I wasn’t going to pick up Spider-Man right away. As a conscious consumer, I was going to wait on confirmation from my video game critic peers (mainly Catherine) to see if I was going to grab it now, or wait for a sale later. Over the past week and a bit, the conversation on social media around the latest PlayStation exclusive was so exciting, positive and engaging that I had to be part of the conversation and ended up purchasing the game right away.
This made me think about the new ways in which to market a video game. How can you keep the conversation at a constant high over the course of the launch period? How can a developer make the buzz around the game so engaging that you convert a undecided consumer into a buyer? Other developers and publishers should take note, because Insomniac has it down to a science.
Here are 7 ways Marvel’s Spider-Man snags your attention outside of the game.
1. J. Jonah Jameson’s Podcast
Podcasts are a hot topic right now in the media world. Seems like J. Jonah Jameson needed to find new ways to hate on Spider-Man after retiring from The Daily Bugle. What’s really cool about these audio clips is how they have been integrated into the gameplay. Your actions directly influence what JJ is going to say next! By far the best integration of audio clips as a collectable into a game that I have seen to date.
https://twitter.com/Mau2X15/status/1039234659157200901
2. Gay Pride Flag
This was one of the first cool photo opportunities that I stumbled across in-game. The community’s reaction has been very positive. Good on ya Insomniac!
https://twitter.com/NYCANGEL6972/status/1038431532648747009
3. Finger Guns
Who doesn’t want to waltz down the street giving passer-by’s the finger guns?!
This alone makes me want to play the Spider-Man game 26% more than I did yesterday…pic.twitter.com/d9LfL40b1H
— Ed Boon (@noobde) September 7, 2018
4. Photo Mode
The photo mode in Spider-Man is next level. Choosing the perfect filter and angle, opting for a selfie, adding stickers are makinsharing your Spider-Man experience so much more fun.
God bless Spider-Man and his amazing photo mode pic.twitter.com/ZOPhvZJlXf
— Ewan Moore (@EMoore_) September 6, 2018
5.Shirtless Spider-Man
Greg Miller and the Kinda Funny community are huge supporters of this game, and the best way to thank their passion is to give them a shout out in game. Now everyone can go meet Shirtless Spider-Man!
My mentions are insane right now. Thank you all for the screenshots and love. You make each and every one of these crazy opportunities happen. Keep the photos coming! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/CZbH83xTZv
— Greg Miller (@GameOverGreggy) September 8, 2018
6.Three Chest Hairs
Early in the game, Peter makes a comment that the rips in his spidey-suit show his three chest hairs… glad the game is accurate in visualizing this. LOL!
They found my favorite Easter egg from my favorite suit.#SpiderManPS4 pic.twitter.com/PEvA3fIxZR
— Xavier (@xavierck3d) September 10, 2018
7. Failed Marriage Proposal
Though the reporting on this story is controversial, it’s cool to note that Insomniac was willing to help a gamer out with one of the biggest decisions of his life. Too bad it didn’t pan out.
This #SpiderManPS4 Easter Egg is the saddest thing ever after man’s girlfriend breaks up with him https://t.co/SuOmj8uESb pic.twitter.com/QudIlIJqis
— GameSpot (@GameSpot) September 10, 2018
Are you playing Spider-Man? Tweet us your photos at @thegirlsongames!