Apparently, being a sequel to one of the best-selling Xbox 360 and PC games of 2008 isn’t enough. Left 4 Dead 2 has already generated significant excitement, but Valve wants to put some additional marketing muscle behind the project, recently announcing a $25 million ad campaign to promote the November 17 release. Yes, $25 million. In other words, take $1 million and multiply it by 25. Cut $40 million in half and add $5 million. Divide $100 million by two, subtract $40 million, and add $15 million.
Any way you slice it, that’s a lot of money. More money than comes with a standard Monopoly board anyway.
Far be it from me to question Valve’s financial decisions, but is such a massive push really necessary? Does the Half-Life developer really need to spend $25 million? The game is sure to be a massive success, with pre-orders already exceeding those amassed by the original.
“Based on the strength of pre-orders, Left 4 Dead 2 will be the fastest-selling product in Valve’s history,” Valve co-founder Gabe Newell said, according to a report by Gamasutra’s Kris Graft. “Left 4 Dead 2 has consistently run at 300 percent of Left 4 Dead’s numbers.”
Seems to me like the apocalyptic shooter doesn’t need much help.
Of course, I’m not suggesting that Valve sit back and do nothing to promote the game. Clearly, it’s in the company’s best interest to spread the word far and wide. The IP has an established base of over 2.5 million users, but a little extra publicity certainly won’t hurt. Marketing has become a vital part of the industry, and companies can ill afford to release a game without expanding beyond traditional conduits like IGN, Destructoid and 1UP.
Nowadays, it’s all about reaching as many people as possible. Maximize your audience, and you maximize profits.
In the United States, L4D2 ads will run in conjunction with Monday Night Football and UFC telecasts, filling those unbearable commercial breaks with undead-flavored goodness. These spots in particular should be quite effective – and offensively expensive. Both programs are really popular, commanding sizable audiences that include testosterone-driven males who might fancy a shot at Valve’s shambling hordes.
According to Graft, the push will also include roadside billboards and “popular lifestyle sites.”
Like I said, I’m not questioning the campaign, but the budget attached to it. Seems to me like Valve could save a bit of cash, yet still executive an effective and productive front. Admittedly, I’m not a financial whiz, nor am I privy to the studio’s financial calculations and research, so I’m not really in a position to dictate the company’s expenditures. I’m merely thinking aloud.
Penny for your thoughts?
Source: Gamasutra
I’m excited for Left 4 Dead 2, though I think it could have been handled as an expansion of the first game. All these marketing dollars though mean more exposure for the new girl character who I’m sure will be drawn naked or modded with Gary’s mod having sex with boomers when released. I’m sure Left4Nude will have ‘em all on the first day. Sheesh.
Hm…that does seem pretty hefty. I can’t recall what it is retailing for, but if we say it is something like $40, then they’d need to sell 625,000 more copies over the lifetime of the game to recoup the cost than they would have without the ads…at $50, that’s 500,000 copies, and at $60, you’re looking at a little more than 416,000 additional sales.
Doesn’t sound feasible to me, at any of those prices…perhaps I’m missing the long-term implications, maybe they’re looking to generate even more brand-recognition for the name ‘Valve’?
Isn’t EA paying for the adverts? Like last year?
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