Seriously Casual Gaming:
An old friend of mine, Raymond Cromwell, made a post on Google+ talking about serious gamers vs. casual gamers. He pointed out that serious gamers buy expensive consoles and buy games than run $50 to $60... which isn't surprising since some games can cost 1/2 Billion (USD) to develop.. much like some large budget movies. Casual gamers play more affordable games on many devices including mobile phones and tablets. Consoles are powerful, but mobile gaming has a far more interesting feature for any brand exploring digital marketing & entanglement: Better Ecosystem Integration (EI) & Geo-Fenced Ecosystem Integration (GFEI).
Mobile Gaming Can Connect Consumers and Brands:
When a consumer visits a store, mall, or even a town or resort there are many ways that brands and gamers can share and benefit from that visit with real time GFEI (geo-fenced ecosystem integration) with permission, transparency, and honesty.
- Unlock levels and abilities (special levels for Universal Studios or Six Flags)
- Award special tools: guns, potions, cars, birds or what have you (Think: Sears, Walmart, Brookstone & Dicks Sporting Goods)
- Award special badges within the game or present them via social networks(awarded by the brand but co-branded with the game)
- Reveal custom leaderboards (based on location, social graph, etc.)
- Rewards in RL (real life): free products, samples, and discounts (good for every merchant, as well as theme parks, airlines, and transit companies).
- Support Entanglement: rewards, bonuses and other gifts for starting game play long before consumers arrive at a location, and long after they leave.
- All of the unlocked and awarded elements can be set to work only when at the location (Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts), or they can be set to remain active for a limited time (encouraging repeat visits).
- Using time-outs to force re-visits may seem appealing, I believe it is wrong in general to give and then take away something from a consumer within a narrow slice of time; your millage may vary.
- Awarded elements, levels, etc. should stay active as long as the consumer remains active within the game and connected to the brand. This is an excellent measure of entanglement.
What is Ecosystem Integration (EI):
Mobile and console games can integrate into home media systems. Mobile and fixed gaming can certainly share information and data with a social media network, or make use of Cloud storage. It is technically possible to link console game play to mobile game play -- allowing rewards, benefits and bonuses to flow from one system to the other. It is also possible to link a user's geographic movements to a game so that game play, rewards, points and payoffs can be based on where, when or how users travel.
Real Time Mobile EI & GFEI:
Mobile gaming offers a real difference with real time EI and Geo-Fenced EI (GFEI) opportunities for casual gamers and the brands they like and admire. Digital Marketing is about building 1:1 relationships between brands and consumers. Consumers who enjoy games (casually or seriously) present an amazing way to build upon that relationship when trusted brands offer EI with transparency and honesty.
Brands & Games:
Brands are always looking for ways to reward existing customers and entice new customers. GFEI, Geo-Fenced Ecosystem Integration will allow game play to be altered based on where a gamer is or has been... or where the data suggests they might go. The advantage of mobile gaming is that game play can happen in real time while a gamer is visiting or near a physical location.
Written by: Harry Hawk
Please let me know what you think about this topic. Is your brand ready for Game EI? Talk to me @hhawk.
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