The Impact of Winter Months on Game Marketing

As game developers, we create our games and release them to the market at times we find suitable. But is the winter season the right time to market our games? Or is it more challenging to capture the desired interaction because most game developers think like us? Let's take a closer look at this topic. 

Our games may appeal to all demographics, including the young and old, married and single, male and female, or they may target a specific segment. In truth, this has little impact on our marketing timing, except for a few exceptions, such as students' exam periods, adults' vacation times, or any crises or disasters in our target country. We must take these factors into account; otherwise, no matter how much pre-marketing or marketing we do, we may not achieve the desired hype. First and foremost, we must determine the category of our game, its target audience, and our target market. When all these conditions are met, does it make sense to market in the winter months? The answer is both yes and no. Let me explain this with a simple example. 

Suppose we have a game project that we have been working on for over a year, and we have completed it. We have completed the necessary pre-marketing for our game, and we are ready for the launch. But what's this? There's another game very similar to ours. Instead of panicking and quickly releasing our game to the market, we remain calm and turn the crisis into an opportunity. We wait for people to play the game (assuming the optimum time is around 1 month). During this period, observe the weaknesses of your competitor and add mechanics that will address those shortcomings. Then, when you market your game, it will appear as a savior compared to the other game. In the example, competition is widespread, especially in the summer and winter seasons. In the fall and spring seasons, there are fewer competitors. Turning the lack of competition into an opportunity is possible. While turning the winter months into an opportunity, it can also be turned into a crisis in the opposite direction. Many developers prefer the winter months because the summer is dominated by major game releases. If you believe in making accurate market analyses, the winter months are an opportunity for you. However, if you don't have the time or workforce to do this, I recommend the fall season. There are fewer gamers, but you will encounter a more stable and secure market. 

Bonum Ludos! 

-Çağrı Yasin Karakoç