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Top 5 Battle Royale Titles of 2020

Hyper Scape Battle Royale Game
Hyper Scape Battle Royale Game

Top 5 Battle Royale Titles of 2020

Battle Royale games like Fortnite, PUBG and Apex Legends might have been at the top for a very long time. However, many new battle royale games are getting attention in 2020. 

Waiting in the wing are many unique and amazing games which are giving us their own takes on the genre.

Few of these games have already been released.  Others are still in development. Today, we will take a closer look at the best battle royale games of 2020.

Now, without any further delay, let’s get started!

Spellbreak

 
Spellbreak Battle Royale Game
 Spellbreak Battle Royale Game
 

First up, Spellbreak is going to be one of the biggest Battle Royale games of 2020. The game is being developed by Proletariat. And man, fans all over the world are HYPED up.  Not surprisingly, Spellbreak is bringing something completely new to the table. It’s going to be completely different from other battle royales like Fortnite and PUBG. You’ll have to cast different kinds of spells to get the upper-hand on your enemies.

In terms of perspectives? Spellbreak is in the third-person.  Its gameplay, you ask?  Quite positively diverse. You’ll have to craft certain builds and use different combinations of spells in battle. The game’s artstyle is very vibrant.  Naturally its cartoonish graphics fit perfectly with the setting of this game. You can jump in a new game solo…  Or try to survive in the hollow lands with your friends.

Long-awaited, this title is going to get released for Windows, PlayStation, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. In my opinion, this game is a 4 out of a 5 and I am very excited to play it.

Blazing Sails

 
Blazing Sails Battle Royale Game
 Blazing Sails Battle Royale Game

Drumroll please…  Another upcoming battle royale game, Blazing Sails is going to be huge in 2020. Published by Iceberg Interactive and developed by GET UP GAMES, Blazing Sails is going to be a massively multiplayer online game. The objective? You and your friends have to protect a single pirate ship.

Players will create their own pirate avatar and build their own ship to become a part of the battle. The core loop?  You will have to navigate through the lands and seas to collect amazing loot, resources and weapons. As you survive at sea, your ship will be upgraded. Once it gets damaged in battle, you will have to fix your ship. Like the other games on this shortlist, Blazing Sails is going to have very vibrant and cartoonish graphics.

Blazing Sails is going to be available exclusively for Microsoft Windows. But what about CONSOLE players?  Unfortunately, console players won’t be able to get a taste of the deadly ocean yet. 

I would personally give this game a 4 out of a 5.  Because it looks extremely intriguing, I am excited to try it out.

Valhall

Valhall Battle Royale Game
 Valhall Battle Royale Game
 

What about fans of medieval warfare?  Bar none, Valhall is going to be the most REALISTIC battle royale game of 2020. In this game, you will experience the true brutality of the Viking era. Valhall is being developed and published by Blackrose Arts, and gamers all over the world are hyped for this release.

As for the gameplay of Valhall? Extremely complex.  With minimal HUD on the screen, the player will get to switch between first-person and third-person perspective. While I am certain this hybrid perspective has been tested with players via consumer insights and playtesting, only time will tell if players like or love this. Or not.  

Playing as a Viking, you will have different weapons at your disposal.  These include an axe and a long-bow. However, the long-bow will NOT have a crosshair. Why does that matter? Well, newer players are going to have a very hard time and be challenged by a steeper learning curve. Developers at Blackrose Arts have tried to make this game as realistic as possible.

The trailer suggests you will be able to play with your friends. This multiplayer co-op in the battle royale genre is going to take you for an INSANE rollercoaster ride. If you wonder about the graphics of this game, not to worry. They perfectly complement its breathtaking gameplay elements. With lifelike graphics, there will never be a dull moment in Valhall.

Currently it’s being developed exclusively for Windows. For console players, I suspect a PlayStation and Xbox port might get released in the near future.

I am quite excited to try this title out and would give this a 5 out of 5.

