RPGnet Columns
06-11-2002, 12:21 PM
Post originally by Firefly Games at 2002-06-11 11:21:34
Converted from Phorums BB System
It occurs to me that I left out another key reason that publishers love the summer con season -- probably an even bigger one than direct sales.
Exposure.
There are only about 2,000 game stores in the United States. And Monster Island won't be carried by all of them. It wouldn't in any case, but particularly as the first product of a new company. Retailers have been burned plenty of times by new companies that never quite get anything published, so some are gun-shy.
In any case, that means a lot of gamers or other potential customers may never even see Monster Island or know it exists. Bringing it to a convention exposes the game to hundreds, or for the nationals, thousands of people.
Even those who don't buy it at the con will remember it when they go home. Perhaps they'll bug their local game shop owner to stock it, or they will buy it online. Or they'll just know that Firefly Games exists and keep an eye out for our future games.
The other reasons for going to cons are pretty basic -- networking, interacting with customers, having a good time, and so on. :)
Converted from Phorums BB System
It occurs to me that I left out another key reason that publishers love the summer con season -- probably an even bigger one than direct sales.
Exposure.
There are only about 2,000 game stores in the United States. And Monster Island won't be carried by all of them. It wouldn't in any case, but particularly as the first product of a new company. Retailers have been burned plenty of times by new companies that never quite get anything published, so some are gun-shy.
In any case, that means a lot of gamers or other potential customers may never even see Monster Island or know it exists. Bringing it to a convention exposes the game to hundreds, or for the nationals, thousands of people.
Even those who don't buy it at the con will remember it when they go home. Perhaps they'll bug their local game shop owner to stock it, or they will buy it online. Or they'll just know that Firefly Games exists and keep an eye out for our future games.
The other reasons for going to cons are pretty basic -- networking, interacting with customers, having a good time, and so on. :)