Revolutionizing Gaming with Early Character Customization

A new trend in gaming sparked by Dragon's Dogma 2 and Saints Row's innovative approach to pre-launch character creation.
Revolutionizing Gaming with Early Character Customization

Highlights

  • Early character creation tools introduced by Saints Row and Dragon's Dogma 2 are changing player engagement dynamics before game releases.
  • Volition and Capcom set a new industry standard by allowing players to create and share characters well before the game launch, generating excitement and anticipation.
  • The strategy of providing early access to character creators has successfully built hype, given players a head start, and ensured a smooth transition into the game world.

Initially, it might not appear that Saints Row and Dragon's Dogma 2 share many similarities. One is an open-world experience akin to Grand Theft Auto, while the other promises to be a significant RPG adventure. Despite targeting different audiences within the open-world genre, Dragon's Dogma 2 seems to have taken a cue from Saints Row regarding the character creator.

Both games prioritize robust character creation tools, allowing players the freedom to craft their avatars extensively, setting a new benchmark in the industry. What sets them apart is the early release of these tools, granting players a head start in their virtual journeys. While not groundbreaking, this approach should establish a fresh standard for similar offerings.

Saints Row and Dragon's Dogma 2 Leading the Way

Pioneering Early Character Creation Launches

Building up to the launch of Saints Row presented challenges, with previous titles failing to resonate with fans. To combat this, Volition unveiled the Boss Factory demo, showcasing the advanced character creation system before the game's release in August 2022. Players could create up to six characters and share them, seamlessly transitioning into the full game.

In a similar fashion, Dragon's Dogma 2 by Capcom adopted this strategy, releasing a character creator demo ahead of the game's launch. This tool allows players to craft up to five characters and their Main Pawn, ensuring a smooth entry into the game upon release. While the game's quality remains uncertain, the character customization features are notably robust.

Early Access to Character Creators - A Winning Strategy

While not revolutionary, the concept of releasing character creators before the game's launch has proven beneficial. Players get a taste of the customization options and can perfect their avatars well in advance, easing their transition into the game world. By offering a glimpse of the creator, excitement and anticipation are heightened, potentially setting a new industry standard for RPGs and open-world games.