A few days before its official launch, “Subnautica 2” announced that it had accumulated 5 million wishlists on Steam. What is this number in the gaming industry? Generally speaking, a work that can reach 5 million wishlists before its official release will most likely meet the conditions for “annual hit”. This time, the developer Wyvern did not waste this wave of enthusiasm and immediately announced an event to reward players.
Every player gets a gift, is it a marketing ploy or is it sincere?
The business logic behind choosing to make a public statement at this point in time is very clear: 5 million wishlists is a strong social proof. It tells the market that “many people are looking forward to this product” and can also attract more potential buyers who are still hesitant. For a work that has not yet been released, such public relations operations can effectively reduce the wait-and-see mood of passers-by.
What does this number mean for Deepsea 2?
For this project, 5 million wishlists represents not only a marketing milestone, but also the establishment of quite strong brand recognition among the player base before monetization has begun. Any player who chooses to “want” at this stage may be converted into an actual purchase immediately when the product is launched, which is the most ideal start for products in the early access stage.