If the game looks promising save for a few minor flaws, the game can be continually tweaked even after release. Take Falcon 4.0 for example. If the game had been released in beta form, many of these bugs and niggles would have been caught and fixed without public humiliation. By the same token, Fighter Ace II was released in public beta - bugs and all. By the time Fighter Ace II moves to public release, it has already gained the endorsement of several thousand beta testers and maybe even the media.
Word of mouth is more important than marketing, advertising or published reviews.
Along the lines of customer satisfaction, most online games offer a forum where gamers can speak their mind. Opening Up On another topic, I think that the real key to flight simulation success lies elsewhere. I m not advocating that Flight Simulator sells well because of an open architecture, but it helps. I have overheard people talk about buying Flight Simulator simply because they saw terrain for their home town and thought it would be neat to fly over it. That s like buying a new computer so they can use a really cool mouse.