Previews of video games play a vital role in the industry and are perhaps somewhat under-utilized. Generally, the problem with getting the previews done is simply connecting journalists with the game. Many publishers and developers don’t like to send out code until such time as the game is nearing completion.
In order to then get a preview of a particular title one must either travel to the development studio or catch them at a conference or expo where they are showing the game. With games in fairly early stages they don’t generally cart them around to the shows.
This, in my opinion, is much to their disadvantage. As I stated in my article about public relations embargoes, gamers are hungry for information on their favorite franchises or games they are looking forward to. Giving us (as I’m a gamer myself) small tidbits of information on a regular basis is an excellent way to make us loyal followers. It’s almost like we’re being addicted to the game and can’t wait for our next ‘fix’.
The preview works to help with that and, the way I see it, can come in three flavors.
The First Look – 6 months prior to launch
Even when a game is still in the early stages of development, as in not in a playable state, there is much value to be had in getting it to journalists to have them write up a preview. The First Look is generally useful to show gamers how the graphics are coming along, what kind of gameplay can be expected and things of that nature. If you look at my recent preview for Carrier Command: Gaea Mission, the game is not in a playable state for the most part. I mean I could have certainly played some of it to get a feel but there’s no fully developed gameplay situation just yet. Besides, that’s best left for the next preview.
The Hands-On – 2-3 months prior to launch
Here’s where the journalists get to actually play the game for long enough to get a complete understanding of the game’s mechanics. This is generally what gamers like to see a couple months before the game is due for release. They want to know that the game is on schedule, that the graphics are up to snuff and that the game is playable and more importantly, entertaining!
This is where the journalist can play a key role as a go-between. We can report on what we see, hear, feel about the game and the gamers themselves can get vital information about the game. It can also work in reverse and developers can actually get a feel for how the game will be received and find out if there’s perhaps one major thing the gamers might like to see. I’m not saying they’ll listen, I’m just saying that they might get some ideas on final touches, plus with 3 months to release there’s time to perhaps add something simple.
The Pre-Release – 1 month prior
This is best left until the weeks leading up to release of the game. It’s not a full review of the title but more of a final look before the release. The best time, I think, is in the final stages of the game’s bug fixing and tweaking. This version of the game is generally without all of the pieces in place like the cut-scenes, etc. It’s still a fairly full version of the game and can usually be a short article talking about how we think it will stack up in the long run. There is generally no difference in the Hands-on versus the pre-release unless there have been major changes to the game’s direction and gameplay. What this really does is brings the game back to the forefront of gamers’ minds leading up to the release. That then sets the stage for the full review.
When to review a game?
I have found that being the first to review a game isn’t always the best. First, you’re generally going to be getting the game in an early state. Second, if you’re not one of the big corporate sites, you most likely won’t have the leverage to get the game that early or to ever hope for any type of exclusivity. On top of that the reviews are so far removed from the release date that it’s quite possible they’ll simply get buried by piles of other content for other titles.
The best time to do the review, as far as I’m concerned, is in the week leading up to the release of the game. Why? GDN will often ping to #1 on Google News for reviews that we publish the week of release as many people start searching for info on the titles. This generally brings in a good deal of traffic. Not only that, but we generally have a complete version of the game so we can play start to finish. We get to see everything the game has to offer and make the most accurate judgment as to whether or not we believe the game to be good, whether it lives up to the expectations, if it’s fun/entertaining and more importantly, if it’s worth the money.
It sounds like a lot of work and many will disagree with me on several points I’m sure. Of course, this is just my opinion on the matter and as with all things, everyone is entitled to have one and to disagree with those of others.
Ofttimes we will skip one or two of these, mostly due to logistics in getting to see the game and definitely if we feel there is nothing new to be added to the previous preview, in the case of the Hands-On and the Pre-Release.
Plus, many will agree that a First Look, Hands-on, Full review cycle is both enough info and not focusing too much on a single title. However, if there are notable things to be pointed out there’s no reason that an extra preview can’t be done. Really, it depends on the game’s progress in the final months. One might even split the time and do a Hands-on at 2 months out.
The race always seems to be the first with the review. However, by effectively utilizing the preview the gamers benefit by having more information and