What is the point of video game trailers?

[xWhiplash]

How come most of the video game trailers do not show gameplay? What is the point of trailers?

Does anybody else feel that video game trailers are pointless? I remember seeing a trailer that had very nice 3D models and the game ended up completely different and in 2D!

I always have to go to YouTube and check out gameplay footage to see if the game is any good before I make my purchase.

[Pupik]

These days, just to tell us when is the release date. I do what you do and youtube gameplay videos, to actually judge the game.

[spaceelf]

Advertising.

[Nilus]

There's no point whatsoever in those pre-rendered trailers. It almost accounts to false advertising if they didn't have that tiny, almost missable 'not in game footage' note at the bottom of the screen.

Many games can make trailers using in game footage/cutscenes so it makes those pre rendered ones all the more jarring.

[Coagulated]

It's just for hype, really. It's no different to movie trailers - how many trailers have you seen for films that paint a completely different picture to the final product?! I remember when Sweeney Todd came out and not a single trailer I saw even hinted it was a musical. I don't mind musicals, but I have to be in the mood for them, and as I wasn't expecting a musical, I got bored within 20 minutes - I also wanted to smash Helena Bonham Carter's face in, but that's just because she's annoying as hell.

Remember the old 'trailers' for the release of the PS2 by David Lynch?

That told you absolutely nothing about the console, it was just all hype and marketing.

I thoroughly agree that companies should not be allowed to release trailers for any form of media that are not true representations of the final product.

[+virtorio MVC]

They're just advertising.

I wait for the Giant Bomb Quicklook/"WTF is?" byTotalBiscuit to see if I should bother or not.

[jakem1]

To be honest, I'm surprised they work on anyone because the obvious dishonesty in the ads just puts me off buying games.

[compl3x]

As others have said: marketing and advertising are the reason. They're usually carefully crafted to create interest, you should never base purchasing decisions on them.

[Guest]

It's ok for games that are heavy on the story line imo, but not action based games.

[Rohdekill]

Marketing. It's an attempt to gain interest in the product prior to its distribution. Fortunately, savvy gamers know better. Yet, marketing has to produce something to earn their paychecks.

[spaceelf]

It doesn't look that different from in game graphics these days except for the iffy camera work. The reason it's prerendered is they work on the performance of the game throughout the development of the game, that isn't showable until it's done.

[Razorwing]

Hype -> Generating Buzz + Advertising.

[.jCliff]

I'm surprised more people don't click on the difference between pre-rendered and in-game footage.

[Crisp]

Advertising and hype, so little johnny can cry and moan to his mother for that video game he so badly wants.

[xWhiplash]

Of course it is for advertising, you misunderstand me. When you see a movie trailer, it is different because what you are doing will be what you are doing in the movie, just watching.

However, video games are meant to be played. So why are there some trailers that have no gameplay footage, or even game trailers that have real life action to where you do not even see ANY form of the game?

These are similar to those commercials that show you a car for 1 minute and it is a commercial about toothpaste. There is really no point to those commercials.

[madd-hatter]

To help the job market.

(Gives CGI artists/B movie actors something to do.)

[Crimson Rain]

Too fool you.

[Dotdot]

How come most of the video game trailers do not show gameplay? What is the point of trailers?

Does anybody else feel that video game trailers are pointless? I remember seeing a trailer that had very nice 3D models and the game ended up completely different and in 2D!

I always have to go to YouTube and check out gameplay footage to see if the game is any good before I make my purchase.

Like any other promotional media they are meant to drive the hype machine for a game. Thus trailer does not equal gameplay. i.e Boring gameplay does not compute to general public. However brain shattering dub-step and 0.5sec long glimpses of things seem to instill a sense of panic and urgency which im assuming grabs joe public`s attention more and makes games look "cool".