Past and Future: Game Trailers. Part One: nostalgie
It seems that this year the world finally woke up and realized that the future of the gaming industry is for mobile games. More and more publications publish articles with tons of statistics and tell you in which direction the mobile gaming industry will move.
Mobile marketing is one of the most popular topics for discussion. In the Super Bowl ad race, gaming media prophesied victory for the Game of War trailer and sexy Kate Upton. But it seems that the love of the audience won the old man Liam Neeson and Clash of Clans. Although Game of War is still the leader in the top downloads on the App Store. So what to bet on in 2015 - sex appeal or recognition? What will be the advertisement of mobile games in the next couple of years?
These questions have been chewed in the English press for more than one month. Forecasts, trends, numbers ... I suggest approaching the problem from a different perspective. Do you know the expression "Everything new is well forgotten old"? It is relevant not only for the fashion for tweed jackets, but also suitable for gaming advertising. I suggest looking at how trailers for the good old video games on consoles and PCs have changed. Get ready: a portion of pixels and nostalgia awaits you.
90s: nostalgie
Oh yes. The same time that the games were cooler, the grass greener, and the DLC free. Nevertheless, the golden era of computer games did not differ in quality trailers. And there are several reasons for this.
No one knew how to make game trailers. One of the first games for which the ad was created was the legendary Space Invaders on Game Boy. The video looks like a typical advertisement from the 90s. Substitute a mineral water instead of a game - little will change.
In general, Nintendo released a lot of videos for advertising consoles and games, while skillfully adapting to the markets of different countries. And if you think that crazy trailers were a feature of Japanese manufacturers, just look at the selection of advertisements that went on American (and Russian) TV at that time.
There were no advertising sites. Imagine for a moment a world without the Internet. There is nowhere to read the review for a new game, except in the monthly magazine, which, with any luck, is sold in a stall with the press. There is neither Vine, nor Twitch, nor even YouTube! Lucky ones with Dial-Up connection can hardly see a picture weighing less than a megabyte, we are not talking about downloading a video: while a small video is being downloaded, humanity will have time to evolve and go to the stars.
Advertising on TV could only be afforded by developers who collaborated with large companies or publishers. Often trailers were small gameplay videos designed to maximize the display of gameplay and interest a potential buyer.
There were no necessary tools. Making ads with actors was easier and cheaper than hiring a team of animators and programmers to create cinematics.
Nevertheless, the gaming industry grew and developed, more and more advertising opportunities appeared. In 1995, the E3 exhibition started in Los Angeles, which became the main competitor of the Game Developers Conference held since 1988. In 1996, the first Tokyo Game Show took place. Along with this, publishers and developers began to release more and more interesting game trailers. Now they were different from those shot for movie advertising. The peculiar directions and types of game videos with their own characteristics stood out:
1. The abundance of game trailers created by known IP.
Remember any popular movie from the 90s. I assure you that a game was made based on his motives.
For the best effect, heroes of other games or popular characters were introduced.
2. The heyday of FMV games and trailers with actors.
Until the first half of the 90s, playing video from a computer was difficult. After the first CDs appeared, it became possible to store part of the information on removable media, which made it possible to embed video in games.
Unprecedented realism made a stunning effect on gamers, even despite the fact that these screensavers were of poor quality.
However, large developers could afford to invite eminent actors and shoot a whole feature film.
Or at least insert a few frames that were not included in the popular film:
Luck was also that some good actors at that time were not so famous.
Yes, you did not misunderstand. These are Christopher Walken, John Rhys-Davis and Scott Cohen.
3. Voysover
Someone had to explain to the viewer what was going on on the screen. Therefore, as a rule, gameplay trailers had a “cool” voisover. It is likely that the dubbing of most trailers of the 90s was made by only a few professional actors.
4. Gameplay trailers
A short way to create a video - cutting from the gameplay. Such trailers were in almost all games. Sometimes the gameplay also added comments from developers or cut scenes from the game.
5. The first atmospheric teasers
The purpose of these videos is to interest the original atmosphere, without revealing the plot or gameplay.
6. The first cinematics
Few companies at that time could afford the production of CG-cinematics. One of the first studios to usher in the era of cinematics was Blizzard. In 1998, at E3, the company demonstrated a trailer for Diablo II.
7. Reviews from gaming magazines
Closer to the end of the 90s, a lot of professional gaming publications appeared, some of which at that time had already acquired their own sites.
This technique works with games, books, and movies. A few words from a popular person or publication can make a player buy a new product to find out what critics admire so much.
For example, Steve Jobs at the time at the conference Apple presented the first game of Halo. The irony is that Microsoft exclusive was originally developed for the Mac.
