Written by Sifan, 2021 Cohort
Horror games have long been a popular genre. Their scary tropes provide gamers with a level of adrenaline that other genres cannot match. But I feel that many individuals, like me, are excited to play, yet but a bit nervous. Furthermore, many horror classics are tough to play, making it impossible to complete the quests easily. In the event of getting stuck, I’ll watch the related live video game. But, does this format support the game’s sales and development?
The prevalence of live game broadcasting
In recent years, live game streaming has grown in popularity in China, and the influence it has on exposure and sales has been demonstrated for all sorts of games. Game businesses are also warming up to the idea, and several of them are even paying game streamers directly to market their games. However, for other genres, such as horror games, this is not the case.
The Challenge of Selling Horror Games
The expansion of the live streaming sector appears to be having the reverse effect on horror games, rather than benefiting from it. Many new horror games with nearly equal ratings are selling significantly less than previously.
This phenomenon is easy to understand. To begin with, as compared to other games, horror games have an unseen and intrinsic feature that drives people to purchase them – the sense of terror. After all, a lack of guts is a problem that cannot be solved with money, and is more difficult to overcome than a lack of skill in intricate game procedures.
However, with live broadcasting, most of the fear is left to the streamer. Becoming a calm observer, which encourages consumers to simply watch rather than buy.
The impact of streaming on horror games
The advantage is that many players who are less able to withstand the element of fear or the shortcomings of tiny games may also experience the game’s delight and help it grow in popularity. For example, despite having an uncomfortable QTE and other rather crude design elements, the recent Chinese horror game “Paper Dolls” managed to get enough out-of-the-loop public attention. The play view of the relevant video on China’s major video website (similar to YouTube) is around five or six million. It’s more than a huge success. However, real sales of “Paper Dolls” are dismal, with just roughly 20,000 units sold.
The only meaningful change to huge sales appears to be “Outlast,” which has also received a low price bump, and many horror games are difficult to imitate at this stage.
However, from a pragmatic standpoint, horror game sales remain rather low in this modern day. Only the finest games can become breakthrough hits, and even then, some luck is required. It is not enough to rely just on the efforts of game companies; if you are drawn to the streamer’s operation and the horror atmosphere in their video, please buy and support it after viewing, since this will be the foundation upon which future greater horror games may be produced.