Chapter 133: International Promotion
Most games, especially single-player games, reach their peak popularity during the first two weeks of their launch. Afterwards, popularity tends to decline, especially in the case of games that received a lot of early publicity.
This is a common phenomenon in the video game industry. After all, many players, after completing a single-player game, apart from collecting and replaying it, rarely play it again. Having already seen the story, they rarely feel the need to play it again, unless it is for the gameplay.
Additionally, later developers have been reluctant to continue promoting their games, so popularity naturally declines.
However, Dark Souls has bucked this trend. Its popularity has risen steadily, especially as more players complete it and discover its more detailed content. The game's rating has steadily risen from an initial 8.3 to a 9.3, and it seems to have the potential to keep climbing.
This has baffled countless game designers in the industry.
"Why is Dark Souls' reputation so high? I don't get it!"
"It's mainly because Dark Souls was underrated before, and now it's making a comeback. But what baffles me most is that Dark Souls has been online for almost a month, right? How is its popularity even higher?"
"Yeah! Video platforms and live streaming platforms have been practically dominated by Dark Souls!"
"I can only say that Alex and his Nebula Games are toxic!"
"But looking at third-party sales statistics, although Dark Souls is a hit, its sales don't seem that explosive. It is estimated that it peaked at 800,000 in its first month."
"That's simply because Dark Souls is incredibly popular. Is 800,000 sales in the first month low for a blockbuster? With subsequent discounts, it's only a matter of time before it reaches the one million mark."
"It seems that Dark Souls' design is completely different from previous action RPGs! Why is it so successful?"
With the popularity of Dark Souls, the video game industry doesn't stop talking about this phenomenal game. The main developers and designers also studied it in reverse. After all, the industry already considered that Alex had overstepped.
The lack of a minimap, the game's excessive difficulty, and the severe death penalty were some of Dark Souls' early strengths. However, as time passed, did they become Dark Souls' strengths? It was bewildering!
Countless designers, observing Dark Souls' unwavering popularity, began to question their lives. This completely upended their perceptions.
Of course, there were even more skeptics. They were the developers and designers who, when Dark Souls' initial reputation plummeted, tried to capitalize on the game's success. Now, they were all stunned.
Inside Eagle Entertainment, David Lee felt his blood pressure rise and, in a trance, he saw stars. He had considered many things, but he never expected that a game that had seemingly failed to gain a foothold on its launch would be so resilient without changes.
The problem was not the game, but the players. Players had to adapt.
It's a common joke among game designers. Even the most experienced professionals would not believe it. But he never imagined that the game Dark Souls would fit this statement. And more importantly, Dark Souls' popularity showed no signs of diminishing.
Now, Eagle Entertainment faced a rather awkward situation. Should they launch a new game or not? If they did, they would have to deal with Dark Souls' launch and the subsequent threats from two major virtual reality titles from Aether Games and NetDragon.
If they didn't, the pre-launch promotional campaign had already begun.
Inside the office, David Lee, watching his subordinates who were watching him, paused for a moment before offering them a way out.
"I think the game still has room for improvement in terms of plot and gameplay. To offer players a better experience, I think we should postpone the launch. After all, no one remembers a bad game that was launched on time. Delaying a game's launch is about offering players a game that better meets their expectations. It's all for the players!"
Watching the team, David Lee remembered something Alex had said at the Game Expo and repeated it perfectly. It was a truly effective statement.
Why the delay? It wasn't out of fear of losing sales to the competition; it was all for the sake of the players!
Just like David Lee, a large number of previously promoted games decided to postpone their launches. Of course, there were one or two games that decided to launch according to the original plan. However, none of them were RPGs.
Alex didn't pay much attention to Dark Souls' impact on the industry. At that moment, he was more concerned about the international version of Dark Souls.
Although Stellar Software is the agent for many Nebula Games games, their main focus is still Dark Souls. Translations into several languages are done simultaneously, but only English dubbing has been adapted.
Considering the approval materials of various countries and online promotional operations, Stellar Software is quite optimistic about Dark Souls' performance abroad.
