14 DAY TRIAL // With social networks and social games gaining ground more and more in the industry, it only seems natural to see developers involving fans of their products in the development process. Except for the fact that this option adds to the interaction between the company and the public, it also turns the titles into more "user-friendly" ones, so to say.
Joining an ever growing list of recent "user created" materials (with games like Street Fighter IV, Fable 2 and even Rock Band II) is Activision's Spider Man: Web of Shadows which now asks you to choose the game's box art - just check the official website (click here) to cast your vote.
All this is part of a much bigger marketing campaign started by the developers, called "Seize Control", just as the website, and until now, Spider Man fans have chosen voice actors for actual roles in the final game, as well as real life models to portray fan favorites Black Cat and Mary Jane in the Activision booth at San Diego Comic-Con this July. And things won't stop here, since there's still a long way to go until the game is released and we'll have a lot of votes to cast. Saying that makes me wonder when we see the first release with the motto "Create your own game, one click at a time". Yes, you can use this, game developer!
Back to the highly anticipated Activision game, Spider Man: Web of Shadows, details are pretty scarce. We know that it will present a New York City invaded by alien thingies and only Spider-man can save it. For the first time in the franchise, your actions will have an impact on the game's direction and outcome - and that's probably one of the things promoted by Activision with its "Seize Control" campaign.