2K on the challenge of marketing BioShock 2

I noticed my American friends don't play this at all but my friends from the UK play it. (or played it before in the past)

They still haven't convinced me to buy it. I will inevitably buy it from one of Steam's ridiculous sales eventually

Convince fans of the original that they needed a sequel? I'm not even sure I comprehend this sentiment.

Are they not aware that most top sellers are sequels, many of which are sequels of games that don't necessarily cry out for sequels? People love more of the same thing, when the original was good. It's like...more pie.

To me it seems this game came and went very quitely...I seem to remember the blog coverage on 1 being constant but this has, to me, slipped under the radar.

I still see Bomber Man every time I see the box art.

"With BioShock being one of the best marketed and prettiest castrations of System Shock in 2007"

There, I fixed it for you.

Why am i keep thinking Bomberman!?

The best marketing tool would have been to make Bioshock 2 as good as or better than 1. Instead, they dumped level design, story telling, and innovation. Seriously, if you are going to use the same engine, most of the same art assets, and mostly the same game systems, I expect a game that is polished as hell and twice as engaging. Not a slapped together, totally linear shooter with a nonsense story.

Bioshock 2 was a fantastic game and a perfect sequel. If for some reason you have not yet played it, I'd strongly encourage you to go out and buy it, now. Of course, I'd recommend you play the first Bioshock before this one. I'm sure you could play this without any pre-existing knowledge of Bioshock, but you'll miss a whole layer of depth in the story if you didn't play the first Bioshock.

I'd also recommend giving the Multiplayer a go. It really feels like first person shooters of yester-year (with some obvious enhancements like Plasmids). But if you liked the classic run and gun gameplay from older multiplayer games like Doom, Quake 2, etc - I think you'll like this.

My only disappointment is the post-release support. Their first DLC pack was an unnessicary cash-grab ($5 for content ALREADY ON THE DISC!). Their next DLC pack will probably go largely unnoticed considering the cost and the dwindling number of gamers still playing Bioshock 2 online. If anything, they should be releasing the pack for free to help encourage sales and growth, and not try another cash grab.

I've really enjoyed Bioshock, almost finished with it, though I can't say I'm pining to grab a copy of 2 just yet.

I think BioShock 2 was a great game. I enjoyed the first game more since it did a great job introducing you to this bizarre underwater society but the second one just threw you back in and let you play on. Which was still great, I did thoroughly enjoy the second game too.

Never tried the MP though.

How come no one mentions their slick viral campaign? I had so much fun with their something in the sea site and all their special events. They even invited some people to the developer's launch party! 2k treats their fan right.

I bought this at launch. Actually, I preordered it. The last game I bought at launch was Brawl (not worth it). Last game I preordered was Guitar Hero: Rock's The 80's (I don't even have to say not worth it). Bioshock 2 was awesome. I bought it based on the best kind of advertising a company can have - positive hype and good reviews.

And now I probably won't launch purchase another game until Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Unless Bioshock 3 comes out first...

Bioshock 2 is ok, but it came and went with a wimper. It could never have the impact of the original. Even with all the changes made, it still felt like more Bioshock. Which was ok if you wanted that, but if you were looking for this great big leap of WOW from the sequel. You were disappointed.

Assassin's Creed II and GOW II took the game to the next level. They got better reviews than their prequels. They're beloved. Bioshock 2 is a mediocre at best. It's already forgotten.

ACII got more attention. BSII is forgotten. It's a fact!

AC2 is still talked about, you're so wrong. The secrets in that game are still discussed and debated. Bioshock 2 will be in the bargain bin soon. For being generic garbage, that mindless fools such as yourself buy and praise. You boring turd!

Yeah well It's not gonna be a tin man and scarecrow in the wizard of oz. It's gonna be ten men and scared ho's in the wizard of ass!