Square Enix's 'Excitement Whiplash' Strategy

[SnowPint7Fourths 432]

Hey guys, happy 16th anniversary to Kingdom Hearts! I would like to discuss today or bring to your attention something that I have noticed for some time. Something that I have noticed about Square Enix marketing strategy possibly since D23 Japan back in 2015. Now it's fair to say you could apply this method to any game developer and other games which also have sparse news or take a longer time to release. 

 

But I think we all wanted to just see something, anything for the Kingdom Hearts 16th anniversary. Don't get me wrong I'm not being ungrateful and I don't think it's a huge deal that we didn't receive anything but I think we all just wanted to see - something. I know, "we're not entitled to anything but the game" but I think you are well with in your right to just expect - something. Since Nomura acknowledged the past two anniversaries and this is the year of KH3's release.

 

So I theorise that Square Enix have this marketing 'strategy' where they will bring you to your low and I think this is much more clearer with the non-existent marketing of Final Fantasy VII Remake. Square Enix will announce something early for their business investors and fan hype and then not show the game again for a considerable amount of time until it's polished and closer to release. But what I feel they do intentionally to create greater hype for their games is to bring the gamer to their absolute low. Where they make you feel very disappointed when it's acceptable to expect to see the game at a certain time. My examples are the D23 Japan 2015 fan-event when they eventually showed the KH3 trailer a month later, Final Fantasy VII at E3 2017 and this Kingdom Hearts anniversary event. The fact that Square Enix did not even acknowledge the anniversary this year seems quite odd. 

 

My personal take on it, whether it's intentional or not, is that Square Enix will bring you to your low and then when they do show something off your hype and gratitude is alleviated way past than what it normally would be - an excitement whiplash - just because you felt that low. Now my theory is that they did not mention the anniversary because we - may - be getting a trailer at the KHUx fan event next month. That way, yet again, it creates a greater level of hype than what it normally would because we didn't receive anything for the anniversary nor did it get mentioned. So I know my hype and gratitude for KH3 is going to be much higher when they do show it again.

 

I feel as though this is something that I've been wanting to basically get off my chest and this is probably the last opportunity to do so. I don't mean to sound like I'm being ungrateful because the footage they have shown has been very cool but unfortunately due to it's long development time the trailers have been too sparse for my liking. From now on though I believe it's going to be clear sailing until the games release especially from the start of E3. So it means no worries, for the rest of my days, it's my problem free, philosophy.

 

This is just something I wanted to give my personal thoughts on as I feel like the 16th anniversary was the final and most appropriate time to do so after not receiving anything. Thanks for reading! 

[KH4Real 749]

Well we will pretty sure get another world announcement at the KHx event for KH3.

[KingdomHearts3 2,591]

Square Enix does this with emotions so that way you appreciate what you get more. It has been months since we have heard anything in regards to KH3. That’s good actually. It will force us to appreciate and value what we get from them more. You also cannot keep hype going continuously because then that turns into unrealistic expectations and people with those expectations are bound to disappoint themselves.

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

Haha, I agree with what you say, Snow!

 

I think this is how it would basically go down in an office behind closed doors with Nomura, Shinji, Yasue and a Disney employee of great importance.

 

Nomura: "So then, what's the plan?"

Yasue: "Let's show them something at (Insert event name here.) and then retreat into the shadows..."

Shinji: "Yes, that way, hype will build for the game at an exponential rate!"

Disney employee: "Yeah, and then, in a sucker punch move, we can then leave the fans hanging, leave em dry so that they get all sad and mopey when there's no new KHIII updates and then....BAM! New trailer gets fans all hyped up again!"

Nomura: "Genius...we must hire this man for our marketing campaign!"

 

Lol, but seriously though, comedy aside, I think the basis for Square and Disney when it comes to this game is as you said. We go a while without anything, and then, when we are at our lowest, our hopes and hypes are intensified with each new trailer we get, ya know? This'll probably result in the final trailer or two making us all flabbergast and combust in happiness!

Edited April 3, 2018 by The Transcendent Key

[SnowPint7Fourths 432]

  On 4/3/2018 at 12:09 AM, The Transcendent Key said:

Haha, I agree with what you say, Snow!

 

I think this is how it would basically go down in an office behind closed doors with Nomura, Shinji, Yasue and a Disney employee of great importance.

 

Nomura: "So then, what's the plan?"

Yasue: "Let's show them something at (Insert event name here.) and then retreat into the shadows..."

Shinji: "Yes, that way, hype will build for the game at an exponential rate!"

Disney employee: "Yeah, and then, in a sucker punch move, we can then leave the fans hanging, leave em dry so that they get all sad and mopey when there's no new KHIII updates and then....BAM! New trailer gets fans all hyped up again!"

Nomura: "Genius...we must hire this man for our marketing campaign!"

 

Lol, but seriously though, comedy aside, I think the basis for Square and Disney when it comes to this game is as you said. We go a while without anything, and then, when we are at our lowest, our hopes and hypes are intensified with each new trailer we get, ya know? This'll probably result in the final trailer or two making us all flabbergast and combust in happiness!

Yeah I agree Like I say E3 and beyond is going to be amazing! I think it's a just of matter of waiting until we reach it because once we do it's just going to be six months of happiness and relief knowing that there's no question we are finally going to get consistent news.

 

Something else I believe is when they show the trailer at E3 I think it may be exceedingly long, longer than the toy story one exceeding 6 minutes! Because some people only watch E3 and not the other trailers so Square would not only include the new world they will announce but the other 5 worlds we know of too, including footage finally from Big Hero 6! So to include all that I think we'll be looking at a REALLY long trailer for E3?

Edited April 3, 2018 by SnowPint7Fourths

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

  On 4/3/2018 at 11:22 PM, SnowPint7Fourths said:

Yeah I agree Like I say E3 and beyond is going to be amazing! I think it's a just of matter of waiting until we reach it because once we do it's just going to be six months of happiness and relief knowing that there's no question we are finally going to get consistent news.

 

Something else I believe is when they show the trailer at E3 I think it may be exceedingly long, longer than the toy story one exceeding 6 minutes! Because some people only watch E3 and not the other trailers so Square would not only include the new world they will announce but the other 5 worlds we know of too, including footage finally from Big Hero 6! So to include all that I think we'll be looking at a REALLY long trailer for E3?

 

Oh yeah, definitely, as E3 inches ever closer, so will the full on promotion for Kingdom Hearts III! And to think that we are just two months away from E3 going down...gahhh, I'm so hyped! Oh, and did you see the article Leamax posted? Apparently, the KH portal site, the Japanese version, has updated, and a tweet from the site mentioned that there will be periodical updates, so that may fall in line with what you're saying!

 

Dang, and would you imagine if such a trailer were possible for E3? I believe that would be a culmination of all the hype we've been gathering since the game's development start! I got goosebumps just now thinking about it!