The Mark Inman's Blog

How Do Game Companies Stop Lying? October 27, 2009

Dave Taylor over at Gamasutra reminded me of much of what I’ve learned in the IMC program at SBU. He asks how to overcome the overwhelming pessimism of the video game industry in creating a video game. His advice is not to lie.

This seems somewhat difficult for game publishers. The ever nebulous release date is likely the most used lie, with unfulfilled advertising promises of better features a close second. Lying, today, is not smart. Social media makes the lie just seem stupid. Gamers are a savvy bunch and are better equipped than most markets to jump on dishonest claims to bring a publisher down.

Hearing “don’t lie” warms my heart not just because it’s good advice; I’ve heard it consistently throughout our curriculum. Lying is seen as particularly dangerous in the advertising and social media textbooks, but any marketing channel will do well to keep things honest. Honesty is now in a business’s best interest, amazing as that sounds.

I never thought I’d say that about marketing.

Surely, honesty policies will not give copy that says “the game is great but the ending sucks because we had to rush at our publisher’s behest.” Companies will, however, own a game’s problems and be responsive to people’s complaints. The greater the communication the less bombs dropped by unscrupulous companies.

Do you believe honesty is the best policy or would you sprinkle a lie here and there when convenient? Let me know your thoughts by commenting below.