What are your favorite old school trailers? Tell us why you remember them and how much they worked: was the game advertised in them purchased?
Mobile marketing is one of the most popular topics for discussion. In the Super Bowl ad race, gaming media prophesied victory for the Game of War trailer and sexy Kate Upton. But it seems that the love of the audience won the old man Liam Neeson and Clash of Clans. Although Game of War is still the leader in the top downloads on the App Store. So what to bet on in 2015 - sex appeal or recognition? What will be the advertisement of mobile games in the next couple of years?
These questions have been chewed in the English press for more than one month. Forecasts, trends, numbers ... I suggest approaching the problem from a different perspective. Do you know the expression "Everything new is well forgotten old"? It is relevant not only for the fashion for tweed jackets, but also suitable for gaming advertising. I suggest looking at how trailers for the good old video games on consoles and PCs have changed. Get ready: a portion of pixels and nostalgia awaits you.
90s: nostalgie
Oh yes. The same time that the games were cooler, the grass greener, and the DLC free. Nevertheless, the golden era of computer games did not differ in quality trailers. And there are several reasons for this.
No one knew how to make game trailers. One of the first games for which the ad was created was the legendary Space Invaders on Game Boy. The video looks like a typical advertisement from the 90s. Substitute a mineral water instead of a game - little will change.
In general, Nintendo released a lot of videos for advertising consoles and games, while skillfully adapting to the markets of different countries. And if you think that crazy trailers were a feature of Japanese manufacturers, just look at the selection of advertisements that went on American (and Russian) TV at that time.
There were no advertising sites. Imagine for a moment a world without the Internet. There is nowhere to read the review for a new game, except in the monthly magazine, which, with any luck, is sold in a stall with the press. There is neither Vine, nor Twitch, nor even YouTube! Lucky ones with Dial-Up connection can hardly see a picture weighing less than a megabyte, we are not talking about downloading a video: while a small video is being downloaded, humanity will have time to evolve and go to the stars.
Advertising on TV could only be afforded by developers who collaborated with large companies or publishers. Often trailers were small gameplay videos designed to maximize the display of gameplay and interest a potential buyer.
There were no necessary tools. Making ads with actors was easier and cheaper than hiring a team of animators and programmers to create cinematics.
Nevertheless, the gaming industry grew and developed, more and more advertising opportunities appeared. In 1995, the E3 exhibition started in Los Angeles, which became the main competitor of the Game Developers Conference held since 1988. In 1996, the first Tokyo Game Show took place. Along with this, publishers and developers began to release more and more interesting game trailers. Now they were different from those shot for movie advertising. The peculiar directions and types of game videos with their own characteristics stood out:
1. The abundance of game trailers created by known IP.
Remember any popular movie from the 90s. I assure you that a game was made based on his motives.
For the best effect, heroes of other games or popular characters were introduced.
2. The heyday of FMV games and trailers with actors.
Until the first half of the 90s, playing video from a computer was difficult. After the first CDs appeared, it became possible to store part of the information on removable media, which made it possible to embed video in games.
Unprecedented realism made a stunning effect on gamers, even despite the fact that these screensavers were of poor quality.
However, large developers could afford to invite eminent actors and shoot a whole feature film.
Or at least insert a few frames that were not included in the popular film:
Luck was also that some good actors at that time were not so famous.
Yes, you did not misunderstand. These are Christopher Walken, John Rhys-Davis and Scott Cohen.
3. Voysover
Someone had to explain to the viewer what was going on on the screen. Therefore, as a rule, gameplay trailers had a “cool” voisover. It is likely that the dubbing of most trailers of the 90s was made by only a few professional actors.
4. Gameplay trailers
A short way to create a video - cutting from the gameplay. Such trailers were in almost all games. Sometimes the gameplay also added comments from developers or cut scenes from the game.
5. The first atmospheric teasers
The purpose of these videos is to interest the original atmosphere, without revealing the plot or gameplay.
6. The first cinematics
Few companies at that time could afford the production of CG-cinematics. One of the first studios to usher in the era of cinematics was Blizzard. In 1998, at E3, the company demonstrated a trailer for Diablo II.
7. Reviews from gaming magazines
Closer to the end of the 90s, a lot of professional gaming publications appeared, some of which at that time had already acquired their own sites.
This technique works with games, books, and movies. A few words from a popular person or publication can make a player buy a new product to find out what critics admire so much.
For example, Steve Jobs at the time at the conference Apple presented the first game of Halo. The irony is that Microsoft exclusive was originally developed for the Mac.
What are your favorite old school trailers? Tell us why you remember them and how much they worked: was the game advertised in them purchased?