Behind-the-scenes: Trailer and Marketing for Paralives’ Release
Hi! Alex here. These days, a good part of the Paralives team is busy recording trailers for the Early Access release of May 25th as well as working on our overall marketing strategy. Today’s post will dive into what it entails!
As usual, this post is for Patrons only so please don’t share. 🔐
Recording Trailers
We are working on a main gameplay trailer that will be revealed a few days before launch as well as a few short trailers that will be published on launch day.
For the main trailer, we will follow Nikki and Talia, and the video will summarize the main gameplay features in Paralives.
Nikki (left) and Talia (right) were created by Léa. Are they roommates? Coworkers? What’s their story?
Talia seems to be the active one!
Our Goals for The Gameplay Trailer
🎮 Gameplay, gameplay and gameplay: The trailer is made of gameplay footage to represent the experience that players will have
🆕 Summarize what’s unique about Paralives: Focus on the game’s innovations
🌆 Reveal more of the town: Show some areas that have never been seen before
✨ Reveal 1 or 2 gameplay features that we haven’t talked about yet!
One of the builds that Sonia created for a trailer. It’s a cozy office room for two Parafolks!
A cute little mountain house created by Lina for another short trailer.
I wonder what they are doing on the computer…
Ads
We have a small budget for ads which will help spread the words on platforms like Reddit and Instagram in the days following the release. This way, we aim to reach old and new potential fans that may have missed the news that Paralives will now be available to play.
Early Access Awareness
We have noticed that some future Paralives players are not familiar with the concept of releasing a game in Early Access. We plan to keep communicating what it means: that the game is still in active development, with missing features and quite a few bugs still and that our goal is releasing Paralives early to collect more feedback and improve the overall experience progressively.
In short, we’ll keep communicating about what it means to play a game in Early Access, just like we did here a couple months back before the game’s delay:
See the full version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bl3dpyqrt4
Working with Streamers and Influencers
We are reaching out to a few pre-selected top streamers who will receive the game and stream it a few days before launch. Our goal with these (unpaid) partnerships is to maximize our marketing and help promote the game around launch to ensure as many eyes as possible fall on the game.
I hope this post gave you a good overview of everything we’re working on around Paralives launch and marketing. We also plan to do one Patreon-only stream and one public Live Mode pre-recorded long gameplay session video in the coming weeks!
Tell us what you think in the comments below ✍️
We’re really excited for the release!!
Alex
Comments (126)
I’m so excited for the build mode! I can’t wait to see the furniture and make use of the awesome features you guys have planned, like curved walls and atypically-shaped rooms.
"We have noticed that some future Paralives players are not familiar with the concept of releasing a game in Early Access." obsessed with this shade hahaah Thank you for sharing!! I'm so excited to play Paralives soon!!
Hey Alex, make a supermarket, not one in any simulation game.
Alex and team i cant wait to play this game in 25 days 3 weeks i will support you and game you guys doing amazing job am counting down
I disagree with those in the comments saying to pay well known cozy game influencers and Sims 4 partners to advertise. I think what makes Paralives stand out in this genre is the genuine nature of a real indie game made by people who play games in this genre. Myself and others like me have completely lost faith and trust in influencers who will promote any game that pays them enough without doing research or protecting their audience. There are honest content creators that will play the game on their channels for free and give their real opinions and share grounded expectations to their viewers. This will help build a healthier player community and foundation for Paralives. I myself, with no fanbase whatsoever, have considered posting a video of me playing the game to share my thoughts just because I believe in Paralives. Paralives is not the Sims 4 and should not behave like EA. I don't want shills promoting a game made in good faith and ruining its reputation with lies and fake enthusiasm.
Also, influencers who know what they're doing will play and talk about Paralives on their channels anyway, paid or not, because the release of this game is huge news in the community.
I am a longtime Sims player and have been hearing of Paralives for years. I love The Sims but Paralives looks awesome. It honestly looks like what the Sims is missing.
hey alex i would like to see 3 youtuber is satchonsims pixlelade and james turner to test this game i know satchonsims and pixelade love your game and i think james turner wont mind
Please tell me this isn't going to be delayed, I just got all my new PC parts (which quickly prompted my car to blow up) I need my PC to worth it
Oh I will def stream this after release ^^ Will it be possible to buy the music for use in streams, also not specifically when playing the game?
I so so SOOOOOO can't wait for the build buy you guys made!!! That was the selling point for me those years ago I saw your project for the first time! Let's GOOOOO!!!!!
