Category: Animation

One of the biggest events in the Games Industry calendar, GDC, has been cancelled. The Games Developer Conference is arguably the beating heart of the industry and, with only two weeks to go its developers have decided to pull the plug in light of the risks that the spread of the Coronavirus may pose. Last year there were over 26,000 attendees to the event, all descending onto San Francisco from the furthest reaches of the planet to attend talks, learn, network, inspire and generally further the craft of games development. But have the organisers perhaps been a little over cautious in cancelling the event, and just why is GDC so important to the industry?

No-one can escape the headlines surrounding Coronavirus, or the more sinister sounding COVID-19 as it is fast becoming referred to in the media. Switch on the TV or open a newspaper and you’ll find plenty of references to ‘pandemic’ and ‘outbreaks’. Indeed, it all sounds like the plot of a Resident Evil game with the end of the world an inevitability, even though the spread of the virus itself is still (thankfully, at the time of writing) largely contained. From reading the apocalyptic headlines, you could be forgiven for thinking that if GDC were to go ahead, the streets of San Francisco would be filled with roaming zombies – spaced out marauders on the verge of collapse; wandering aimlessly without purpose and in need of shelter. Whereas, anyone with any familiarity with the streets surrounding Union Square will know that this scenario is already a grim reality already. –  where homelessness and social problems on the streets are a gritty reality for many already.

Regardless, the organisers of GDC have had to tread a very careful line in weighing up the many benefits that the show brings versus the very real risks of contagion. It’s no mean feat – The event has been many months in the making with many man hours of organising potentially wasted. To some degree, their hands were forced in the days running up to the announcement, with major sponsors including Microsoft, Facebook, Unity, Epic, Sony and Amazon all deciding to withdraw from the event. These decisions will not have been easy ones to make as it some of these brands that have helped GDC grow to the stature that the conference currently enjoys.  In recent years it has proven to be the perfect platform to unveil new technologies to developers and get their feedback – a ‘sweet spot’ event that avoids the glare of more consumer focused events like E3 yet still big enough to grab the attention of the major developers and publishers in the Industry.

In recent years, the conference has been used to showcase emerging technologies that will continue to have a major influence on the craft of Games Development and Storytelling for a long time to come. Of particular note, Epic Games’ ‘State of Unreal’ keynote speeches have been used to showcase the development and advances in Virtual Filmmaking. These talks are highly anticipated and continue to usher in technologies that are not limited to just Games Development, but the advancement of Film, TV and VFX.

GDC’s importance the industry cannot be overstated.  Whilst new technologies remain at the heart of the show, it’s the level to which they are embraced by the thousands of Artists, Animators, Coders and Producers in attendance that ultimately decide their fate. Without their creativity, the content cannot be produced, games developed, or new worlds realised – No matter how good the tools. So, although it’s disappointing that GDC should be cancelled at such a late stage, its undoubtedly the right thing to do.

Sadly, I WON’T be attending GDC this year, but if you want to get in touch to discuss our work in Trailers, Cinematics, Animation or VFX, drop me a line at [email protected].

There’s no doubt the impact that YouTube and the growth in user-generated video content has had on 21st-century media. What started as a seemingly hilarious video-sharing platform for clips of your neighbour’s cat has fundamentally revolutionised how we communicate and share ideas, thoughts and opinions. 

In the same way that advancing technology has enabled video games to challenge the status quo of books, film, and TV for narrative-based storytelling, the rise of digital media has provided us with ways in which we can build huge communities and attract global audiences in the most targeted way yet.

The rise of YouTube

YouTube, in particular, has grown to become a goliath in user-generated video content, elevating individuals with a passion for gaming into pseudo-celebrities that hold great sway over their audiences. Needless to say, video games and YouTube go hand-in-glove, with gaming content standing as one of the biggest draws to the site.

