Interview Brian Fargo Interview and Career Retrospective at Polygon

I also think PoE will outsell WL2, simply because of the nostalgia factor if for no other reason. The IE games sold millions of copies and PoE tries to consciously imitate them, while many of WL2 backers weren't even born when WL1 was released.

 

Marketing is what makes shit sell. When it comes to sales, it is the most important factor, so I'm surprised why you find this notion simplistic.

People will try anything if they hear and read about it often enough (especially if they read that it's awesome).

 

Don't recall what their arrangement was but Tom Ohle was Bioware's PR guy and he was very good at it (even had an account on the Codex which was very of him). He founded his own PR company and has a good client list including a little known company called Valve.

 

Vandal.

 

I might be wrong but I think Banished relied on word of mouth as its marketing and when it was released a lot of people bought it because it was made by one guy or something.

 

I'm pretty sure that I saw Banished previews and LPs before it was released. It was on RPS, Eurogamer, Kotaku, etc. I think it was the youtubers that made it so well-known but it's a form of marketing these days.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/03/22/simsettlement-banished-is-about-survival-and-life/

 

I agree with you on the importance of marketing, but I think you're underestimating Obsidian's marketing abilities Vince.

I think they also have a more appealing product (regardless of quality in this case). The beautiful 2D backgrounds, the real time gameplay, dwarves and elves. It's going to outsell W2, and I suspect by a wide margin.

 

Wouldn't say no to that. I have a huge respect for the talent Obsidian gathered and want to see the company successful enough to ditch the licensed IP and go creative.

 

I know that you and Infinitorn disagree about the effect of marketing, but try to keep it civil.

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In the case of the Infinity Engine games I think it was the explicit D&D licensing, the fact that the games were fairly innovative and visually impressive for the time, etc. that drove interest and momentum. Baldur's Gate was first so it was biggest, and even at the time the Icewind Dales etc. were considered cheaper "knock-offs", and Torment never had as much of a following due to it being based on Planescape (which was never super-popular compared to Forgotten Realms). Didn't necessarily help that Icewind Dale was marketed as a Diablo competitor yet really was nothing of the sort, other than featuring less story-driven gameplay and a random loot system.

In other words, Baldur's Gate especially was the KotOR of its time, albeit aimed at a bit of a different audience and featuring different mechanics. Compared to RPGs that preceded it though, it was absolutely more accessible to wider audiences than old dungeon crawlers (especially given the rise of PC RTS games from 1995-1997 or so).

 

Fargo could sell shit to a toilet. Which is why I think WL2 is going to outsell PoE.

But I will happily be wrong. I am more excited for PoE by a wide, wide margin. I don't know if it is the setting or the chance to play in a new IP or what, and I don't mean to scoff at WL2 because I am also looking forward to playing that. A lot. But if you made me pick one, I'd pick PoE. And that's not a knock against Fargo and his crew, I just want to fuck some dudes up with a sword.

ETA: I'm also a littled burned out on all the post-apoc stuff.

 

That's a catchy one liner. Its a mind worm. Their marketing started well before they got the money to make the game.

 

One could argue that the fact Fargo is managing to raise approximately as much money as Obsidian in a kickstarter is actually him punching well above his weight class and showing that he is a marketing genius.

All that said, it looks like both InXile and Obsidian are getting plenty of press and there is lots of excitement for all the kickstarter projects.

 

Is there a pastebin or something? Polygon is literally funded by MS and full of SJW shits.

 

Obsidian did a better job at communicating their design ideas and explaining the game's concept. Fargo did a better job selling the idea of his game and hyping it as the next best thing since sliced bread.

 

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-04-24-brian-fargo-backers-say-just-get-it-right

 

Word of mouth turns flops into cult hits, and cult hits can be reasonably profitable in the digital age.

 

I think Josh E. Sawyer has that sex appeal X-factor that will make PoE a best seller. Let's face it - who's more dreamy, Brian Fucking Fargo or Josh E. Sawyer?

 

I am not sure what you are arguing about. Obsidian sucks at selling stuff. Hence Fargo should easily outsell Obsidian. Their selling message is mixed, convoluted and completely lacks focus. Obsidian: PE is an old-school, andtigrognard, learn on the go and DnD sucks kind of game.

Not to mention that Sawyer completely lacks understanding of his audience. When about inventory management he talks about scrolls carried by mage. He doesn't pause to think that 50 heavy armor suits, which you were too lazy to sell, carried by three mages in a joint inventory kills immersion the second you open it. I supported the game both on KS and on the codex and I am not sure if I want to play it.

At this point it would be wiser just to release technical specs. This is how you sell and Fargo knows it. .

 

Fargo could sell a lighter to a mermaid.