Everyone has their favorite web site for their favorite games. For me, WorldOfWar.Net and Thottbot.Com are the first sites I run to for World of Warcraft information. Neverwinter Vault over at IGN was where I always went for Neverwinter Nights stuff. Apolyton used to be my favorite place for Turn Based Strategies. All of them have their plusses and minuses, each has it's great features and not so great features. What I have to wonder though is if there is a magical formula so to speak for game sites. What site functions and specialty features are the most popular?
There are a few functions I've noticed every site seems to have, regardless of genre, title or whatnot:
- Forums
You always need somewhere for people from your site to hang-out and chat.
- News
Front page always ends up being a list of the latest news bits regarding a game.
- Downloads
Utilities, gameplay videos, demos, mod tools... whatever
What else does the essential game site need? Imagine you were designing your idea one-stop-site, the only page you'd ever want to visit for a particular game. What would it have?
Also, what sorts of special feature pieces would you like? Interviews? Contests? Op-Ed pieces?