How to tease the imminent announcement of a new Japanese RPG
Step 1: Launch a maddeningly unhelpful teaser website
If there's one thing that generates more anticipation than a new game announcement, it's the announcement of a forthcoming new game announcement. Though it may draw some opprobrium from know-it-all blogs (who will write about your tease even whilst bemoaning it), a teaser website is the ideal catalyst for heated speculation. Be miserly with your information, but be sure to cover some basics: Mention the developer (eg. tri-Ace), the targeted platforms (eg. Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3) and, of course, whether or not the RPG in question is new (see: www.newrpg.jp) or old (see: Square Enix).
Step 2: Initiate a countdown
What good is anticipation if it's not represented through a visual countdown? Modern web technology accomodates a wide range of temporal measurements for your countdown, allowing you to mark the agonizing wait with as much precision as you prefer. If your game's reveal is around the corner, why not opt for days? Of course, you can also resort to counting down the years if your project is a little early or Final Fantasy XIII. Protip: Make the most of your countdown before it's down for the count by counting down to another countdown!
Step 3: Toss fans a fricken bone
Your unflappable fans deserve something special for visiting your teaser page. Now, be careful, you don't want to give the whole thing away! Why not titillate with a piece of art from your RPG? Go with something ambigious and comforting, like a ruined fantasy landscape or a team of pointy-haired adventurers battling a recently unsealed ancient evil.
Next week: How to promote Famitsu review scores, which will be much higher than anyone else's!
[Via Infatuated Gamer]
