All of which makes Blizzard’s blunder in Anaheim even more astounding. Added to the online demographics information gathered from account sign-ons, Steam analytics, and sales data, publishers gain an almost unheard of glimpse into the mindsets and desires of their most valuable consumers. Companies get to see - literally see - their most dedicated fans all in one place, and can track who buys what from ticket sales to onsite point-of-sales data. Even running at a loss (which some fan festivals do) the benefits are incalculable. These gatherings also give publishers invaluable data on their most hardcore fans that simply can’t be captured through in-game analytics. Publishers essentially plug their marketing directly into the convention experience, shilling new products and merch directly to their most adoring consumers, and controlling the messaging in the process.
There are numerous advantages to this approach. ( Nintendo Power, anyone?) But since the early aughts, that effort has kicked into overdrive, with the majors assuming control of fansites and forums once run by enterprising fans themselves, and slowly accreting attendance at events focused around only their products, or in some cases, one single game.
Major game publishers have been cultivating their own fan communities for decades.
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