Valve Says Ad Agencies Are "Worthless," Going it Alone for Portal 2

[Ajna]

-snip-

I've come to more or less the same conclusion, especially given how generally reluctant to spend money gamers generally are. I don't think your tone comes across as too snide.

Good to know I didn't reach a completely flawed conclusion.

Snideness-wise, I just always feel it's good to clarify that when you correct someone in writing. Sarcasm and such are difficult to pick up in text, so people can read things that aren't there, and before you know it, you've got a flame war over something inconsequential.

 

[SenorNemo]

-snip-

-snip-

Good to know I didn't reach a completely flawed conclusion.

Snideness-wise, I just always feel it's good to clarify that when you correct someone in writing. Sarcasm and such are difficult to pick up in text, so people can read things that aren't there, and before you know it, you've got a flame war over something inconsequential.

Very true, and it is better to be safe than sorry, especially on boards like these.

 

[Panopticon01]

Kudos to valve for this bold and sad to say, "innovative" step. I dont think it takes a firm full of people with pseudo-majors in advertisement to tell someone that whats been done in the past will work again in the future. I think the ad business has itself partly to blame for the glut of cliched and bad advice valve seems to have gotten.

 

[Callate]

I was trying to think how I would pitch an ad campaign for Portal 2, and I came to one conclusion: license the Coyote and Road Runner.

 

[Ivan Torres]

What I'm curious to see is the failed pitches by the ad agencies. I want to know how far off mark they made them.

They were probably going to say "Your father will be unable to solve it!"

 

[Someone Depressing]

I hope the PlayStation version isn't as Broken And simply Unplayable as the First one.

 

[Dexiro]

Why would a game need to go through an Ad Agency to begin with? Unless of course they're just trying to hide how bad the game is to begin with. (i.e. hiding game flaws behind non-relivant dribble like how your mother might not enjoy the game.)

Not all developers have good enough skills in marketing, or they're not confident they could do better than ad agencies.

 

[The Youth Counselor]

ps3 is getting the best console version

Fixed for you.

You get the PS3 version AS WELL as the PC version when you preorder for the PS3.

My primitive console gaming barbarian friend and I decided to split the price of one, so I could play co-op with her on our preferred platforms.

 

[SFR]

Good.
High five to Valve !

Really hope the PS3 version isnt as unplayable as the first Portal.

ps3 is getting the best version

I'm sure you're sick of hearing this, but the PS3 is getting the best console version. Portal 1 was designed with the keyboard and mouse in mind, which is why it was a bit of a chore to play it on the 360. It was doable, but it took some getting use to and was never as fluid. The same problems HOPEFULLY will still apply (I say that because I don't want things dumbed down for consoles causing the PC version to be dumbed down too), but the PS3 version, unlike the 360 version, will have Steam support and what not. The PC though, is still the best, as it not only has the keyboard and mouse support but also custom user created levels and mods.

OT: I'm really stoked about this. We know Valve can do good videos, so I think the ad will be awesome. I really liked the L4D2 ad... though a lot of that was because of the song (plus footage Valve made). Bang, bang, bang, BANG!

 

[Fingerthing]

I think this is the first time in my life that I have been excited about a ad.

 

[Calico93]

Good.
High five to Valve !

Really hope the PS3 version isnt as unplayable as the first Portal.

Ahem, the PS3 version of Orange Box was fine, the loading times were a bit long and Team Fortress 2 was baron of all life but otherwise Portal & Half-Life were very playable.

Otherwise I am really looking forward to this, loved the first Portal.

Not for me it wasnt, portal froze all the time, the loading times were annoying as hell, both games glitched all the time and froze.
Maybe it was my PS3 idk it just was unplayable, dont get me wrong i still love the games after playing them on PC but the PS3 was majorly not a good port.

 

[mjc0961]

This move should also prove to make sure they don't get any "help" from EA's marketing department. Always a plus.

Good.
High five to Valve !

