Author: by Anne Blanchard, Gaming Solutions Manager, Limelight Networks

This article is brought to you by Limelight Networks

In the whitepaper - The Consumer as Producer: How Games and Video Converge to Drive Growth, Newzoo notes that player-made videos have become such a phenomenon that they no longer just reflect game popularity, but they are changing the way games are developed and promoted. Below, are a few examples of how this trend is impacting business strategies and presenting new opportunities for growth.

Watch your game while developing it

Super Evil MegaCorp’s COO describes how developers are using Twitch as part of their development process.  Developers watch videos of early beta testers playing the game, and look for extensive comments and feedback from lead players as they work through game play challenges.

Design your game for viewing

Research by both Newzoo and SuperData is showing that many games have video followers who don’t even play the game, or if they do, play it only occasionally[1].  When designing VainGlory, Super Evil actually took this into account.  Thinking about how to make the game understandable for a non-player who is watching is a relatively new concept, but one that could affect game design.  It might affect point of view decisions, field of vision, and how rankings and scores are presented, and even the rules.  Unlike sports where kids grow up knowing the rules of basketball, every game is different, and developers could consider more visual set cues as part of the design.

Increase your marketing options

Does your game lend itself to humorous parodies?  Could it be connected to a popular product or consumer app? Do you have an endearing character that could take on a life of his or her own in a different context? Do you have an amazing imaginary world that could host more than one story line? These are all angles to think about during development that can be explored by your avid gamers in video and in turn used to market the game.  Matthew Patrick, owner of Game Theorist, a YouTube video company with 5 million followers, asserts games have had viewing audiences that are 3-4 times larger than their player base. Working off the basic game as a platform, gamers create entire new story lines, worlds, and characters, all of which become part of the game’s brand.  What used to take 30 years - now can happen in a matter of months.

Commandeer your own channel

Why not set up your video broadcast channel right at launch? Beyond the great ocean of video on YouTube are smaller publishing platforms like Azubu that put the gamer right at the center.  Azubu’s new 3.0 platform will offer broadcasters 24X7 live help and a personal dashboard to control their channels.  Pivotshare is a new video on demand platform that not only lets individuals create their own broadcast, but set their own prices for using their videos.

Form your own Esports initiative

Establishing the rules, and local/regional competitive design of the Esports version of your game is a smart move.  Controlling both the competitive structure and the broadcast rights from the beginning has been a key factor in the revenues of major sports franchises. Major publishers are behind at creating local and regional leagues that help build talent and competitive pyramid for their games.  As Newzoo points out in its analysis “The 5 Factors Defining the Future of Esports” : “For Esports leagues to tap into bigger advertising budgets, they need to exist on national, regional and global levels as traditional sports do”.  So if you are launching your game, think about launching a competitive league soon, complete with videos of your top gamers playing on your own channel.

Consider tapping new areas of expertise

Story line, game play, coding, artwork - game developers care about all these factors, and more.  But gamer videos tend to take on a life of their own, and impact game success in unforeseen ways.  It’s no accident that Twitch has invested in a senior management position dedicated to helping game developers get the most out of video streaming.  Nor is it accidental that consulting firms such as Tilting Point, have sprung up to help developers with video opportunities, as well as other types of marketing.

Conclusion

The evidence is growing that gamer videos are helping to grow the industry in ways that were unforeseen even a year and a half ago.   The non-gaming audience for gamer videos is significant and growing.  Game developers can be business savvy about the opportunities this creates while still staying focused on creating a great experience. 

[1] Gaming Video Content Market Brief. Rep. New York: SuperData Research, 2015. Print.