Which Not-E3 event succeeded the most in highlighting new gaming titles?

“Should we invest in Summer Game Fest this year? Are other shows more suitable for our game? Should we host our own event?” These questions resurface yearly as the once singular E3 event that gathered publishers, developers, journalists, and gamers has transformed into numerous scattered events surrounding the traditional E3 week.

Opinions vary on this shift, with some appreciating the extended presence in June, while others find it disorganized and too dispersed. Nevertheless, the impact of these events during the summer remains significant, with gamers eagerly awaiting announcements as they previously did with E3 conferences.

For publishers and developers, determining the best platform that not only offers wide visibility but also engages the audience remains crucial. This is the ongoing challenge.

Having more games in a show seems beneficial to consumers, but it poses challenges for game businesses.

Ultimately, these events aim for maximum exposure. Whether through journalists' hands-on experiences, influencers' reactions, or social media discussions, the objective is to create buzz. This summer saw a multitude of events, both large and small, making it challenging to capture and maintain the spotlight amid the extended event schedule.

Analyzing several June events, Fancensus evaluated each featured game’s PR and social media performance within 72 hours post-event. This “flare” score, based on a 100-point scale across approximately 3,000 websites and platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and X, measures parameters such as front-page placements, video views, and interactions, weighted by each outlet’s influence on a game’s marketing campaign.

A flare score of 100 signifies top performance on all channels, achieved only by a few, like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, edging close in the 90s. This benchmarking provides a comprehensive view across several key outlets in boosting game visibility.

Flare performance by show (up to 72 hours post-event)

The Xbox Games Showcase and Summer Game Fest topped the overall flare scores. While appearing successful on paper due to their scores being twice that of other shows, the multitude of games featured in these events means individual titles might not stand out as much.

The Game Awards boosted its number of featured titles by 50% last year, reaching over 60, with Summer Game Fest following this trend. Consequently, the average flare score per game dropped to 8.7 out of 100, ranking it lower than other major platform shows and Ubisoft Forward. Despite the collective success of the event, individual games struggled for prominence.

A survey by Fancensus, involving over 1,300 regular PC and console gamers in the US and UK, measured awareness and interest in various gaming events. The findings indicated higher awareness and willingness to watch streams from Nintendo, Xbox, and PlayStation, mirroring content trends on websites and social media.

Consumer reactions to major shows

While Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest and Gamescom Opening Night Live ranked lower in consumer awareness and interest, The Game Awards stood out with higher viewer anticipation, especially given the lack of competition in December and the historically significant announcements. Despite varied levels of engagement, these events still achieve substantial attention for many featured titles.

According to recent data from IGN, several games showcased in June gained significant interest. The Xbox Games Showcase accounted for five of the most wishlisted titles, Nintendo Direct had three, State of Play featured Astro Bot, and Assassin's Creed Shadows was shown both in the Xbox and Ubisoft presentations. Titles from events outside these major platforms seemed to be less engaging for IGN's audience.

Distribution of Top 50 Games by Press and Social Flare Score within 72 Hours Post-Event

Examining the individual games, Xbox's event was particularly well-received, with five games making the top ten by flare score and 17 of its titles in the top fifty, the highest of any event and approximately 55% of all showcased games. Despite initial mixed reactions, State of Play had ten out of 14 titles in the top fifty.

Summer Game Fest featured a large number of games, with 14 landing in the top fifty, though this amounted to around 23% of its showcased titles. Highly noted ones included Street Fighter 6, Valorant, LEGO Horizon Adventures, and Star Wars: Outlaws, the latter of which gained more traction in Ubisoft's subsequent gameplay reveal.

Top Recalled Titles from Summer Game Fest

Although a larger selection of games might seem appealing to consumers, it can lead to challenges from a business perspective. The abundance of options can overwhelm audiences, making it hard to remember standouts. For instance, after events like Summer Game Fest, participants often struggled to recall more than a few notable titles, unlike those who watched Nintendo Direct or Xbox Games Showcase, where recall rates were significantly higher.

According to a survey conducted by Fancensus, fewer than half of the top-performing titles from Summer Game Fest achieved a recall rate above 50%, with many top AAA titles seeing rates in the 30s. This shows that too many games can dilute the impact.

Nearly half of the top fifty games were AAA titles, with another 36% identified as A-tier. This left only 16% for mid-tier and a mere 2% for indie projects. Consequently, events such as Future Games Show and PC Gaming Show, which often highlight smaller titles, did not place any games within the top fifty rankings.

Highlighting a focus on major titles, platform holders provided a glimpse of substantial future offerings. In contrast, indie games seemed overshadowed, although Summer Game Fest presented a fair share of smaller projects, showcasing 24 indie titles out of 60. The show even opened with success stories of smaller studios in 2024.

Average Flare Score by Game Tier (Within 72 Hours Post-Event)

Indie games might have had a noticeable presence, but their flare scores were low, averaging around five out of 100, compared to larger events like those from Nintendo, Xbox, and PlayStation, which scored higher. The average flare score for Summer Game Fest fell close to those of Future Games Show and PC Gaming Show. This trend was similar for mid-tier titles, as Summer Game Fest's scores landed between the major platform events and smaller shows.

Should smaller developers consider focusing on niche shows for similar results?

Analyzing recall rates, Killer Bean stood out as the top-performing indie or mid-tier title from Summer Game Fest, with a 23% recall rate. Some indie games fell as low as 8%, suggesting that smaller developers might achieve better results by focusing on niche events.

The gaming scene in 2024 has been anything but dull, particularly around what is often referred to as the 'unofficial E3' season. Despite initial expectations for a low-key June—following a lackluster State of Play in May and Jeff Keighley's cautious remarks ahead of Summer Game Fest—the period turned out to be quite dynamic. Several journalists went so far as to suggest that shows like the Xbox Game Showcase evoked nostalgia for the classic E3 events. Major platforms took it upon themselves to directly engage with their audience, while events like the Future Games Show and PC Gaming Show provided opportunities for both indie developers and major studios.

This approach has proven beneficial, demonstrating how substantial outcomes can be achieved by major publishers independently, while smaller and mid-tier games find their niche audiences through less expensive platforms. Although Summer Game Fest showcased a larger quantity of titles, it didn't necessarily deliver on impact, instead giving quieter results for the projects it spotlighted.

Looking ahead, it seems likely that this trend of diverse options for publishers and developers will persist. The key insight might be that the most prominent and enthusiastic presentation isn't always the one that wins over the audience.

Top 50 Perfoming Titles Based on PR and Social Media Impact (within 72 hours post-event)