It puts in place the elements to meet the expectations of the target and optimize sales
The product manager is above all a marketing woman or man. Whether he (or she) acts in strategic marketing or operational marketing, his or her objective is to put the right elements in place to optimize sales. In video games, in strategic marketing, he intervenes from the conception of the project and guides the developers (game designer, artistic director, etc.), indicates to them the direction which seems best to take to meet the expectations of the target. In other words, he has the heavy burden of explaining to the creative person that his idea is great, but will interest no one… He relies on studies (analysis of the 4Ps: Product, Promotion, Price, Place). Once production of the game begins, he can intervene at the margins, generally to request changes to the characters or difficulty levels. He also always keeps in mind the PEGI (recommended age for accessing a game) and ensures that the game does not include elements that would hinder the desired PEGI classification. If the strategic product manager is generally an employee of the studio, he can also be seconded by the publisher who finances the game, or at least he is in regular contact with him.
Business information
Level of studies Bac +4 to bac +5
Gross monthly salary From €2,500 to €4,500
Operational
The other aspect of the job of product manager is directly linked to marketing. As the game’s release on the market approaches, he deploys a marketing plan developed with his marketing director, generally in conjunction with international management. He coordinates promotion and communication actions. Thus, it is up to him to choose the most suitable means of communicating about the product: display or television campaign, promotion at the point of sale or online advertising, etc. He collaborates with agencies and supports the sales force by providing them with all the necessary equipment. He works in close collaboration with the press relations department. As with other professions, their tasks will not be exactly the same depending on the company, and especially the size of the latter. In any case, we must not forget that this job involves doing a lot of “ reporting “, that is to say to report on one’s actions and measure their impact.
Required qualities
- Synthesis and analysis skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Knowing how to anticipate
- Autonomy and rigor
End-of-studies achievements
- Knowledge of the game production pipeline
- Managing a budget
- Knowledge of distribution networks
- Knowledge of marketing and trade marketing
Words from professionals: Valérie Dmitrovic
She is the co-founder and CEO of Gaming Campus. A management specialist, she has held management positions in different schools. She graduated from Sciences Po and the Ecole Supérieure de Management.
What is the function of a product manager in a sales organization?
The product manager is responsible for managing the product from its design to its commercialization phase. Upstream, as part of strategic marketing, he develops a marketing plan for his product based on market research data. It segments its market, chooses its priority targets and defines the positioning of its product. It will therefore define its use, who it is aimed at and its positioning on the market in relation to the competition, at what time, on what occasion it must be used, its technical and technological specificities, and its price. Downstream, as part of operational marketing, he coordinates the communication and promotion actions of his product to ensure its successful marketing. He generally reports to the brand manager or marketing director.
What are the specificities inherent to video games?
The functions of strategic and operational product manager are often distinct in video games. The Strategic Product Manager typically works within the development studio to guide game creation based on consumer research and test creative concepts with a target audience. He identifies with the creative direction the pillars of the game experience which will be used to build its positioning and its lines of communication. He contributes to the development of the main characters who will be the figureheads of the product. This job involves a good knowledge of video games and players’ expectations, an awareness of its technical constraints, and an ability to work with creative people over sometimes long development times. The role of operational product manager is less specific compared to other industries, although you have to deal with an audience stratified between demanding consumers and specialists and occasional players. The main specificity of video games is the creation of community. It is essential today to create a close link with the gaming community at the very beginning of game development; this is all the more true for games from independent studios.
What should he take into account to find the right marketing mix?
Prizes in the video game are generally standard at launch. On the other hand, the product manager has the possibility of launching additional editions with additional physical or digital content to offer higher prices like collector’s editions. The product manager must then manage the life cycle of the game by making successive price reductions, particularly at strategic periods (Black Friday, Christmas) to ensure additional sales. The decision to go free-to-play (F2P) is generally a strategic and financial decision that goes beyond the role of product manager. Distribution is today diversifying more and more towards digital, but retail sales continue to hold a good share of the market. Since the retail launch induces additional costs, the product manager must evaluate the game’s ability to sell in boxes alongside competitive games. Communication must take into account the different targets sought. You must both address your core community but also recruit new players to diversify your audience and increase your player base. This involves moments of communication and specific assets. Outside of strategic marketing, the product is not in the hands of the product manager. As part of distribution, the product manager will have an impact on the game cover (key art, product descriptions) in retail and on the metadata in digital.
Video games cover very different types of products, from free-to-play exclusively online or on mobile to AAA sold in boxes. Is it the same approach?
The approach is different. For a game sold in a box, the approach will be identical to that of a consumer product. For a F2P game, it will be a question of having a marketing approach “ always-on ” ; because online gaming can only survive through the continuous acquisition of new players and regular updates to push players to stay in the game, and influence them to purchase the game’s services and content. F2P has generally lower retention which must be compensated for by stronger acquisition, which may require more sustained communication.
With the development of GaaS (Game as a Service) and in-game monetization, what are the strategies put in place by a product manager?
In this case, it is no longer just about acquiring players at the launch of the game, but also retaining them by communicating engaging content, listening to the needs of the community and contributing to the continuous improvement of the game through to these returns. The product manager must also help generate additional revenue through monetization to support the economic viability of the GaaS model in the long term. Strategies today tend towards thematization and seasonalization of new content, cross-promotion operations with other brands and live activations such as free weekends.
With the development of subscription offers, will individual products be as marketed as today?
Games are more and more expensive to develop, the public is more and more demanding and the competition is increasingly strong. The development of subscription offers risks generating a phenomenon of abundance for the consumer. This is an additional challenge for the product manager who will have to prove the specificities of his product even more vis-Ã -vis those of the competition. Communication efforts should be increased in this context.
2020 guide to digital professions and schools
This sheet is taken from the special edition “2020 guide to digital professions and schools” published by Jeux Vidéo Magazine available from your newsagents at the price of €6.50. Opposite, click to discover extracts from other professions.
Job vacancies Marketing, sales, product manager