Hyper Scape

 
Hyper Scape Battle Royale Game
 Hyper Scape Battle Royale Game

To much fanfare, Hyper Scape is the new big battle royale game by Ubisoft. Released recently on July 12th 2020, the game is slowly gaining a lot of attention.

Hyper Scape is extremely fast-paced and does not go easy on new players. Set in the first-person perspective, it has amazing parkour elements. Players can jump from wall to wall and slide to go faster. Because of its fast-paced gameplay, you need an exceptionally good aim to dominate.

Hyper Scape has Fortnite-like graphics, but the gameplay is completely different. For the battle royale fans who like fast action, this game is going to be a very exciting play.

Hyper Scape is currently in beta and is only available on Microsoft Windows. Xbox and PlayStation versions of this game are being worked on as we speak. Let’s just hope that the game also comes with cross-play.

If you ask me, I liked the game. But, I think that the movement needs to be a little swifter, as aiming is too hard in this game. I would give it 3.5 out of 5.

Call of Duty Warzone

 
Call of Duty Warzone Battle Royale Game
 Call of Duty Warzone Battle Royale Game

Last but definitely not least, let’s talk about one of the most popular games of 2020. Call of Duty Warzone is Call of Duty’s take on the battle royale genre. Not surprisingly it has managed to get a lot of attention. It will remind some of you of PUBG. But this game experience is completely different 

While an extension of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, to play this game does NOT require the purchase of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Call of Duty Warzone has extremely realistic graphics, and the gameplay is very intense. There are tons of weapons to choose from.  And perfecting aim takes a lot of practice. 150 players take part in every match of Warzone. You’ll be glad to know, dying doesn’t kick you out of the match.  Instead you are given a second chance in the Gulag.

Call of Duty Warzone is available on PlayStation, Xbox and Windows. Personally, I loved this game, but it can be a little harsh for newer players. I’d give it a 4 out a 5.

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consumer insights PLAYSTATION video game video games

5 Most Anticipated Video Games on Playstation 5

Spider-Man: Miles Morales by Insomniac for Playstation 5
Spider-Man: Miles Morales by Insomniac for Playstation 5

5 For 5: 5 Most Anticipated Playstation 5 Games

THAT THE WHOLE VIDEO GAME COMMUNITY IS HYPED UP FOR!

A new frontier pushing the envelope in the video game industry, the PlayStation 5 next-gen console is coming this holiday season.  Gamers all over the world are hyped up!  A huge PlayStation live event took place recently, which further intensified this hype. The event showed us the physical hardware of this long-awaited console, and it also revealed some amazing upcoming video games. Video game pricing aside, these are the games that keep hardcore gamers like me lie awake in excitement.

The list of upcoming PlayStation 5 video games is filled to the brim with exciting titles. These games are going to show us what the next-gen console will be truly capable of!

Today, I’ll give you guys a list of the most highly anticipated PlayStation 5 games.

Now, without any further ado, let’s jump right into it!

 

Far Cry 6: The popular Far Cry series is returning with another major installment in 2021

Far Cry 6 anticipated Playstation 5 first person shooter video game
Far Cry 6 anticipated Playstation 5 first person shooter video game

This game is very highly anticipated as gamers all around the world wait desperately. In true Far Cry style. Far Cry 6 is going to be a first-person shooter with an amazing story.

The game is developed by the purveyors of gaming wizardry at Ubisoft. Fans have very high expectations from this installment of the series as it is going to be dramatically different from all the previous entries. The trailer for this game showcased some brilliant graphics, which looked just as good as real life! In this game, the players will be facing off against president Anton Castillo, who controls the entire island of Yara. This man is extremely violent, and we must fight him for the future of this island.

The players will play as Dani Rojas, who can be played as a male or female character. We don’tknow much regarding the gameplay features of this new title, but it will surely give us a more polished and refined experience as compared to the previous games.

