New Blood CEO: The worst way to sell immersive sims
In the world of complex game design, the pursuit of the perfect label often proves more difficult than the design itself. For fans of classics like Dusk and Ultrakill, the phrase immersive sim has become a favorite, savored with the memories of guilt-ridden murder and first-person exploration.
Yet, as the industry moves toward new genres, a consensus is emerging among game makers: while the concept is compelling, calling it an immersive sim often feels like using jargon that doesn’t quite stick. As one executive noted, the term itself can feel frustrating, leading some to question its effectiveness as a marketing tool.
The debate isn’t just about semantics; it touches on the very definition of game history. When discussing genre, developers often find themselves wrestling with established boundaries. For instance, games like Fallen Aces and Gloomwood flirt with the concept, yet the classification remains tricky.
Long before the term immersive sim entered common parlance, the lineage of game design had already established its own terminology. Games like Deus Ex and Thief were established as RPGs, appealing to players who valued character building and narrative choices. This distinction highlights the gap between how players understand the experience and how the industry classifies it.
This historical context suggests that using genre labels can be a delicate balancing act. One perspective is that marketing a game as an RPG—which has broad commercial appeal—is often the safer bet. The argument suggests that if a game has the structural complexity of an immersive sim, it should be recognized, but pushing the label alone can create confusion.
“If you market something as an RPG, I think you’ll do better than marketing it as an immersive sim,” one industry figure suggested, emphasizing that market understanding often trumps technical jargon.
The friction point often lies in what the audience actually perceives. For some, the immersive experience is defined by the mechanics—stacking boxes, navigating vents, and solving problems in unique ways—rather than a formal label. The true essence of the experience is in the gameplay loop, not necessarily the marketing tag.
Ultimately, the evolution of game terminology reflects the ongoing conversation about what truly constitutes a game. Whether a genre is defined by its mechanics, its narrative, or its marketability, the story of design continues to unfold, one carefully chosen word at a time.
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