Competitive Analysis Made Easier

One of the more important tasks for marketers is to keep track of the competition. Not just in general terms, but in detail. Why? There are several reasons.

• Sometimes it really is a zero-sum game (that is, if the other guy wins, you lose), and you need to know the competitor's tactics in order to counter them.
• Whether or not it's zero-sum, you can always borrow good ideas.
• You see how to add product features to respond to your competitors.
• You learn if you're under direct attack.
  

This being the age of the internets, there's a web site to help you track all of this: Competitious. It's especially useful if you have several competitors you're trying to track, and lots of features you need to keep tabs on.

It's important to note that while many game companies don't see themselves as having a direct competitor to their games, you're always competing for the time and money of your target audience. Not only with other game companies, but with other calls on their time... movies, books, TV, the internet, sometimes even real life. So when someone has some leisure time and some dollars to spend, you want to make sure that your product is the best choice for them. Which means being fully aware of the market, the competitors, their products, and their marketing efforts. Even if you're not going head-to-head with a competitor, you need to find the openings in the market that you can profitably fill.