Far Cry 6 is going to get released early next year! The exact release date is February 18th, 2021. I am extremely excited to try this new title out, and I’d give it a 4.5/5.

 

Project Athia: 3rd Person Adventure Video Game by Square Enix – Playstation Exclusive for Limited Time. Late 2020 or 2021.

Project Athia anticipated Playstation 5 video game
Project Athia anticipated Playstation 5 video game 3rd Adventure by Square Enix

The teaser trailer for Project Athia which was revealed at the PlayStation 5 live event was quite short, but it was enough to make an impact. Gamers are hyped up to play this third-person adventure game as it looked extremely interesting. This is going to be the next big title by Square Enix, and it will be a PlayStation exclusive for a limited time.

We don’t know much regarding the story of this title as the trailer was very short. However, we do know that the game is going to be set in a magical world, and the protagonist is going to be a female character. This harsh world is going to test the resolve and courage of our beautiful protagonist as she ventures through it.

The graphics of the game looked absolutely stunning in the trailer! We’ll be fighting against some mysterious creatures using our magical abilities.

We don’t have an exact release date for this game. However, it will be releasing late 2020, or maybe in 2021.

I am personally very excited to play this title and enjoy the amazing story. I’d give it a 5/5.

 

Resident Evil 8: Village is going to be the next major entry in this horror survival series. Coming in 2021.

This new title is going to be just as horrifying as the previous entry as it is also set in the first- person perspective. The game is being developed by the highly acclaimed CAPCOM studio, and it is going to be an absolute blast.

Resident Evil 8 has immensely realistic graphics which are going to show us the true extent of the next-generation consoles. The game is going to follow the story of our boy Ethan as he is again put in a dreadful situation, thanks to Chris Redfield. His whole life gets disrupted, and we must help him survive once again.

This Resident Evil title is going to get released in 2021; however, we don’t really have an exactrelease date right now. This title is going to be great, but I am personally not very excited to play it because I believe that Resident Evil works better in third-person perspective. I’d give this game a 3/5.

Resident Evil Village for Playstation 5 by Capcom
Resident Evil Village for Playstation 5 by Capcom

 

 

Spider-man: Miles Morales by Insomniac Studios.  Promised to be one of the best video games of 2020.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales by Insomniac for Playstation 5
Spider-Man: Miles Morales by Insomniac for Playstation 5

Spider-man: Miles Morales is going to be the new spider-man game this year, and as the name suggests, this title will be solely focusing on the story of Miles Morales. This game is being developed by Insomniac Studios, and it is going to be one of the best video games of 2020.

Of course a huge rocket boost for discoverability and video game marketing.  True to Spiderman fans and Marvel comic book fans the world over, the graphics of this game are going be extremely realistic.  Yet still retain a comicbook look which all Marvel games are famous for. The story of this game is going to take place after the events of the previous title in the series. Just like Peter, Miles obtains spider-like abilities and fights criminals to protect innocent people.

This sequel is going to get released with the release of the PlayStation 5 console as a launch title. Fans will definitely grab both, the PS5 and this game together.  I am personally quite excited to try out this new title, and I’d give it a 4.5/5.

 

Horizon Forbidden West by Guerrilla Games.  Coming in 2021.

Horizon Forbidden West Playstation 5 amazing graphics heart touching story video game
Horizon Forbidden West Playstation 5 amazing graphics heart touching story video game

Now, let us talk about the most highly anticipated PlayStation 5 title, Horizon Forbidden West. This game is going to be a sequel for the highly acclaimed Horizon Zero Dawn, and it is being developed by Guerrilla Games.

The new game has amazing graphics, and the machine dominated world looks even more stunning. We are going to again play as our girl Aloy, who is going to be as badass as ever thanks to her amazing abilities. The game will feature a beautiful open-world which will be filled to the brim with mysteries. Just like the previous game, we will be enjoying a heart- touching story in third-person perspective. An open-world action RPG like this, certainly play tested and tried via multiple rounds of consumer insights and research, this is one title that you cannot afford to miss.

