FF16's demo is a masterclass in pre-launch marketing | Opinion
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It's rare to be able to watch public opinion about a game change in real time – and in the cases when we do, it's usually not a change for the better. Goodwill for a game (or for any other product or brand) is usually built up slowly but squandered quickly.
It's been refreshing, therefore, to watch the incredibly positive swing in opinion and word of mouth about Final Fantasy 16 this week, following the release of a demo for the game that has been an absolute coup for its marketing – answering the concerns of fans, giving acres of content to streamers and content creators, and intriguing newcomers to the series all at the same time.
It's not that FF16 is snatching victory from the jaws of defeat here – the latest instalment in the venerable series was already the subject of plenty of interest even before the demo arrived, partially because of its bombastic trailers that suggest quite a major departure from the mainline series, and partially because of the involvement of senior staffers from the very well-regarded FF14.
However, the tenor of that interest up to this point has been somewhat divided, if not a little confused.
Departing from the expectations of a long-running series not only in gameplay terms but also narratively and stylistically is a risk, and there are a lot of changed elements here that people feared might not quite add up to the sum of their parts. A severe misstep with any one of them could turn potential consumers off from pre-orders or day-one purchases.
Most devoted fans have had their pre-orders in for some time, I'd imagine, but in the next tier down in terms of dedication there were many people seemingly adopting a
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