Really hope the PS3 version isnt as unplayable as the first Portal.

ps3 is getting the best version

PC is getting the best version. PS3 is just getting the best console version.

 

[The Youth Counselor]

Oh, and Lombardi is right on the money and saving money for it.

I think TV spots do make people go and research products, but it doesn't sell them by themselves and not by that much. For the price that clients pay for TV spots to get the extra revenue, (Left 4 Dead's TV advertisements cost VALVe $25 Million) not much profit is redeemed from this sector.

VALVe has generally has had bad luck with commercials. I mean take a look at the following WTF TV spot for The Orange Box to compliment the terrible Orange Box boxart:


Video game commercials in general have badluck. Most video game ads are simply hastily put together clips of the most action and overpowered by a loud soundtrack and sometimes a narrator.

Half-Life 2 had no commercials on TV, and it is one of the best selling and most well known video games of all time.

On the other hand, I tried out Half-Life only because of a very convincing ad for it on a VHS of Rush Hour. It wasn't a TV spot though.

 

[Danpascooch]

Valves advertisements are generally hilarious, and so far I don't know of any stupidly dangerous or damaging PR stunts (which sounds like a given, but are actually depressingly common)

So I'd say they are doing a hell of a job so far, and they're saving money too!

 

[Waaghpowa]

ps3 is getting the best console version

Fixed for you.

You get the PS3 version AS WELL as the PC version when you preorder for the PS3.

My primitive console gaming barbarian friend and I decided to split the price of one, so I could play co-op with her on our preferred platforms.

Can you Verify that the PC copy that comes along with it isn't going to be somehow attached to the ps3 one? I read that your psn copy would link to your steam one.

Edit: Apparently the copy of Portal 2 for pc is only available if you register you PS3 copy to steam, meaning no you can't split the cost of the ps3 game with a friend.
http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1721240

 

[Danpascooch]

Oh, and Lombardi is right on the money and saving money for it.

I think TV spots do make people go and research products, but it doesn't sell them by themselves and not by that much. For the price that clients pay for TV spots to get the extra revenue, (Left 4 Dead's TV advertisements cost VALVe $25 Million) not much profit is redeemed from this sector.

VALVe has generally has had bad luck with commercials. I mean take a look at the following WTF TV spot for The Orange Box to compliment the terrible Orange Box boxart:


Video game commercials in general have badluck. Most video game ads are simply hastily put together clips of the most action and overpowered by a loud soundtrack and sometimes a narrator.

Half-Life 2 had no commercials on TV, and it is one of the best selling and most well known video games of all time.

On the other hand, I tried out Half-Life only because of a very convincing ad for it on a VHS of Rush Hour. It wasn't a TV spot though.

I got Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit because of its commercial, well, I mean the commercial got me to research the game, much like you said, and I ended up getting it.

God that commercial was great, the music they chose was perfect.

 

[Dice Warwick]

with all the add campaigns I have seen, this is a very good idea. I think they sould get freddiew to do another portal gun video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3L-rrkyvApU

 

[Mortuorum]

Of course, this is all a bit disingenuous of Valve. First of all -- and let's be honest here -- we all know that they would sell millions of copies if they didn't advertise at all. It's Valve and we all already know that Portal is going to rock. Hard. You already know whether or not you're going to buy it and chances are all the advertising in the world isn't going to change your mind.

Secondly, Valve already has an internal marketing division. Granted, it's small, but these guys have some pretty solid experience at this stuff, not to mention dozens of other staffers who... you know... might have a little bit of experience creating artistic visual presentations.

Finally, they are in the unique position among gaming companies of having a direct marketing channel (Steam) installed on the desktops of many, many potential purchasers. (Hell, not a lot of non-gaming companies have that level of exposure to their marketing audience... television networks, maybe.)

So, while it?s quite feasible for Valve to say "poo poo" to ad agencies, most other companies don't have the resources Valve has. For better or for (mostly) worse, ad agencies still bring value to the table, warts and all.