This game is set to release in 2021, but we don’t really know the exact release date. I am personally extremely hyped to try out this title as the previous game was one of the best titles of 2017. I’d give it a 5/5.

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video game video game marketing video game publishing video games

Video Game Marketing and Discoverability by Design

Apex Legends Season 5 content drops for Twitch Prime
Apex Legends Season 5 content drops for Twitch Prime

Kudos and Bravo for “Discoverability by Design”

A video game marketing practitioner, I felt my heart racing.  A sense of validation washed over me.  In his June 24 Gamasutra post titled “Discoverability by Design: rethinking how video games get noticed” Simon Carless stated my mind.  Simon said something those of us in video game marketing and video game publishing have known for decades.  Hurray for when making video games and publishing video games unite!

Discoverability is hard and needs to be thought-out and designed-in, from the start.

Consumers have choices.  In fact, lots of choices.  The world has come a looooooooooooooooooong way since the days of single-player FPS games like Duke Nukem, even if that IS still the Video Game Greatest of All Time.  Although my mind is permanently numb from visions of kicking ass and chewing bubble gum.

In his blog, Simon mentioned the 4 keys to “Memetic Shareability.” What are they exactly?  These are: Quirky Hook, Stunning Art, Gif/Replay Exports and Genre-Like Signifiers.  A few examples quickly come to mind.

GAME-CHARACTER COLORATION:  In Heroes of Dragon Age, the Twitter-featured character tier progression for Saboteur Hawke

HODA Saboteur Hawke character tier progression
HODA Saboteur Hawke clear character tier progression: material, gear, costume, etc

Visually contrasting and storytelling.  The clear Character Tier Progression (headware from None to stylized Hood; Armor from leather to iron to steel to gold-trimmed steel; matching weapon evolution) were classic RPG attributes, where color and fabric connotes Rank, Defense, Damage and more, not to mention visual appeal. What does this mean?  Simply encouraging player “Peacocking” and sharing on Twitter, Pinterest, and more.

Continue reading “Video Game Marketing and Discoverability by Design”
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eSports gamer gaming video game video games

Top Female eSports Teams Inspiring Girl Gamers

eSports Arena
Competitive eSports Arena

Top Female eSport Teams

eSports is a male-dominated sport. An estimated 90% of Major eSports professionals are men. Despite huge strides in the last decade, male gamers still far outnumber girl gamers.  But the large video game publishers and brands are taking notice.  The video game industry is growing more quickly than ever, with an estimated 2.5 billion players worldwide.  Who better to grow popularity and discoverability among girl gamers than, well, girl gamers?

In the last decade, the somewhat inclusive E-gaming Arenas have become more welcoming to girl gamers. With major brands sponsoring All Female gamer girl groups and recently, Female eSports league has started to gain traction globally. Change is afoot.  And we may see more girl gamers competing and winning yet.

The move to diversify eSports and include more girl gamers is growing by the day.

From major brands to NBA teams are on a quest. There is a vibrant NBA 2K League.  In 2019 for the first time, WNBA players are making their debut in NBA 2K. A quest to grow the number of Female professional player in eSports and level the playing field.  Hopefully in the near future, re-balance the 9-to-1 Male to Female player ratio, still prevalent in the current E-gaming community.

It’s hard to deny the prejudice Females have faced in the professional gaming community. Now more than ever, the community is more welcoming to Gamer Girls. Many more skilled Female Gamers are winning major game tournaments. The male-centric gaming community must accept, some more slowly than others, the idea of professional female eSport players. And respect them as winners and champions.

esports girl gamer champion
VKLiooon winning the Hearthstone tournament at Blizzcon

Take for example in the Global HearthStone Tournament, VKLiooon defeated the previous world champion in a clean sweep, winning the Tournament by a huge margin.

