MAJOR SPOILERS AHEADIn the entertainment industry, pre-release marketing can make or break a project. It doesn't matter how big the brand is or how well-known the franchise may be. If a piece of media doesn't handle its marketing well, then that could result in some big sales losses. This is very true when it comes to the video game industry, with even huge-name titles like The Last of Us Part 2 and God of War Ragnarok taking a strict approach to their pre-release marketing. Interestingly, the two games actually shared a similar marketing approach, with one executing it a little better.
Before The Last of Us Part 2 released, fans were desperate for plot details, and Naughty Dog wasn't keen on handing them out freely. Over the course of a year or two, fans eventually learned more about the game via its trailers, but they all stayed fairly secretive, giving away practically nothing about the game's narrative aside from the fact that players were now assuming the role of Ellie. God of War Ragnarok took an even more restrictive approach to its marketing, revealing practically no details at all aside from a general outline and a handful of obscure cinematics. In the end, it seems as though God of War Ragnarok may have had a better approach.
God of War Ragnarok's Secretive Marketing and How it Compares to The Last of Us 2's
When it comes to God of War Ragnarok's marketing, Sony really let the brand name speak for itself. Riding high on the widespread success of God of War 2018, Sony and Santa Monica Studios must have known that anticipation for the next entry in the series was monumentally high, regardless of any teaser trailers. Eventually, a few teasers were released, and though they confirmed a time-jump and few other general plot details, they didn't expressly state what the story of God of War Ragnarok was going to be. On top of this, most trailers only showed pre-rendered, CGI cutscenes that clearly weren't ripped directly from the game itself, but were made expressly for promotional purposes.
This all added to a sense of mystery that quickly surrounded God of War Ragnarok. With just enough to get fans talking, but not enough to give them anything concrete to build their expectations on, God of War Ragnarok was able to get the world excited without over-promising anything, or leading fans down narrative trails that weren't going to be built upon in the final product.
A few years earlier, The Last of Us 2 tried a very similar approach to its marketing. For the longest time, no details were given about the game, just a few teaser images and one trailer that showed an older Ellie playing guitar, and hinting at a revenge story. As the game got closer to release, more characters were revealed, and fans started to speculate on what their inclusion could mean for the story. One of the biggest points of discussion was the character of Dina, and her close romantic relationship with Ellie.
In one of The Last of Us 2's most infamous trailers, it seems as though Ellie is rushing into a building to save Dina from an unknown threat. Ellie is then pushed to the ground by mystery assailants, the screen goes black, and a gunshot can be heard. The trailer then shows Ellie going on a violent rampage, before being tapped on the shoulder by Joel, who says that he won't let her do this alone. The clear interpretation here is that Ellie goes on a vengeful rampage following the death of Dina, and is joined by Joel.
Another instance that is directly comparable is how some Last of Us 2 trailers showed Joel in situations he wouldn't be in the game. This prepared fans to see him more than he actually is in the game, and it soured many fans. Likewise, the God of War Ragnarok trailer shows Tyr in a certain context that isn't entirely honest, but it worked well here as no one saw the biggest plot twist of the game coming.
This style of misdirect by Naughty Dog would turn out to be a pretty disastrous one, with fans building up their expectations based on this plotline, only to have it subverted within the first hour or so of the game. This subversion split the fan base down the middle, with some loving the bold new direction, and others hating the deception of the game's marketing. By just keeping silent and only giving vague plot details in its marketing, obscuring only key details, God of War Ragnarok keeps its fans on board throughout its journey.
God of War Ragnarok is available on PS4 and PS5.