EA Sports knows how to create buzz with new video game screen shots

EA Sports has a different take on new game announcements. Rather than kicking off with a big publicity demo or long press release with a list of new features, the company is generating buzz by letting the cat out of the bag a little at a time. For example, to kick off its discussion with fans about the game NCAA Football '12, EA released one screen shot. Bloggers quickly posted the picture and dissected it for hints about new features. Later on, EA released a video explaining some of the new features teased in the first photo, along with additional screen shots. Information released about Madden '12 will follow a similar format. Using this trickle method, EA gets bloggers, tweeters and online forum members juiced up to discuss -- and, of course, be right about -- what new features are coming. Far more effective than just pushing out a laundry list of features, or a video that explains everything at once. Creating interest and releasing information over time increases both the amount of, and length of, conversations around a product announcement. Sometimes, the best "big announcement" isn't an announcement at all.