6) Changing The Public’s Perception
If you want to see marketing done right in the video game industry, look at Sony last year and particularly at their E3 press conferences. Following the criticism of Microsoft’s policies with the Xbox One, mainly regarding DRM and game ownership, Sony struck back with a killer section in their conference, outlining policies with no DRM and giving the people exactly what they wanted to hear.
They also released a video mocking Microsoft’s confusing game-sharing function on the Xbox One, showing that with the PS4, sharing a game was as easy as giving your friend the disc. It converted thousands from Microsoft to Sony in an instant and the Xbox One has been tailing ever since. You’ll notice by the way that I haven’t mentioned Nintendo yet here, and that’s exactly the point.
Nintendo has become somewhat of an ‘other guy’; the console you buy when you’re bored of playing with your PS4 or Xbox One. Of course, people do use the Wii U as their main console, but it’s an incredibly small number compared to the other two home systems. Nintendo needs to change that perception and the only way to do that is through marketing.
The company is about to release several games that can help. Bayonetta 2 was picked up by Nintendo after being abandoned by their rivals and it’s exactly the sort of game that the company needs to show off to people. Of course, that’s easier said than done, but with some well-made trailers that highlight the over-the-top gameplay of the title, it will turn heads. Which is exactly what Nintendo needs.
There are other options too, which have been discussed by critics. A complete re-branding or relaunch of the Wii U is one of them – perhaps a tad extreme, especially considering the permanent damage removing a console from sale could do to the brand. Still, it is a route that might be necessary for Nintendo to win back favor from the masses and in the long term, it could be a decision that reaps huge rewards.
