Is the hype-engine really a marketing tool?

[bfar]

Looking at the state of play lately, it seems to me people have preordered 1000's of copies of games like Crysis and Hellgate long before we know if they're actually any good They've also been convinced that they should buy lots of expensive hardware long before they actually need it.

It seems to me that all the interested parties like MS, Nvidia, ATI and the devs/publishers are all more than happy to push the prehype spin to ridiculous proportions.

In the face of all this blatently obvious marketing, why do we assume that these games are actually going to be anything more than decent titles (if even that)?

I also suspect that a number of reviewers are in on the spin - that they are not giving fair recommendations, but are actually part of the greater marketing engine. Whether they're being paid-off, or just afraid of being denied the exclusives, I don't know.

I was struck by the Hellgate demo. I think I've spent more time reading the interviews, discussions, previews, exclusive play-tests, videos, faqs, forums etc, than I actually spent playing what turned out to be a somewhat uninspiring demo

Thoughts anyone?

 

[Substance]

I pre-order very little, i only usually pre-order sequels, i pre-ordered oblivion as i loved morrowind, and i think that was the last thing that I actually did pre-order,

However if i play the crysis demo and it is brilliant then i will be pre-ordering it, but i won't just go from hype, if the demo doesn't live up to expectations i won't be buying it

 

[mohawk]

in many cases pre ordering is pointless as stores stock enough copies for preorders and for people to walk off the street to pick one up the day it comes out.

as for the hype-engine i think this was most notest when bioshock was released everyone was raving about this game and all the reviews and things gave it 98%+ yet when it came out to the public not everyone was amazed as much as the reviewers, but the hype must have helped the sales figures massively, i think most major releases that are coming out soon all get helped along with hype, but when it gets overdone the game looses something special.

just my opinion

 

[MookJong]

Hype is nearly always based around sequels, people are excited for Hellgate because they remember Diablo and Crysis because of Farcry etc.

Saying that yes it's a tool developers play on big time but so does the rest of the entertainment industry. Bands do it with their new Albums and directors with their new films.

There isn't anything wrong with it as long as there are no false claims being made or the truth being bent.

 

[Sleepery]

I also suspect that a number of reviewers are in on the spin - that they are not giving fair recommendations, but are actually part of the greater marketing engine. Whether they're being paid-off, or just afraid of being denied the exclusives, I don't know.

This wouldn't surprise me in the least, although sometimes I think reveiwers get caught up in the hype too. There have been one or two times though, where the review really didn't match the score - it was as if the reveiwer had been told to give it a certain score, but was trying desperately to let people know via the review what he really thought, without actually getting fired

Mostly though, people are sheep, and sheep follow other sheep. You only have to look at this forum to see the crysis froth bubbling at people's mouths, a lot of them not even having played it in any form.

 

[saguy]

This wouldn't surprise me in the least, although sometimes I think reveiwers get caught up in the hype too. There have been one or two times though, where the review really didn't match the score - it was as if the reveiwer had been told to give it a certain score, but was trying desperately to let people know via the review what he really thought, without actually getting fired

Mostly though, people are sheep, and sheep follow other sheep. You only have to look at this forum to see the crysis froth bubbling at people's mouths, a lot of them not even having played it in any form.

Halo3 and EP2 come to mind.

 

[stealthgeek]

And Bioshock, but I guess people are starting to realise just how overhyped that was.

Shame on you IGN!

 

[randal]

Bioshock was one of very few titles I've actually enjoyed this year. Really disappointed with Stalker - especially the ending, EP2 was massively over hyped and too short - Portal and TF2 saved the purchase otherwise I'd be REALLY cheesed, Medal of Honour Airborne was total toss too. The OP has a very valid point IMO, coupled with the fact more effort is put into looks over gameplay it is looking pretty dire.

I'm hoping that Assassin's Creed, UT3, Crysis and CoD4 can reignite the hope I had for this year's big releases because it's pretty dowsed at the moment.

 

[Memphis]

Hype doesn't work if people don't buy into it.

At the end of the day, it's your choice to believe what you read and hear... or not.