From the day we revealed Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King, it was clear that each of these titles left an indelible mark in the lives of many gamers – anticipation was high. With two fan-favorite games refreshed for modern consoles, a ton of bonus content and multiple playable retro versions of each game, fans, press and influencers were searching for their own magic lamp to wish for an early copy. Luckily, we could help with the latter two!
Leading up to launch, we knew the interest was voracious and getting coverage wasn’t going to be a problem, but we had to be strategic about how much information was revealed and how much we kept close to the chest. We worked closely with our partners at Nighthawk Interactive and Disney Interactive to align on messaging and ensure we were steering this magic carpet in the right direction.
Media were particularly interested in the “final cut” version of Aladdin, but the team wanted to keep much of the content under wraps to let fans discover things for themselves. We worked with a handful of key targets that were especially intrigued by the final cut to arrange some high level interviews – enough to build excitement and offer a sneak peek into the new version, but not too extensive to spoil the magic before release. With our trusted contacts at GamesBeat and CNET, we arranged written interviews with a senior producer at Digital Eclipse to provide some context on “why this collection” and “why now.” Our friends at IGN also helped us shed some light with an interview and the first look gameplay footage.
As expected, we secured Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King review interest from press across the globe. After lining up review coverage with select press outlets, the collection came out of the gate with respectable scores in the higher 70-80 range, including solid scores from Attack of the Fanboy, GameSkinny, SlashGear, Push Square, PlayStation Universe , PlayStation LifeStyle, Nintendo Enthusiast, Hardcore Gamer and COGConnected.
And for top-tier gaming/“geek” media that don’t give out review scores and/or don’t always re-review retro games, we still lined up some great launch coverage – particularly with Kotaku, IGN, GameSpot, Destructoid and Geek.com. We knew this one was a great sell for broader consumer media and Disney fanatics as well, so we worked with contacts at outlets including Forbes, Omaha World-Herald, Laughing Place, Attractions Magazine and Dis Kingdom for impressions and launch news coverage.
We knew some influencers that would also love the retro glory of the collection, and worked with channels including GameXplain, Kwingletsplays, RGT 85, iKasperr and John Riggs to secure some great video and stream content.
And now, with the holidays just around the corner, all our hard work pitching for gift guide inclusion is also paying off with key hits including LA Times’ “This season’s gamer must-haves,” Buzzfeed’s “55 Gifts For The Disney Fan Who Has Everything” and “48 Products You Might Find Yourself Daydreaming About,” PlayStation Universe’s “Great PS4 Games To Buy,” and three of IGN’s guides: Best Nostalgia Gifts for 80s/90s/2000s Kids, Best PlayStation Gifts 2019 and Best Gifts for Kids 2019.
Suffice to say: if you haven’t picked up your copy yet, you should head to your local retailer to grab one 😉. You won’t regret it! If you need further convincing, check out some of the top coverage we locked in:
