Theft Auto.

 

[Kermi]

I rely on trailers, developer commentary and whatever information is available to determine what a game is about. If the premise interests me, I will give the game a shot.

I'm well aware of what advertising is, thank you. It's there to make a product look appealing. It also informs you as to what products exist.
Will a buy a game because of a snazzy trailer? No, but it contributes to the greater whole. I take what information I can get and use it to paint a mental picture of what the game is likely to be like.

It is an acquired sense. One that has, with few exceptions, been very reliable.

 

[LTK_70]

OP: To me, your post is one big giant 'DUH!' If you are looking for information about a game in trailers, screenshots and interviews, what do you expect? The core of a game is how it plays, and you're not going to experience that out of any of the aforementioned previews - with maybe the exception being playable demos, but you could argue that this is just an introduction or a sweet bit - unless you get the actual game. Until that happens, what else can you do but judge the game by the impressions it has given so far?

 

[veloper]

Actually, if you know your own preferences, you can make a pretty sure guess whether you'll like a game or not, just from watching Game trailers.
Just have your own opinion and don't accept every word from the reviewer.

 

[Ironic Pirate]

I clicked because there was only one page, and it wasn't about Mass Effect. Also, I don't think your right, as there is cumulative effect of all the factors you listed. Besides, I didn't spend any money on the thread, so I could go by title alone, whereas a game I would research for months. Maybe I'm weird, but I heavily research anything over $20, and anything on the internet.

 

[Jirlond]

I clicked because it was on the sidebar and I was hoping for sum duhrama!

Of course game companies are going to show you the parts that make you want to buy the game - the difference between watching the long haul of the gameplay and playing it is vastly different. They would be idiots not to use what works.