Applied to marketing! The appeal of content deciphered from games, Part 2.

I like games. Not board games, but video games. In addition to cinematic elements like visuals, music, and story, there's the interactivity of being able to 'control it yourself.' In terms of design, it comprehensively includes all design elements such as UI, UX, systems, story, business, and music. You could say it's packed with numerous technologies, and I even think it's the ultimate entertainment.

That's why, as I interact with games every day, there are many moments when I think, 'Could this possibly be applied to content marketing?' This time, I'd like to extract elements from games that seem applicable to various types of content. It might lead to some kind of hint.

Previous article:
Applied to Marketing! The Appeal of Content Deciphered from Games, Part 1

There are cases where visual beauty thrives, and cases where it doesn't.

Game graphics have evolved rapidly, to the point where they are now indistinguishable from live-action. As games have evolved this far, people can immerse themselves with the feeling of freely moving around inside a movie. A long time ago, game visuals were clearly distinct from live-action, and there was a significant difference in perception and sensation between live-action and games.

However, now the visual aspect of games has evolved, and as mentioned, it's almost indistinguishable from that of movies. By doing so, I believe people are reaching the realm of movie + game. This is why I thought games are the strongest indoor entertainment. As games evolve more and more, people will be able to experience the world of movies while enjoying game elements within it.

That said, the appeal of movies and the appeal of games are different, so it won't become a competitive relationship where movie users switch to games and stop watching movies.

Also, good graphics don't necessarily guarantee popularity. For example, if the graphics of other titles are completely bad, you might win with outstanding visual beauty, but that's not the only element of a game.

Smartphone games and portable games like Nintendo Switch also sell very well. Despite not having PS5-level graphics, they sometimes sell better than PS5.

In other words, if we apply this to content marketing or website creation, design beauty is effective precisely because it's demanded or because it's the core of the brand.

In games, main series like Final Fantasy make beautiful visuals one of their selling points. If the graphics were to decline, it might be considered a regression. On the other hand, popular smartphone games sell well even if their visuals aren't as beautiful as Final Fantasy.

The visual beauty of photos and videos themselves. The design and atmosphere of a website. These only produce an effect in cases where design, beautiful images, and appearance are necessary.

For example, product photos on a shopping site, or the quality of photos and videos. These significantly change the impression given to users. On a shopping site, which would generate more desire to purchase: photos where product details can be seen thoroughly, or dark and messy photos taken by an amateur? Of course, the former.

Games that sell on graphics must deliver graphics of astonishing quality. Similarly, if design is a selling point, or in cases like shopping site photos, visual quality must be enhanced.

The effect of pursuing design, especially for websites, is to instill a strong impression in users. Whether it's stylishness or being cutting-edge. The elements embedded in design unconsciously instill various impressions in fans. Depending on whether these unconsciously given elements are positive for the user or leave no impression, the impact of the content will change significantly.

However, there's a caveat. Especially in the case of websites, it's not often that sales are driven solely by exceptionally good design. For design to significantly impact sales, it must be a place where design is primarily sought after, which is a minimum requirement.

Broadly speaking, if content has an impact on its theme or message, evokes empathy, or stirs emotions, then the visuals can be somewhat secondary. Everyone must have experienced this at least once: content in movies, music, manga, YouTubers, and various other fields where the visual design or beauty wasn't exceptionally outstanding, yet consuming it brought high satisfaction.

This also applies to the common knowledge in games that good graphics alone don't guarantee sales. Even if the visuals and graphics are good, if the content isn't interesting, fans will eventually drift away.

Music that enhances a scene is crucial in its application.

In games, what's important is music that enhances the scene. Humans can cry or laugh just with music. Music possesses such a great power of attraction.

For example, even in an ordinary scene, good music can make it feel like a wonderful masterpiece. You might find yourself unexpectedly moved by a cliché development. Especially BGM that enhances scenes where a character dies or battles a giant enemy casts a spell on your emotions.

However, it doesn't mean that using grand music for everything is always good. In some cases, only ambient sounds might be better, and there might be situations where silence is effective.

Now, let's apply this BGM to content. Music is a wonderful element that can enhance a scene many times over just by being there. However, BGM is difficult to use effectively. For example, if you play BGM on a website, it's generally considered annoying. But if it's playing in the background of an emotional video on YouTube, it will be effective. So, what exactly is this difference?

A major point is 'whether the user expects music to play.' If users consume content knowing that music will play, it will have a significant effect. However, in cases like websites, where users don't know music will play and don't particularly want it to, it won't have a very good effect.

For better or worse, music has a significant effect. Good music alone can become content, create anticipation that it will be interesting, and lead to purchases. It plays a major role in immersing people in that world. Music boasts immense value if used correctly. Please try to discern the right time and place to use it.

Collector (Collection) Element

In any case, the element of collection draws people in. Collecting something. Clearing and collecting. Such collector elements are almost always included in popular games. Humans fundamentally enjoy collecting things.

Haven't you experienced it yourself? For example, collecting extras that come with a product. Surely, most people have engaged in the act of collecting something at least once.

Collector elements are also useful when actually creating content. If you want people to enjoy the content you create for a long time. If you want them to engage with your content for an extended period. In such cases, try incorporating some collector elements.

For example, receiving a badge each time something is done, or something happening when all badges are collected. The act of collecting has something that makes people enthusiastic. Try to prepare content that makes people feel glad they collected, both during the collection process and at the moment of achievement. If the content matches the target's tastes and preferences, they will surely engage with it for a long time.

However, it is important to thoroughly research who the target is, create a persona, and include collection elements that match their preferences. If you make them collect things they have no interest in at all, they won't enjoy it. It is important to make them enjoy the act of collecting. As a result, if you can provide a sense of accomplishment through the collection elements, users will surely accept it.

Quantification of progress and growth

In almost every game, your own status is quantified. Your own strength is clearly shown in detailed numbers. As many of you may know, in the popular manga Dragon Ball, there is a tool called a Scouter. A Scouter is a convenient tool that expresses an opponent's strength in numbers, and it was exciting to see how many numbers each character had.

Also, in the past, there was an event called the One Piece Exhibition. The One Piece Exhibition's website precisely utilized gamification, where the more content you viewed, the higher your own 'bounty' would become. As a result, many users viewed all sorts of content to raise their bounties, and posted and spread it on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

In this way, simply by quantifying or ranking their current progress and personal status, people can become deeply engaged with content. The idea that one's status and progress change as they achieve something is also connected to the collector element mentioned earlier. Temporary staffing agencies from a while back used to have something similar, where the more you worked, the higher your own rank would become.

In this way, by combining collector elements with the quantification of progress and status, and providing hurdles to raise them, people become more immersed in the content. In gamification, a technique that links game mechanics with human consumer behavior, this is often called "motivation for action," and this "motivation" is crucial. Most successful games invariably include these elements.

Summary

This time, I considered game elements from an original perspective. If incorporated into content, it might create a mechanism that captivates people and makes them 'hooked'.

How to define the quality of video and design. Can't we add music to liven things up? Can't we include collection elements? Can't we quantify progress and status to make users more immersed in the content? When you think about any of these, surprisingly, big hints might be hidden.

If you want to know more about the relationship between games and content, you might want to study a marketing method called gamification. Since it's a practical approach adopted by many companies, there are surely elements that can be incorporated into your own initiatives.

For adults, it might be 'just a game,' yet it's 'more than just a game.' You might think so. However, they are crafted into such wonderful content that they provide the ultimate indoor entertainment. Why not take this opportunity to discover the appeal of games?