Most publishers tend to announce their games years before they’re ready to release them. In some cases they don’t even start development of it long after the announcement. And in some extreme cases, those games never see the light of day.
So, why are they doing this? Isn’t it better to announce the game once it’s fully ready? Or at least halfway done? It might make sense to us, but in reality, it’s not that simple and there are multiple reasons for this. So let’s go through them all:
Reassuring Investors And Shareholders
If you were to name one main reason for early announcement, this one would be it. Being a huge company comes with certain rules. They are usually run by a board of people who decide where to allocate money, what project is greenlit, what gets scrapped.
By doing an announcement, they’re showing the investors that revenue opportunities exist beyond the current fiscal year. It’s all about money basically because those triple A games take years to finish and require huge piles of money. We’re talking 8/9 digit numbers here.
Nobody is willing to put up that amount based on nothing. They need extensive paperwork, plans, reassurance that it can be done in a timely manner, and most importantly they need to know that the audience will receive it positively.
When it comes to making a game, it seems so simple from our side but in reality that’s rarely the case. Developing the game is just one part of what it takes to get it published.
Attracting Talent
Larger games require hundreds of developers. By doing an early reveal, it helps with recruiting artists, programmers, designers, and producers. It’s basically a bat-signal for all people who are passionate about it and would be a great fit for certain positions. It also saves time and money on scouts and recruiters.
Controlling The Narrative
We live in a world where leakers and data-miners exist. Sometimes the game gets rumored way before we hear anything from official channels. By doing an early reveal, they sorta gain control over narrative and what the audience can expect from them. It mainly serves as a way to stop any unrealistic expectations.
Building Long-term Brand Awareness
Some of those franchise companies are so large that even awareness has its value. Especially if the game is part of a franchise. A simple logo reveal can keep a series relevant even when development is still in early stages. Which happened with Bethesda’s press conference at E3 back in 2018 where they just showed the logo for The Elder Scrolls V and fans went wild about it. Granted, years have passed since then without any update but people still talk about it.
Helping Platform Holders
Console manufacturers like Sony Interactive Entertainment’s PlayStation or Microsoft Gaming’s Xbox want to convince their customers that exciting new games are coming, which mainly serves as a sales booster for the consoles and it also helps them remain relevant in the gaming industry.
Securing Partnerships And Licensing Opportunities
An early announcement could happen because of ongoing licensing arrangements but also it can serve as a way to be able to create certain collaborations, merch, media adaptations, and/or some sort of technology partnerships. If you’re a true fan of the game and there are headphones, keyboard, posters, controllers or whatever inspired by the game, there’s a high chance that you’ll be buying it.
Competitive Positioning
Last but not least, early reveal of the game can serve as a defensive tactic. It signals to the competition that they’re making a game in a certain genre, planning to release it at that time, so they better watch out. It rarely happens that big triple AAA games release in the same week or even the same month. And it’s even rarer (almost never) that those games are in the same genre. Basically asserting dominance over the “enemy”.
Why Gamers Dislike It
Most of the games that get revealed early never get announced with a release date. Even if they do – teams grow or shrink, technology changes, and delays happen. Which is completely normal but what happens is that the more time passes the higher expectations of players get. And they get disappointed more often than not. I’ll be the first to admit, my expectations and frustrations would be high.
Conclusion
All in all, publishers announce games years early due to many reasons. Besides letting the audience know, it also serves to help with investors, shareholders, employees, platform holders and media. There’s so much going on behind the scenes, so next time maybe we can all show some understanding and compassion. Getting a good product takes time, especially when it comes to video games.