She became the first-ever female HearthStone Champion at Blizzcon in 2019.  Punctuating her history-making victory, she said:

“I want to say to all the girls out there that have a dream for eSports, for competition, for glory.  If you want to do it and you believe in yourself, you should just forget your gender and go for it”.

This was a historic moment in the gaming community.  One that shattered the old prejudice – that “Girls can’t play games.” A wakeup call for the old-guard, heard far and wide by women and men around the world.  And arguably more importantly, by boys and girls across the land.

The Female Gaming community has made huge progress in the last decade.  Let us take a look at some of the most prominent professional eSports All-Girl groups from all around the world.

Continue reading “Top Female eSports Teams Inspiring Girl Gamers”
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consumer insights gamer gaming Uncategorized video game video game marketing video games

Consumer Insights for Video Game GOAT: Duke Nukem

Video game FPS concept market testing via consumer insights
Soldier special forces with weapons in their hands on a futuristic background. Military concept of the future. Consumer insights for video game market research.

CONSUMER INSIGHTS VIDEO GAME GREATEST OF ALL TIME: DUKE NUKEM

Duke Nukem was and arguably always will be my favorite video game of all time.  Does it have a market among battle royale fans of Fortnite, PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty Mobile?

The first PC game that I paid for. With a HUGE $40 of my own money at the age of 20, I chose Duke over a pub crawl or infrequent meal of tacos in college.  Will brand equity aid discoverability? Consumer Insights hold the key.

 

Menacing flying aliens wielding rocket-propelled grenades.  Shade-bespectacled foes with tusks the size of Siberian boars.  Gratuitous scantily-clad young ladies dancing on stages, hips gyrating rhythmically to the electric pop background music.

 

The frequent drops of weapons – from rocket-propelled grenades, to shotguns, to pistols, and ammo – stimulate the mind.  In pure single-player mode, it’s easy to pick up, put down, save progress.  While heart-pounding exciting and exhilarating as ever, the ability to save and reattempt levels makes it forgiving.  

 

Playing the 2011 reboot Duke Nukem Forever on my Mac this week during the coronavirus shelter-at-home, I got to relive some of my early college years.  The nuclear waste and dancers still grab the eyeballs, even as I have laddered up in age.

 

This begs the question though.  I paid an entire $40 for the full game in 1996.  And again in 2020, I paid $40 for the game + downloadable content on Steam.  HOW can this game be reimagined for a different revenue model – say, monthly subscription or free-to-play in-app purchases.  

 

As a video game marketing consultant, I wondered.  If I were marketing this game as a Premium-Priced 1-time Download on Steam:

 

  1. What are my best options for maximizing branding (reactivating awareness) amongst existing fans of the Duke Nukem franchise?
  2. How do I best build excitement among brand-new first-person shooter fans?
  3. How can the game acquire and convert multiplayer battle royale games like Fortnite or PUBG?
  4. Which messages would resonate best with each of these audiences? 
  5. Which promotional tactics do I have to maximize downloadable sales?
  6. Is a time-limited MASSIVE discount promotion (say 50%, 60%, even 70%) the only way to crack the STEAM Store charts?
  7. Are there media channels (whether IGN, PCGamer, or EuroGamer) that can drive measurable sales?
  8. Should the developer choose to turn this game into a Free 2 Play, mobile games, what are some of the best content and monetization strategies?  
  9. How much time and resources should they devote to strictly Organic Discovery, like Apple or Google App Store Optimization?
  10. Is it more advantageous to launch during the Shelter in Place campaign (i.e. in the next 4-8 weeks)?  
  11. Or does it make more sense to create “evergreen” paid media advertising campaigns, that run throughout the year?
  12. What types of analytics and attribution are required?  And can these be put in place on startup budgets, without breaking the bank?

 From experience I know this much.

Consumer Insights and good old-fashioned market research are key to rock-solid brand positioning and laser-focused activation.