The home stretch. We believe in you all so much! Can’t wait to see the trailer!
please include in gameplay stream family dynamic it's biggest part for Life simulation game and we didn't seen much yet how it looks in action ;)
Wonderful. I am glad the team has a budget for ads and will work with life sim influencers. People have been too quiet in the life sim community in general about this game. I want to see more people excited about this game. 🙂
I LOVE the outfits on the Paras in the first couple of photos, you all seriously nailed the different aesthetics! (: I can't wait to see people playing this game and I can't wait to be playing this game! I've been enthusiastically waiting since 2020! :D Ahhhh, I'm so excited!!!
Despite not being a ‘content’ update, this post has gotten me more excited than ever before (especially the undisclosed gameplay features)! As everyone says, it’s a welcome and refreshing experience to be informed on the background/marketing aspect and I look forward to seeing people with hands on experience. (I’ve been waiting to see Plumbella stream this since the early days when her channel introduced me to your project! Guess we’ll see 👀) I’m sad that I won’t be able to play it on the day EA launches, but I’ll be among those in the first week for sure! Amazing work and good luck, team! ✨
I just hope you wont take to heart ppl commenting bad things in the future who obviously missed the part that this game is EA
It might be EA but at least it’s not EA lol
These materials seem very promising, if I didn't know about Paralives and saw them, they'd sure be interesting
Ok but Nikki is such a vibe 💖
You guys are really great! You're doing a great job!💖💖💖👏👏👏👏👏
If not already considered, you may want to let Lilsimsie, Superior Simmer, and Vstreetlove on YouTube be of the streamers to maybe partner with since they have a pretty large following and have already expressed in the past in some of their videos (From what I've seen at least) that they wanted to look for different games to play after the crap EA pulled. Might help both you and them, since they'd probably like having a game similar to sims but better. They've been kind of feeling stuck apparently with making sims content despite considering wanting to veer away from Sims due to EA's BSing about with fascist entities despite the fact that a large majority of the Sims player base were LGBTQIA+ people
Also fantayzia! She was one of the first to ditch the sims post buyout and shw was a great simmer
I'm so excited to see the gameplay trailer, everything looks so beautiful and made with love, I'm so excited for the release.🇧🇷🩷
It's coming out near my birthday! Can't believe I was here when I was still in uni, and now I'm working. I'm taking few days off to play this when it comes out. :)
I'm SO EXCITED for this game! It releases in Early Access a few days before my best friend's bday, so I know what I'm getting her for a present :D And it comes out just after my vacation starts, so I know how I'll be spending my time~
This actually feels like a really solid way to present the game, loving how intentional everything sounds here, focusing on pure gameplay instead of cinematic fluff is such a good call, especially for a life sim where people want to understand how it really plays, like not just “we’re dropping a trailer”, but actually thinking about how to communicate what makes Paralives different... a lot of games skip that part and then people get the wrong idea, so setting expectations clearly now just makes the whole launch feel way more trustworthy and... I already feel like Nikki and Talia have a lot more lore than * and I’ve seen them for 2 seconds 💀
So excited for this release. It is going to be so fun to start from the beginning and watch this game grow! Can't wait!!!
"We love you Paralives team," we all say in unison! 🙂↕️ I'm beyond excited!!
8 years passed by in a flash, here's to hoping the next 30 days do the same. I can't wait to play!
so excited!!!
also going to express my love for pandabae (no particular reason wink), amazing creator, id watch any ea vid she does should she get the game early!
This is so exciting ! Thank you for the update ! The builds look amazing, I can't wait to see more of them. Also I hope we will be able to have them in game !
I am so freaking excited!!! One month! Excuse me while I flail for joy lol
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. If a company reaches out to buy the game or the company, please for the love of the genre do not agree to it.
Hi all! I am so excited and proud for you guys as we lead up to launch! If there is ONE final request I have for you, and someone I think has deserved to play this as much as any of us, PLEASE have Lilsimsie stream this before launch. I just know she would love to and it would reach an enormous audience 😭🥰😁
Like everyone else here, I’m incredibly excited and thrilled by every new image from the game. I love details like the natural way characters sit on the couch. I’m looking forward to more features we haven’t seen yet. I really hope the game will be successful and that everything turns out well :-)
I can’t put into words how excited I am 😭😭 The release date being so close doesn’t feel real. As excited as I am to watch people play it, I think I’m going to wait until after I play it myself so I can experience it all in-game for the first time! You guys are so amazing and I’m so proud of how far you’ve come, thank you for all your hard work!
Awww, thanks so much 💖
Its a holiday where I am on the 25th so I know I'll be left alone on that day with lots of time to play Paralives. I can't wait, all I ever seem to do now is watch videos about it over and over looking at every detail. You and your team Alex have done and are still doing a fantastic job. Thank you!!!