While the idea of watching someone else playing video games may be baffling for some, it has become a huge pastime for a global audience. According to YouTube’s recent ‘Rewind 2019’, Minecraft alone amassed over 100 billion views throughout the year, taking pole position amongst a diverse body of gaming genres. 

The power and reach of some of the biggest influencers is reflected in the huge audiences they command and their ability to cross over into the mainstream. PewDiePie might be one of the most famous examples; he is currently the third-most subscribed channel on the entire YouTube platform with 102 million subscribers. Others, such as the Yogscast, Achievement Hunter, and Game Grumps, became vast businesses that support large headcounts. Like YouTube, Twitch – the popular game-streaming site – has many similar success stories.

Their influence is undeniable. Many developers can pin their success on the exposure given to their games by YouTubers whose success can be attributed to great video content that is dynamic and fun to watch. Would Minecraft be what it is today without all those videos that evangelise it’s complicated but intriguing crafting system? Would Fortnite be the mainstream-penetrating success if not for streamers like Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins who, as a case in point, became a big enough name to land an invitation to American talk show ‘Ellen’?

A lucrative opportunity

While these are outliers, there are still many examples of developers and publishers who have seen a sizeable uptick in sales as a result of being featured by a popular games channel. 

For a developer or publisher, marketing a game through a successful YouTuber can be a symbiotic relationship – both get something out of the situation. Like any marketing, it won’t be free and will need to form a part of your overall strategy, sitting alongside the trailers and cinematics that should also form part of your approach. Any big-name channels that commands a large audience will expect payment for their service. Typically, they get this money and any income from their views, providing you with the opportunity to show your game to hundreds of thousands – if not millions – of people.

There was a time where there was an almost antagonistic relationship between YouTubers and game studios. In the past, some publishers would claim the income on videos featuring their games and Nintendo at one point had a YouTuber partnership scheme which siphoned some of the money. But most have come to see the value in YouTube, with Nintendo and others taking a much softer approach. Now they embrace these channels, sometimes even inviting them to press events that actual games press might not be privy to. Both developers and publishers have grown to appreciate video content that shows their game in a positive light – that is both engaging and entertaining – can only be a force for good. 

The future of marketing?

Some might say we’re seeing a shift in how developers market their games. Large-scale press events are increasingly expected to have a presence online; simultaneously webcast around the world instead of remaining an exclusive event for those who happen to be in that part of the world. A good case in point is the XO19 event that took place in London in November last year and became a showcase for Microsoft Studios’ upcoming games. Such events (which happened to feature the trailer for ‘Everwild’) always provoke huge debate, both positive and negative. Youtubers can typically contribute hundreds of hours of commentary before, during, and after such large-scale events. 

Regardless, such events reinforce the point that online video is a key tool in the armoury to promote, discuss, debate, and, ultimately, help sell a game. Prestige events such as XO19 and the many trailers they feature can fuel endless discussions, reverberating around the internet for months to come. Online video can take many forms – from enthusiastic influencers espousing their favourite game and slickly presented publisher webcasts to beautifully conceived CG trailers. Providing influencers with great video content can ensure your game is discussed endlessly for months on end, with Youtubers providing the fuel to keep your game in the public eye. 

But this is just one part of your marketing strategy. Before you turn to YouTube, make sure you have a fantastic trailer for them to push to their audience. At REALTIME, we have a strong history of creating attention-grabbing trailers. If you want to talk about your next project, get in touch with me at [email protected].

Every year we are treated to a slew of high-quality new game releases. Often the result of years of development, there is a huge expectation for the biggest titles to perform both critically and commercially. Typically regarded as ‘AAA’ titles, their release is the culmination of lengthy development cycles and enormous marketing expenditure.

The continual marketing efforts in the months (and years!) that lead up to their eventual release, and subsequent ongoing monetization efforts can seemingly make them ever-present; ensuring that all possible exposure to the public are taken full advantage of – from featuring on stage at one of the now many gaming conventions, right through to final launch trailer. Such is the typical marketing life-cycle of the quintessential AAA game.

