7 Ways to Promote Your Video Game for the Holidays

Whether you're a developer or a publisher, you can take advantage of any or all of the following ways to promote your video game for the holidays. From a quick update on your website to partnering with influencers to offering in-game cosmetic goodies, you can delight your existing players and reach new ones this holiday season.

1. Refresh your website and store to match the look of the season

Whatever genre your game is, and regardless of what platforms it’s on, your website is one of the most important marketing assets that you have. You should update your website regularly and take advantage of seasonal updates to keep things new and exciting for your player base. Your game's site should contain the most up-to-date information about any promotions you're running and match the holiday's aesthetic. You can do something simple like change the hero image on the front page or get more in-depth with a refresh of all the content throughout the site.

In your Xsolla Publisher Account, you can easily swap out images, update or add new sections of information, and let your players quickly browse any promotions you're running. Follow our quick guide to get your store set up with Xsolla Site Builder when you're ready to add a shopping section to your site or if you'd like to make changes to your existing one.

And if you're running a mobile game, check out our Web Shop for Mobile Games. It's easy to get started, and beginning December 9, an entirely untapped market is set to be made available for developers with the opportunity to expand your mobile game revenue by up to 40%.

2. Offer discounts to encourage holiday gifting

Discounts give new players a chance to pick up older games or downloadable content from your entire catalog and allow for a more affordable way to gift them to friends and family. Decide whether you want to sell discount game keys for a few days or the entire duration of the holiday season and plan the awareness marketing for sales accordingly. 

You can set up discount campaigns in either of two ways: via your Xsolla Publisher Account or API methods. You can browse the linked detailed documentation to see which pathway works best for you or read about all the available features.

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3. Bundle exclusives or loyalty perks around the seasonal theme

Bundles are a great way to sell more of everything, including older games from your past catalog. And a bundled package of items brings added value to you just as it does to your players. Just make sure to pair the right products together and offer a reasonable discount that provides the best deal without cutting into your bottom line.

You can bundle new and old games together, include subscription plans as part of a package, or entice new players to get the latest DLC by bundling them with older content or offering them at a discounted package price. Players will see them as especially valuable since they can pick up multiple games, DLC, or virtual items for a low price - which often looks more attractive than a standalone product.

Browse our documentation to see how easy it is to set up bundles. Like the discounts mentioned above, you can quickly set them up via Publisher Account or API methods. With Xsolla to help you on the backend, you can include virtual items and currencies, subscriptions, game keys, and even combine other bundles into a complete package.

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4. Partner with influencers to spread awareness

Working with influencers in the industry is a great marketing strategy when implemented correctly. Influencers can generate buzz and interest in your game to networks and audiences you might not otherwise have easy access to and with content that doesn't necessarily come off as advertising. 

The benefit to this is that viewers won't automatically tune out the way they might if their brains recognize something as an ad. You can thus expand your reach to a new, niche audience. Plus, an influencer can directly answer any questions the audience might have about your game and give informed answers that will direct a customer to the right purchase.

With Xsolla Partner Network, you're already halfway to setting your game up for influencer success. Once you have the Pay Station up and running for your project, you simply create a new program using the instructions here and customize it as you need. 

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5. Run a giveaway or contest on social media

Giveaways help keep your games at the forefront of potential customers' minds, sparking visits to your in-game and out-of-game stores. When you combine that with the power of social media and the excitement of the holiday season, you have a very compelling way to connect with your player base. 

Using a screenshot contest giveaway on social media invites your players to log into your game (to get the screenshot) and share their love of your game with their networks. Naturally, make sure the requirements include the appropriate game and holiday specifics and that the prize is of significant value to the winner based on their time spent. After all, you’ll want your players to enter more social media giveaways in the future. 

Create coupons or promo codes for your project in Xsolla Publisher Account, and send the appropriate one(s) to the winner(s). You can run multiple contests during the holiday event and create as many codes as you need.

6. Give bonus content to new players or subscribers

There’s no doubt about the fact that subscription promotions work to build long-term relationships with users. How many free trials have you participated in that led you to purchase a subscription plan? 

For the holiday season, including in-game bonus content for your new players or existing subscribers can help turn casual players into loyal, long-term fans. If you can make the content seasonally-themed, even better. You can even bring it back, year after year, and allow a new audience to unlock it using a similar event-based promotion.

Everything you need to know to set up subscriptions with Xsolla Publisher Account is here. Once you've got subscriptions set up, you can create coupons and promo codes to give to your players to unlock the seasonal or bonus content. 

7. Reward your loyal players with email-only or refer-a-friend specials

Your email list is a great place to advertise all of your holiday promotions and connect with your players. Create and send a unique discount code, for example, one that allows them to purchase an existing bundle of items or a new, holiday-themed item or bundle at a discounted price for the event. 

If your game is multiplayer, you can also create refer-a-friend specials and give your existing players a redeemable promo code for a game key for their friends. With a dedicated section on your website, you can also further entice players to subscribe to your email list by showcasing which items will be in upcoming subscriber-only sales. 

It's easy to create and distribute coupons and promo codes for your games within Xsolla Publisher Account. With promo codes, you can include bonus items that the customer will receive with their purchase.

Any of these ways are a great way to promote your game for this or any other holiday event. But if you're not sure which of these strategies to start with for your particular game, feel free to reach out to our team, and we'll be happy to assist you. 

Happy Holidays!