Thank you Gill!!
I’m so excited I can’t wait to play and to see my favorite streamer (Keeyuh) play it as well paralives has been in my wish list for years now and it’s finally happening 😍❤️😊
Thank you!!
cannot wait to play - it's all feeling so real now! Luckily it's a national holiday where I'm from on release day so yeah I'll be playing all day lol. Do you know what time/timezone the game will be released yet?
We will be able to confirm the exact soon but we aim for the morning (ET time)
Cant wait I think my favourite youtube people need to try is pixlade and satchonsim the both are looking forward to play it it be nice if they try it first
I love simfinity, panda bae, paralemons and pixelade 😍
My only concern is the selection of youtubers, as some (speaking strictly for myself) make me feel a little uncomfortable with their opinions and/or values, especially given the recent events that have rocked the Lifesim community. But that's fine, I'll just ignore their videos if they get the game! I still trust the devs and I'm sure they'll choose wisely :) Since you've gone with this marketing approach, it would be great if some emerging youtubers, like pandabee and paralemons, got the game because they're doing such a fantastic job. Thanks Alex for this update, I can't wait to play Paralives!
"My only concern is the selection of youtubers, as some (speaking strictly for myself) make me feel a little uncomfortable with their opinions and/or values" I think for people who are still active in That Other Game™ community and not very familiar with Paralives (or not at all), these are the influencers that will introduce them to Paralives. Not content creators who have distanced themselves for That Other Game™ 4, by definition. But yeah, I agree that personally I'll keep my distances with these Youtubers, and will prioritize voices who are drawn to Paralives not out of spite/disappointment about another game, but for itself.
I am a Patron and an Influencer ! My channel is Cassity Simmer ! I made a ton of videos about the game before last years expected release ! If you like my content you can use the info in the description to contact me! Would love to e opportunity 🩷🩷 25k subs with over 100k views in the last month 🩷🩷
Early access will launch on a Monday 😭😭😭 I can't wait to buy lots of energy drinks and play all night 😆😆🇧🇷🇧🇷
What an awfully inconvenient day to release lol
Will you be sharing who will get the game early so we can watch them? There is one person on YouTube whos been talking a lot about the game and explaing things a lot for people. Her YouTube name is Soffarox. She has said in her videos shes also a patreon member.
one of my favorite paratubers, panda bae too but they’re all amazing!
Super excited for the release!! Wishing all the best to the team on a successful and well anticipated EA release!! I really love the idea of unpaid influencers so as not to provide false reactions and opinions!! Nevertheless they'll never steer me into how I'll feel about the game because everyone has their own experience and opinions. Hard not to engage in new private post while you're also trying to save some gameplay reveals for when you actually get your hands on the game but...yay!! Looking forward to upcoming weeks posts!!
Thank you Jasmine!
Im so excited can't wait to see and prefects day for news as it my birthday
Ohhh happy birthday!!
I am so excited and can't to see what secrets will be revealed. The blurred out bits of the pictures are making me so intrigued ! Edit: I think they're playing Paralives build mode on the computers
👀
can’t wait to finally play the game 🕺🏻 I’m so EXCITED right now!
<3 <3
Ahhhh I can't wait! This is so exciting!
Thank you Bella!
I hope some Brazilian streamers receive this opportunity for partnership too!! Also, can't wait to watch the new trailer with the new (so beautiful) paras!!
Thank you! We plan on reaching out to some Brazilian streamers as well, yes!
Sending y’all every bit of love, support, and excitement!!! ❤️❤️ Also, I’m SUPER glad that you guys will continue communicating what being in EA means b/c folks occasionally need the reminder/info! 🤣
Thanks so much <3 <3
The 25th is a holiday where I live and I'm taking two extra days off just to play. Can't wait for the trailer!
Ohhh nice!!
I've been excited about the game and conversely have been watching less of the videos because I'm just ready to play and discover things while I play. I've felt bad for engaging less but, for me, its because I'm 100% on board and locked in. Wishing the team all the best with the release ✨
Thanks so much!!💖
ee how exciting! we're getting so close now! super excited to know there will be more content to come for the public and us patrons! also really curious about the streamers... keep up the good work team! i do have a few questions as well 1. are the features and areas you haven't shown off also secrets to us patrons? 2. will the patreon only stream focus on one part of the game (eg. PAM, Build Mode, Live Mode) or all of it? 3. this is just curiosity, was this your plan last year too or does this plan come in retrospect of hype levels last year/other stuff?
