Challenge: Square Enix, a leading developer, publisher, and distributor of video games, was looking to launch the latest title in the Dragon Quest series -- a legendary franchise that had sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. While the series had been wildly popular in Japan, it had a diminished presence in North America. How could they generate enthusiasm and advocacy for a game that doesn't yet exist and a franchise that hasn't had a release in five years?
Solution: A key to the game's success would be to reach fans of the franchise and amplify their voice through viral and word of mouth marketing techniques. Square Enix launched "Slime Knights," a branded, enthusiast-driven social network where like-minded enthusiasts would have a dedicated place to show off and share their passion for the game.
Execution was broken into four distinct phases:
* Education -- Teach members about the game and its features
* Content creation -- Create an engaging experience by letting fans show off their passion
* Sharing personal experiences -- Every member has a story they want to share about their experience with the franchise.
* Promotion/WOM -- In the months leading up to the game release members were given tasks and tools to use to help promote the game to their friends both offline and online.
Throughout the program members were invited to participate in a number of creative activities -- approximately half were designed to be fun and engaging, while the other half reinforced the key selling points of the game with a heavy focus on user-created content, such as video and artwork.
Results: Slime Knights far exceeded the original goals and has grown to well over 14,000 members. The program has generated over 143,000 word of mouth recommendations by members (53% online, 47% offline), and Dragon Quest VIII has gone on to sell over 500,000 copies in the US.
Credit Information
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Client: Square Enix
Agency: Affinitive
Budget: Undisclosed
Date of Campaign: Ongoing
Case Study URL: http://www.beaffinitive.com/clients/casestudy_dqviii.html