A combination of qualitative consumer research – targeted at the target consumer persona can answer these questions about how (1) Brand Loyalists like me and (2) fans of battle royale FPS and 3PS titles like Fortnite, PUBG Mobile, and Call of Duty can best be activated.

That and how and where the video game marketing budgets are best spent.  Is it more advantageous spent on paid media on Facebook, Google UAC and the likes?  Or strictly through trusted influencers through the likes of Youtube, Twitch Prime and reviewers?

These are precisely the types of questions that I help my clients (video game developers and publishers) solve, in order to maximize media coverage and measurable revenue and profits. And in a strange, inexplicable way, I relish the challenge of helping a game developer shop on startup, even shoestring budgets.

 

If you have a promising game project that you like to promote and burst up the STEAM Store, Apple App Store, or Google Play Store – and like to tap into the marketing expertise of someone who’s worked on both branded and original-IP games on Facebook, PC, Apple, and Android, reach out to me.  

 

In the meantime, make sure to stay safe, play apart, but always, always “kick ass and chew bubble gum.”

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gamer gaming video game video game industry video games

State of the Video Game Industry

video game, cosplay
Sheffield, United Kingdom - June 11, 2016: Cosplayers dressed as characters from the video game series 'Halo' at the Yorkshire Cosplay Convention at Sheffield Arena
Team of Professional eSport Gamers Playing in Competitive Video Games on a Cyber Games Tournament. They using Microphones.

“All men dream – but not equally. Those who dream by night, in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity… But the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes, to make it possible. This I did.” From T. E. Lawrence’s Seven Pillars of Wisdom – Uncharted 3

 

Video games have found their entrée into just about every household today. Close to 65% of American adults play video games, whether through their phones, laptops, or gaming systems. When broken down, 60% of people are playing games on their smartphones, 52% at their personal computer, and 49% with a gaming household. Even more, about 75% of Americans have at least one gamer in their household.

To put the $152 billion a year market in context, that is larger than the annual revenue from movie box office and music, combined (Kevin Chou, Forte, 2020) Furthermore, 2.5 billion gamers across the world, means 1 in 3 people across the world, games. 

Video games are no longer the exclusive strongholds of teenaged fanboys.

 

Rather, with the advent of smartphones and tablets and the “anywhere, anytime” accessibility they provide, gamers span generations – millennials and boomers alike take part in this digital interaction. And yes, boys, girls, men, women, alternative lifestyle, and more, play games on their smartphones, tablets.  Not to mention contributing  user-generated content or UGC.: videos, reviews and more.

 

HERE’S a TRIVIA QUESTION.  What do Ryan Reynolds, Dwayne Johnson, Jake Gyllenhaal and Milla Jovovich to Rami Malek, Sarah Silverman, John C. Riley, Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Rodriguez have in common?

 

The obvious answer is that they are all current and former Hollywood A-Listers past and  present.  The LESS OBVIOUS answer is that they have all starred in movies which had started out as video game franchises, loved and played by millions of gamers on a range of gaming devices.

And more amazingly, video games are as part of pop culture as music, sports, and movies.  If you need any more convincing, just look at the following list of popular movies about video games:

  • Tomb Raider (2018)
  • Pokemon Detective Pikachu (2019)
  • Warcraft (2016)
  • Assassins Creed (2016)
  • Angry Birds the Movie (2016)
  • Rampage (2018)
  • Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016)
  • Hitman Agent 47 (2015)
  • Need for Speed (2014)
  • Prince of Persia (2010)
  • Ready Player One (2018)
  • Resident Evil Retribution (2012)
  • Wreck It Ralph (2012)
  • Doom (2005)
  • Mortal Kombat (1995)
  • Tomb Raider (2001)
  • Street Fighter (1994)

As gamers, we are part of a large, thriving and rapidly growing community.  Of fangirls, fanboys, athletes, streamers, developers, artists, and as many of us have already known for many many years, celebrities, actors, actresses, and musicians among us.  Game On, Game Proud.