Skip to main content
Log in

The Effects of Evaluative Reviews on Market Success in the Video Game Industry

  • Published:
The Computer Games Journal

Abstract

Prior research and anecdotal evidence suggest that the market success of experience goods (i.e. motion pictures) can be empirically connected to professional and peer reviews of those experience goods. In this paper, this argument is tested by examining the way in which reviews determine the success of video games. A number of analysis strategies are used to show that professional critics’ reviews of games can influence sales of games. The amount of advertising is also an influential factor.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aiton, E. (2012). Irrational pulls the metacritic requirement from their job advert. [online] Play.tm. http://www.play.tm/news/35443/irrational-pulls-the-metacritic-requirement-from-their-job-advert/. Accessed June 1, 2016.

  • Chang, B.-H., & Ki, E.-J. (2005). Devising a practical model for predicting theatrical movie success: Focusing on the experience good property. Journal of Media Economics, 18(4), 247–269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chintagunta, P. K., Gopinath, S., & Venkataraman, S. (2010). The effects of online user reviews on movie box office performance: Accounting for sequential rollout and aggregation across local markets. Marketing Science, 29(5), 944–957.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dellarocas, C., Zhang, X., & Awad, N. F. (2007). Exploring the value of online product reviews in forecasting sales: The case of motion pictures. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 21(4), 23–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dring, C. (2010). EA’s Moore: Metacritic mania a “slippery slope”. [online] Develop. http://www.develop-online.net/news/35425/EAs-Moore-Metacritic-mania-a-slippery-slope. Accessed June 1, 2016.

  • Duan, W., Gu, B., & Whinston, A. B. (2008). The dynamics of online word-of-mouth and product sales: An empirical investigation of the movie industry. Journal of Retailing, 84(2), 233–242.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eliashberg, J., & Shugan, S. M. (1997). Film Critics: Influencers or Predictors? Journal of Marketing, 61, 68–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert, B. (2012). Obsidian missed Fallout: New Vegas metacritic bonus by one point. [online] Joystiq. http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/obsidian-missed-fallout-new-vegas-metacritic-bonus-by-one-point/. Accessed June 1, 2016.

  • Graft, K. (2011). Take-Two’s Zelnick stresses importance of metacritic scores. [online] Gamasutra. http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/33092/TakeTwos_Zelnick_Stresses_Importance_Of_Metacritic_Scores.php#.UEO9zJapIg8. Accessed June 1, 2016.

  • Hennig-Thurau, T., Houston, M. B., & Walsh, G. (2007). Determinants of motion picture box office and profitability: An interrelationship approach. Review of Managerial Science, 1(1), 65–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins, R., Lee, M., Archambault, R., Divnich, J., Zatkin, G., Walker, P., et al. (2010). The influence of professional critic reviews: EEDAR/SMU behavioral study. Retrieved from http://mandetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/EEDAR-SMU-Study-One-Review-Anchoring2.pdf.

  • Joeckel, S. (2007). The impact of experience: The influences of user and online review ratings on the performance of video games in the US market. In Situated play: Proceedings of the 2007 Digital Games Research Association Conference, Tokyo, Japan, pp. 629–638.

  • Litman, B. R. (1983). Predicting success of theatrical movies: An empirical study. The Journal of Popular Culture, 16(4), 159–175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, Y. (2006). Word of mouth for movies: Its dynamics and impact on box office revenue. Journal of Marketing, 70, 74–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Livingston, I. J., Nacke, L. E., & Mandryk, R. L. (2011a). The impact of negative game reviews and user comments on player experience. Paper presented at Sandbox’11: The 6th ACM SIGGRAPH, Vancouver, Canada.

  • Livingston, I. J., Nacke, L. E., & Mandryk, R. L. (2011b). Influencing experience: The effects of reading game reviews on player experience. Paper presented at the International Conference on Entertainment Computing, Vancouver, Canada.

  • Metacritic. (n.d.). How we create the metascore magic. http://www.metacritic.com/about-metascores. Accessed June 1, 2016.

  • Prag, J., & Casavant, J. (1994). An empirical study of the determinants of revenues and marketing expenditures in the motion picture industry. Journal of Cultural Economics, 18, 217–235.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ravid, S. A. (1999). Information, blockbusters, and stars: A study of the film industry. The Journal of Business, 72(4), 463–492.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reinstein, D. A., & Snyder, C. M. (2005). The influence of expert reviews on consumer demand for experience goods: A case study of movie critics. The Journal of Industrial Economics, 53(1), 27–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sherrick, B. (2014). Should game companies use reviews in policy decisions? Paper presented at International Communication Association, Seattle.

  • Zhu, F., & Zhang, X. (2006). The influence of online consumer reviews on the demand for experience goods: The case of video games. ICIS 2006 Proceedings, p. 25.

  • Zhu, F., & Zhang, X. (2010). Impact of online consumer reviews on sales: The moderating role of product and consumer characteristics. Journal of marketing, 74(2), 133–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Brett Sherrick.

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sherrick, B., Schmierbach, M. The Effects of Evaluative Reviews on Market Success in the Video Game Industry. Comput Game J 5, 185–194 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40869-016-0027-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40869-016-0027-y

Keywords

Navigation