Writing Slideshows
Slideshows are a necessary component to presenting your video game, whether it be at a developer’s conference, marketing briefing or pitching investors during a meeting. They’re an effective and concise way to get your message across visually, while also supplementing your speech.
If you’re an independent game developer who focuses mostly on the programming aspect or is completely new to the industry, writing a slideshow can be a daunting task as you determine what information to include.
Matt Southern, a former gameroducer and slideshow veteran at Evolution Studios recently put together a great guide for both newcomers and old-timers in the industry to help you create an effective slideshow. He covers everything from software basics to overall design/content, to presenting your actual slideshow.
You can check out the full guide here on Develop Online.
The Rise of Mobile Gaming
A new report by games market research firm Newzoo, covering the mobile games market, has discovered some interesting statistics on the industry. According to the report, the total mobile games market value has increased by 42% since last year, and is on track to continue the trend in 2015 for an estimated value of $30.3 billion - exceeding the value of console gaming.
Smartphones are expected to take up nearly three quarters of the total mobile gaming revenue, with tablets coming in second place. You can read more about the report here on GamesIndustry.
Running a Cross Game Promotion
Cross game promotions in digital video game stores have become popular in recent years. A cross game promotion is where two or more of your company’s video games (or content such as DLC) have a promotion tied to them - i.e. owning the first game gets you a discount on buying the second one.
These types of promotions can be a great way to get people to buy into your games library and breathe life into older, lesser-known ones. They also help spread visibility among your games evenly.
Unfortunately, cross game promotions can also be disadvantageous if done incorrectly. For instance, many people don’t like having downloadable expansions tied to a completely separate item, since it requires them to buy something they don't want, and they might feel like they overpaid.
The key to a successful cross game promotion is finding a balance and common ground between the content involved. Take a look at this article on Gamasutra for a helpful guide on cross game promotions.