There’s no doubt about the level of commitment and passion that goes into the development of ‘AAA’ titles from both the publishers and developers. But not having access to the huge levels of resources needed to develop such games is no longer a barrier to creating ambitious, high-quality titles at a fraction of the cost, that can still find a huge audience. The power and availability of off-the-shelf game engines like Unity, UE4, and Lumberyard, as well as many other tools, has led to a democratisation of games development, enabling the rise of some incredibly talented indie teams and the development of incredible gaming experiences.

Whilst they may not have the same level of bombast, nor the same level of marketing resources of your typical AAA release, they are no less important to the gaming landscape. So let’s celebrate the rise of the triple-I game.

What is a triple-I game?
How we categorise games – whether they be AAA, triple-I, AA, or even A and below – is largely subjective, but budget is often a major factor. There is no exact cut-off for how much must be spent on the development of a game for it to neatly fit into any one of these categories, but the amount of resource and scale of the team is a good indication.

Whilst triple-I developers typically might have a smaller amount of resources available to them, the scale of ambition and passionate commitment to the success of the game can deliver big results. However, if they are to achieve the commercial and critical success they strive for, they will need to make every penny count during development. Just because they have less resources needn’t mean a sacrifice to quality. We see plenty of triple-I releases every year, welcomed with great acclaim. One of the standout examples in recent years is Ninja Theory’s Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, which was lauded for its incredible script and unique way in which it addresses mental health issues.

Other examples include the acclaimed Subnautica and the recently released The Outer Worlds. There is seemingly a renaissance in their popularity, filling the gap neatly between behemoth AAA games and smaller scoped indie titles.

The triple-I secret
Often with a lower price point than your typical ‘AAA’ blockbuster, triple-I games still provide hours of entertainment for less; what’s not to love? And, freed from the constraints of the juggernaut publishers, the ability to create games for a fraction of the budget can let new ideas thrive.

Ninja Theory’s development of new performance capture techniques with Cubic Motion shows that innovation can pave the way to creating fantastically immersive experiences, fooling the player into believing the game has been developed by a huge team (it was actually developed by just 20 people).

Arguably, with so much money invested into a typical AAA release, it has to have a more ‘safe’ approach to its development and marketing in order to achieve mass-market success that is expected of such games. However, such an approach is no guarantee of success.

But triple-I games are free to explore new themes, experiment with different game mechanics, and generally dive into areas rarely explored. Arguably, there’s a greater freedom that can make for a more diverse range of games which can only enrich the wider market.

Bang for your buck
In order to compete against AAA games, developers of smaller indie titles often need to get more creative in the way they not only develop their game, but also market it. Bringing any game to a crowded market can always prove to be a challenge, especially when it’s a new IP.
But when you have greater budgetary considerations, it’s important to develop a marketing campaign that uses your available funds in the smartest way possible. Remember, regardless of how confident you may be about your game’s quality, you will be in competition against the many thousands of other games on the market.

A final trailer at launch is an absolute necessity. You could do it in-house, but the issue there is your staff will already be stretched thin and you want to avoid the crunch time to put out a trailer you know can be better. If you’re fortunate enough to be invited on stage by one of the big names at a games conference, this trailer is going to be your only way to make a lasting impact. Unknown Worlds have enjoyed huge success with their game ‘Subnautica’, thanks in part to their decision to create a hugely entertaining trailer that has helped propel their game into mainstream success.

There are definitely avenues you can explore to deliver a quality trailer within your budget. It’s all about choosing a company who will work within your limitations and dive into your entire ethos. Triple-I games are an essential part of the gaming landscape and they deserve every opportunity given to AAA games. So why not come out with a bang and let everyone know you’re here?

At REALTIME, we’ve worked with plenty of developers to do just that – deliver a trailer that leaves a mark. Take a look at some of our previous work to see what we’re all about. And when you’re ready to talk, get in touch with me at [email protected].