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How Are Modern Video Games Marketed?

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The Computer Games Journal

Abstract

In this paper, common methods for the marketing of ‘AAA’ and ‘indie’ games are analysed in order to determine the extent to which video gamers consider them to be effective and trustworthy. Data was gathered through (1) an online survey that was distributed amongst online gaming communities and completed by 167 respondents; and, (2) a questionnaire that was completed by 37 respondents (who were computer games design students). The aims behind this project were as follows: (1) to determine the reasons why gamers may or may not purchase gaming platforms and multi-platform video games; and, (2) to measure the extent to which their friends influence their purchase decisions. It was discovered that friends and family were the most trusted video game marketing source amongst the gamers, and that their friends had a decisive impact on their console and multi-platform video game purchases.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Art and Design (Games Design/Technology), Faculty of Arts and Creative Technologies, Beacon Building, Beaconside, Stafford, ST18 0AD, UK

    Colin Charles Mathews & Nia Wearn

Authors
  1. Colin Charles Mathews
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  2. Nia Wearn
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Colin Charles Mathews.

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Cite this article

Mathews, C.C., Wearn, N. How Are Modern Video Games Marketed?. Comput Game J 5, 23–37 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40869-016-0023-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40869-016-0023-2

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