Huffington Post has a new article that discusses the Ashes of Creation KickStarter and its massive success. It begins with a brief review of Steven Sharif's role in the company and his unique position as a businessman with no prior experience in game' development before touching on the referral system before diving into what made the Ashes of Creation KickStarter initiative so successful.
Sharif feels that his lack of a games development background is actually a good thing. Because of it, he has chosen co-workers who are "experts in their own fields" and who will have the most to contribute across a number of systems including game design, artistry or development.
AoC's unique referral system has its roots in Sharif's background:
A closer look at Sharif’s background shows that he is no stranger to business success. He was a marketer for XanGo Juice, a company which adopted a multilevel-marketing strategy. Having cleverly applied the same principles to Ashes of Creation within a few short weeks Youtubers, Twitch streamers and gaming community commentators alike were all touting about the brand new game in development, along with their referral codes. The marketing incentive has helped make this game become viral in nature. Unlike other multilevel marketing companies, Intrepid Studio’s system ensures that profits are given back to the game and to the Ashes community.
Finally, the article suggests that there are several key lessons to be learned from AoC's success. These include:
- Transparency
- Being aware of the risks
- Attract people with the same passion
- Don't be totally reliant on KickStarter
- Viral marketing that benefits marketers
The article offers insight into each of the things mentioned above, so be sure to head over to Huffington Post to check out the full Ashes of Creation article.
Via MassivelyOP
