By Stephen Reid
Right now, for reasons only known to power-mad games industry execs (possibly like yourself), gamers are facing an avalanche of titles - and almost all are billed as 'must-haves'.
Like the Hollywood summer blockbuster season, every week brings a new selection of big name releases hyped to the heavens. The only difference is the admission price for games is at least £30 (and that's before you buy the popcorn).
Dealing with the Christmas onslaught
How do gamers deal with this onslaught, assuming they haven't won the lottery and created a time machine with the winnings? Simple: they talk to each other.
More than at any other time of year, gamers on forums, Facebook, Twitter and in emails everywhere are asking each other the same question they asked last year: 'What are you going to play?'
Notice they're not asking what people are going to buy; in this hardcore crowd, having played the latest games is often more important than owning them.
With the market for second-hand and rented games growing rapidly (and piracy an ever-present issue), getting the cash-strapped gamer to simply buy a game from a legitimate retailer is an uphill struggle for almost every publisher.
Getting to know your audience
Assuming you're one of those publishers, what are you to do? Well, join the conversation, of course, with a few caveats. First and foremost: get to know your customer.
Blundering into the nearest forum and trying to pimp a soulless sequel will get you torn apart like fresh 'n' tasty meat, and rightly so. The last thing gamers want is to be sold to. Instead, you're going to need to find out what they care about, and in case you're wondering, that might not be your product.
Finding your key influencers
Next? Find the key influencers, the people whose opinion the average gamer will respect (because let's face it -and I know this is going to be hard for you to hear - it probably won't be yours). Start with the reviewers, the bloggers and the podcasters and then move on to the fansite moderators, the dedicated forum posters and yep, even those professional Facebook stalkers. (You do have a Facebook page for your products, right?)
Talk, talk, talk
And finally? Actually start a conversation. The truth is, there's a gamer for almost every game out there; you've just got to find them. When you do, engage them honestly and openly; evangelise, don't sell; enthuse, don't lie; take your hits if necessary... and then sit back and watch the sales flood in.
Just remember, with this much competition, just getting your game talked about is a huge win. And if it's no good? Well, there's always the soulless sequel.
Talk to us about our approach to Social Media Marketing and your place in online conversations - email us at hello@qubemedia.net or call us on 01273 689 672.