to developers: how to boost sales

[Cwl]

Originally Posted by Revvin

Well I'm viewing it as a gamer and I see no sense in your renaming idea



Online is empty because of other issues in the game like people not being credited for kills when a player ditches for example, that really takes away the enthusiasm for getting online, the xbox forums are not as busy as somethign like Halo but the IL-2 community has always been here, the XBOX forums only appeared shortly before the game shipped so the community was already right here where there is plenty of discussion going on.



So....what you're saying is they need a recognisable brand but now you say forget the work gone into making the IL-2 franchise known on the console format, throw all that out and start from scrath for the next game...wow you're a marketing genius!



If you put 'Mustang' on the front of the box more people are going to buy it thinking its a driving game or stand in the shop looking at the box wondering what the hell the game is suppossed to be. The name 'Mustang' is far more synonomous with the car than the plane. Lets not stop there though lets make them really recognisable for the masses 'Hulk Hogans WWII Royal Rumble in the Skies'? the 'Red Bull Racing WWII Edition'? 'GI Joes Air War'?

Spitfire / P51 Mustang vs IL2 Sturmovik

which plane is most recognisable?

1. Spitfire
2. Mustang

with Sturmovik coming in a distant last!! however you spin it nobody has ever heard of it outside the ww2 buffs and flight sim experts.

the developers next time round should use what they've got from the IL2 franchise to start a new one. they wouldnt be the first company to do such a thing and create a spiritual successor. heck it could be intended as a sequel just with a different name. its upto the developers.

they being Russians will be fond of their historic aircraft so its up to them. I did think about having multiple box covers. one for say eastern europe and one for Western Europe and one for America but you could just have 2 box covers depending on whether Spitfire or P51 Mustang is more recognisable in the US which is the worlds single biggest games market.

[Wissam24]

I'm not a massive history buff, but I love my planes, and I had heard of the Il-2. Don't assume that because you don't know something, no one else does either. That is a very foolish and stupid thing to do, and will get you nowhere in life. DO assume that a proper publishing company, one that has a virtual monopoly of the software industry in Russia, is a lot better at market research than you, a person who is not a company

[Buggins]

Originally Posted by Cwl

Spitfire / P51 Mustang vs IL2 Sturmovik

which plane is most recognisable?

1. Spitfire
2. Mustang

with Sturmovik coming in a distant last!! however you spin it nobody has ever heard of it outside the ww2 buffs and flight sim experts.

the developers next time round should use what they've got from the IL2 franchise to start a new one. they wouldnt be the first company to do such a thing and create a spiritual successor. heck it could be intended as a sequel just with a different name. its upto the developers.

they being Russians will be fond of their historic aircraft so its up to them. I did think about having multiple box covers. one for say eastern europe and one for Western Europe and one for America but you could just have 2 box covers depending on whether Spitfire or P51 Mustang is more recognisable in the US which is the worlds single biggest games market.

You just don't get it through your thick head do you? Please tell me you're twelve?

[Revvin]

IL-2 Sturmovik is a recognised brand, its sold extremely well on the PC format and has been the best WWII flight sim for the last 8 years. The suggestions you put forth make it sound like completely different games and would only cause more confusion with people wondering if 'Spitfire: Birds of Prey' is compatible with 'P51: Birds of Prey' and 'Messerschmitt: Birds of Prey' and 'Ilyushin: Birds of Prey' etc etc. Birds of Prey is also probably still a trademark owned by Activision so likely rules that out as the main title with a plane name after it which would still cause confusion amongst the buying public. These kinds of thread really are quite insulting that you think an idea pulled out of thin air is better than the market research and surveys done by marketeers in the 1C Company.

[Revvin]

The game is never going to sell as well as Halo, Grand Theft Auto or Call of Duty. The flight sim genre is a niche genre but the fact the demo was downloaded 1 million times is a good indicator of interest for this niche genre but IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey is breaking new ground as a console flight sim.

[guiltyspark]

advertisment is a better idea , more of that

[manintrees]

I don't think the name should include a plane's designation at all. Here's a news flash: your average gamer doesn't know what a P-51 is either! Imagine if the first Call of Duty was titled 'M1 Garand'. No one would have a clue was that refered to and it would be a boring forgettable name for those who didn't know the significance of the M1 Garand rifle and it's effect on the ground in WW2. IL-2 Sturmovic is overall a lame name. I LOVE this game but I knew nothing of it because I don't play games on my computer. There must be better advertising for this game if it's going to take off (pardon the pun).

[Pup]

Originally Posted by Revvin

IL-2 Sturmovik is a recognised brand, its sold extremely well on the PC format and has been the best WWII flight sim for the last 8 years. The suggestions you put forth make it sound like completely different games and would only cause more confusion with people wondering if 'Spitfire: Birds of Prey' is compatible with 'P51: Birds of Prey' and 'Messerschmitt: Birds of Prey' and 'Ilyushin: Birds of Prey' etc etc. Birds of Prey is also probably still a trademark owned by Activision so likely rules that out as the main title with a plane name after it which would still cause confusion amongst the buying public. These kinds of thread really are quite insulting that you think an idea pulled out of thin air is better than the market research and surveys done by marketeers in the 1C Company.

Well put, my thoughts exactly. Il-2 is already well known as a quality brand, and the fact that an il-2 game was coming to consoles was what peaked my interest. Call of Duty made a reputation for itself on PCs before it came to consoles, and that hasn't done too badly.

[Lexandro]

Originally Posted by Pup

Well put, my thoughts exactly. Il-2 is already well known as a quality brand, and the fact that an il-2 game was coming to consoles was what peaked my interest. Call of Duty made a reputation for itself on PCs before it came to consoles, and that hasn't done too badly.

Precisely. A lot of people seem to forget that fact about Call of Duty. And simply put it (IL2) is a brand new console franchise, there are bound to be people who dont know wtf it is. This is to be expected, every game that doesnt have a huge publicity campiagn is in the same boat. The likes of EA or Activision can afford to do publicty stunts and spend oodles of cash on TV slots and paper advertising.

However these dont sell games, they just pique interest. What sells games is word of mouth, and a quality product. IL2 has the quality, and is now getting the word of mouth recognition from the 360/PS3 crowd. Add in that its not released yet in some regions and the current level projected sales are actually not to bad at all.

[dazz1971]

Originally Posted by Revvin

IL-2 Sturmovik is a recognised brand, its sold extremely well on the PC format and has been the best WWII flight sim for the last 8 years. The suggestions you put forth make it sound like completely different games and would only cause more confusion with people wondering if 'Spitfire: Birds of Prey' is compatible with 'P51: Birds of Prey' and 'Messerschmitt: Birds of Prey' and 'Ilyushin: Birds of Prey' etc etc. Birds of Prey is also probably still a trademark owned by Activision so likely rules that out as the main title with a plane name after it which would still cause confusion amongst the buying public. These kinds of thread really are quite insulting that you think an idea pulled out of thin air is better than the market research and surveys done by marketeers in the 1C Company.

what he said +1
i mean come on if someone who doesnt know of the il2 series came across this game they would know instantly what it is just take a look at the box art a great big flaming stuka being shot down by a spitfire wouldnt take a genius to work out what the game was about would it ??

i think they should leave the brand name as it is