Thank you Cece! 1. Yes! There are a few sections of the town that we have not shown the Patrons or anyone just yet! 2. The next Patreon-only stream will focus on live mode 3. It's still the same marketing plan but the delay gave us more time to better execute it!
I'm so excited! And happy to hear the trailer's gonna focus on actual gameplay footage ❤️
Yes!
Im so excited to play!! Cant wait so happy you guys will finally be able to release the early access!
Thank you!!
The double office is giving Disney channel dream bedroom vibes!! I can’t wait for then game and trailer 🥰
Haha that's true!
I'm so excited! I'm gonna set an alarm to wake up early on May 25th!
💖🥳
Planning some time off work around the EA release date, I am so excited!!
Thank you Lisa!
Can't wait. I'm so excited! ❤️
💖🎉
I hope you guys get in touch with Play Luque or Plumbob Kingdom… and even if you don’t, I hope they make videos of our little game 😍
I hope for Simfinity 🙈😍
Thank you for the update! It looks like you guys are fully switching gears now into the final stretch 😄 hope you're handling it well! Do you find that you're in a more comfortable place than last time?
Thank you!! Yes, with the delay, the game is much more stable so we're confident and excited for launch! It's still Early Access though so there will still be some bugs but getting feedback from players will be really useful for us to improve the game :)
History will say they’re roommates. But in all seriousness, I’m so excited! Being a patron for a number of years and it’s so great to see this come to fruition and what a difference the years have made from the first reveal
Thank you Joey for the long time support!!
With the amount of times I will be screaming about this game from the rooftops I'm sure ya'll won't even need ads! I will tell anyone and everyone to get this game! ☺️
Hehehe!!
This is lovely. I can hardly wait to play. I have a few plans on what to do in this game!😁❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
💖💖💖
Hi Alex, thank you so much for allowing us behind the curtain. It's so rare that studios allow player to know how marketing/PR is organized, but as usual you folks are being quite transparent about the work that goes into the game :) " these (unpaid) partnerships" THANK. YOU. The fact that it's unpaid makes it a healthier environment to be in, as a player. (I hope Paralemons is in that group, she's emerging as a fantastic voice in the community despite her channel being new) "The trailer is made of gameplay footage to represent the experience that players will have" This is huge. It's pretty clear why it is necessary, but also I hope it shuts down the naysayers' narrative too. "Reveal 1 or 2 gameplay features that we haven’t talked about yet!" Yeeees. I love that Paralives still has some left in the tank. And I bet there'll be still some stuff left to discover once ingame. "Talia seems to be the active one!" Waaaait, that's a sitting animation we haven't seen yet, isn't it ? (I'm so in love with Nikki's style btw) One more month ! One more month ! PS : "I wonder what they are doing on the computer…" Not going to lie but my first thought is probably not what is actually going on here ^_^;
Maybe there are playing Paralives on the computer? 🫣🤩 this was my first thought (okay my second, my first was dirtier) 😂🙈)
Fantastic! We're so close guys!!!🥳✨
Yesss!!
So exciting !! I’m literally counting down the days and due to that it’s making the wait feel longer 🥹 I’m rooting for you team!! And paralives !!
Thank you!!!
Curious as to whether there will be a public livestream before launch?
Before release, we plan to do one Patreon-only live mode stream and one public Live Mode pre-recorded long gameplay session video in the coming weeks (almost a livestream except that we prerecord it)
So hyped! May 25th will be the best day so far this year! Thank you so much for your hardwork, Paralives team! I cannot wait to play the game!
Thank you!!
I'm so curious about who the partnered streamers will be! I'll be finding and watching their streams no matter what :) I'm so excited for the EA release, thank you Paralives team for your amazing work, and for keeping everyone in the know about the process, plans, etc!
Thank you!!
i’m so excited i’m counting down the days! edit: i would love to see paralemons, panda bae, soffarox and fantayzia be one of the people to get the game, love them and their content!
I hope for paralemons and Simfinity 🤩
Sending you much love to support you! I can't wait to play the game, 1 more more to go aaaaaah!!
Thanks Candle!
I’m so ready! I get so excited everytime I see another post from you guys and I know that whatever the state the game is in that it’s going to be great because you guys have really put in your all
Thank you Brooke!!
It’s been a long time coming, I’m so excited!
🎉
SO EXCITED FOR THE RELEASE ALEX!! It’s been quite a few years following this epic journey since 2020 and I’m so proud and excited for us all to finally try & experience a it!! 😍🫶🏻
Thank you Becky!!
Whoo! Hype!
Yes!!
This is gonna be great!!
🎉
So excited to see the streamer content in the next few weeks! 🎉
🎉🎉
Yay cant wait
💖
