I thought this article was particularly interesting this week, since so many gaming sites (and bloggers) provide reviews. The article describes the very significant effect which these reviews, especially those on large sites such as Metacritic and IGN, have on video game stocks.
According to the article, “one of the reasons why video game reviews carry so much weight with investors is because avid gamers tend to rely on them to help make purchasing decisions.” Of course, reviews are not always an accurate reflection of a game’s quality. But according to the article, stockholders place enough importance on them that some companies will even hire research firms to write ‘mock reviews,’ in order to predict the public reception prior to a game’s release.
As we head into the ‘holiday season,’ there is increasing hype surrounding the long list of new titles due to be released. And as we know, some companies have decidedly more to prove.
That little review you’re planning on writing for on an upcoming release? Who knows? Maybe it will someday be read by potential investors. Or at the very least, by other gamers. Because like shareholders, we also have the power to determine the success of certain game titles, and even companies.
In other news, I hope that the back-to-school transition has been relatively smooth for everyone. It’s been a busy week, but I hope to make more time for blogging as my schedule becomes more concrete. Most of you out there can probably relate: I have about 5 articles ‘on-the-go’ on my netbook, but I just need the time to finish them!
I did, however, manage to post today on my other blog, The Frosted Spoon. If you’re in the mood for something sweet, check it out! 🙂
Wow! That’s awesome! It makes sense for investors to use reviews to predict success but like everything else there are always those that defy expectations and blow reviewers away. But this raises some questions about how things operate for independent developers. But maybe for the independents, reviews carry even more weight. Interesting!:)
Since I review games myself, for free no less, it’s interesting to think about me actually swaying stocks by doing so. Still, I don’t have much of an ego, so I wouldn’t go as far as to say I’m having an impact on stocks by blogging on the internet quite yet hahaha. I guess you never know though… Anyway, I do find myself checking review scores to help sway when and how I should spend my gaming pennies, though I also gauge them by how fond I am of a particular series or developer as well. I admit to buying games just because Nintendo or Square Enix or Capcom or someone developed them, and I will buy anything with certain franchise labels on it, just because I love the series. I guess that’s the nerd in me :P.
Lol. Don’t feel bad about that. I guess you could say that Nintendo is my Apple Inc. 🙂 They can do no wrong and if they release it, I’ll buy it. 🙂 But there is something to be said for consistency and quality from such an epic company. There’s a little nerd in all of us…. and he’s hungry for more!!!:)