After successfully passing review, Dark Souls trailers began to be published in various countries. The main methods of promotion are trailers and gameplay videos. Although the momentum is not great, it is evident that it still sparks interest among domestic developers.
Soon, the news spread throughout the industry.
"Have you heard the news? Dark Souls will be launched abroad!"
"Is it true?"
"Why don't you visit several well-known game communities and forums abroad and take a look? There are ads related to Dark Souls."
"In fact, it's a bit predictable, isn't it? After all, it's very popular in this country, and it's also a fantasy game."
"I'm not surprised. In fact, I think the indie games previously developed by Nebula Games won't do badly abroad, especially Valiant Hearts: The Great War. After all, it's based on the war in Europe."
"Yeah, it's just that Nebula Games used to focus mainly on the local market. But, of course, can Dark Souls become popular abroad?"
"Who can say for sure if it will? But I think there's a pretty high probability, mainly because there don't seem to be any major competitive hits in the foreign market during this period."
Many players are also commenting on this on the national official blog and in gaming community forums.
"I heard that Dark Souls is going to have a foreign version!"
"It's just a foreign version, it doesn't really concern us."
"I wonder if they'll open foreign servers later. I feel like invading them."
"F***, that's not harassment! But, please, take me with you!"
"Stop one by one! Look at your shameful playtime. You haven't even finished the first round and you're still thinking about playing against foreigners. Don't let them intimidate you later."
Meanwhile, while domestic players were actively discussing the game, Stellar Software's international promotion was also showing initial success.
Because the budget for advertising and promotion was relatively limited, large-scale advertising was obviously difficult. However, Stellar Software employed the most common and direct method in the video game industry: early media reviews.
Alex did not conduct media reviews in the local market. Media and players received the game at the same time. However, due to the unique nature of Dark Souls, some major national media outlets were hesitant to comment.
Some smaller media outlets did review the game on the first day, but their reviews lacked depth. Their praise and criticism were completely unfounded. By the time players learned about Dark Souls, they were practically torn to shreds and had to delete their reviews.
Meanwhile, some of the more prestigious and respected media outlets, by the time they fully mastered the game, already knew about it. Most of the players who followed it understood what it was like. They could only be considered late reviews.
As for the international market, considering the quality of Dark Souls and the need to quickly attract international players, media reviews were clearly the fastest and most cost-effective method.
GameSpot, a renowned international media outlet, published its review of Dark Souls on the eve of its international launch.
"This is a fantasy-themed ARPG from a game company in a Western country."
"Before analyzing the game, I want to express my admiration. Its unique map design, combat system, and gameplay open up a new path for future ARPGs."
"We can even confidently predict that this type of game in Dark Souls will probably become a unique branch of the ARPG genre in the future. It is intense, yet painful and joyful at the same time. Death is a constant companion throughout the game."
"As for the plot, unlike previous ARPGs that unfold an exciting and captivating story, Dark Souls chooses to wrap joy in layers of pain."
"If you want to taste it, you need to fight over and over again, becoming braver with each defeat and, finally, overcoming yourself. This will also give you an unprecedented sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. It is a very bold attempt; any carelessness could lead them to ruin."
"But it must be said that they succeeded. This game is incredibly attractive, with impeccable level and boss design. It is not difficult for the sake of being difficult, but is perfectly balanced. Every time I complete a level, the scene map is like a puzzle, and every time I defeat a seemingly invincible boss, I feel my blood boil."
"Additionally, the game has numerous side quests, but these lack clear guidance, forcing players to constantly explore and even risk killing NPCs, which causes a complete disconnect in the first round. Additionally, the game's art style and map design are captivating. For example, the initial Lothric Wall offers various exploration routes that guide players through every corner of the map."
"Additionally, the location of enemies and patrol routes within the map are meticulously designed, so that following and inverting most of the routes offers completely different experiences."
"Additionally, the wide selection of weapons enriches the game's combat system, making it less tedious and more engaging."
"Rating: 9.5. Critic's tip: If you can accept and endure temporary pain, Dark Souls is undoubtedly worth it."
After GameSpot's 9.5 rating, several other renowned international media outlets have also given it equally high scores.
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