Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Indie Game Movement - The podcast about the business and marketing of indie games.

Just sharing a quick announcement about our upcoming Master Class Series.  Listen to find out more! 

The marketing landscape is constantly evolving, and it's not exclusive to any one area or focus, especially influencers. And for those who can adapt, will thrive. That's why today we're meeting with a couple of guests to discuss the changes in influencer marketing strategies and how studios and even publishers can adapt, shifting from traditional PR to influencer marketing to maximize their ROI. Between diving into tools, strategies, and mindset, we're going to cover everything needed to keep up with these changes and maximize your influencer marketing efforts.   Episode Shownotes Link:

With the gaming industry experiencing significant job cuts over the past several months, developers and professionals are finding it increasingly difficult to secure new opportunities, making articulating your value more critical than ever. In this episode, we're going to discuss how to communicate your worth effectively in such a competitive environment. From strategies that craft compelling narratives that stand out to navigating career transitions, we'll get to the bottom of how you can stand out and better navigate the uncertainties that lie ahead. Episode Shownotes Link:

We all know the importance influencers play in creating awareness for games, but despite this many people don’t always know exactly what information can be helpful to better tailor their campaigns or even help with other marketing efforts.  That’s why we’re talking with Xavier Constantin of Streamforge to discuss the importance data play in influencer campaigns and how that information can be applied to have a greater impact on your results. 

There are lots of ways developers and studios can get their audiences excited for the game their developing, however, there are few methods that can really get the player completely engaged and ingrained with the game well before they play.  That's why our guest today, Joanna Keler of Klabater is going to share her experience with fan fiction and how the impact it creates for audiences is beneficial for the developers and players.  

The idea of providing players with a more immersive in-game experience and beyond is always enticing for players and studios. One way that this can be accomplished is with blockchain games.  Today, Luke Willis, a blockchain game consultant calls out the bad reputation blockchain games have and shares his take on how a shift in thinking can provide new ethical opportunities for players and studios. However, these new gains aren’t without their challenges.

While a lot of us in the dev and gaming community might not like the idea of being competitive with each other. The reality of it is, that we’re still in a competitive market.  Knowing this, I thought it would be worth sharing some of my thoughts as to why having a mindset of being competitive can help you think in different ways to stand out more, while still improving yourself and being creative in finding ways to improve results for you and others.

Discoverability is a huge factor when trying to get players to know more about your game and most of us know Steam events can be a big factor in this.  However, the number of events you’re generally able to attend can be limiting thus reducing your exposure.  Thankfully, we have Janek of Frogsong Studios to explain how you can create your own opportunities and set up your own Steam-themed events to help maximize your discoverability on Steam. 

Lots of times when we start thinking about the marketability of a game, we can get caught up in so many details that we often forget one of the main elements that require the most attention. And that’s the core mechanic.  Today Mustapha and I discuss how the core mechanics of the game not only help build the foundation of the game but help define the player’s experience while making it into a marketable product and address the challenges you may face if this doesn’t happen.  

When you’re marketing your game, there’s lots of information you’ll need to process and understand in order to make the right decisions. However, sometimes it can be a challenge to know what information will help you achieve your main objectives. Thankfully, Oscar Horgervorst of Steam Data Suite shares the importance of how understanding insights and properly attributing the information to results can lead you to make the right decisions for your game’s sales and marketing efforts.

Whenever there is a relatively new and different platform that game studios aren’t familiar with, it can be a very daunting task to create a presence, let alone one that will generate results. And for many, that’s TikTok. But despite its differences, TikTok is proving to be an effective platform for creating awareness and results. Thankfully Eylul of Sarepta Studio is here to share her experience with the platform and help navigate its nuances so you have a better idea of how to tackle TikTok.

In light of getting back from GDC recently, I figured I would take a moment to share my experience of the conference and the main takeaways I gathered from being a speaker at the event and the common theme I found that seems on top of devs and other businesses minds.

As I prepared for GDC, there was a reddit post that I wanted to call out to about a developer that made $700,000 within the first 4 months of launching their game. I found this interesting so I just wanted to share my own thoughts on what they did, how their game marketing contributed to their and how can this be applied to your own games. 

AI is revolutionizing data analytics and game development, presenting both opportunities and challenges for developers. Unfortunately, many are unsure how to leverage this information effectively. In this episode, we explore how AI solutions are reshaping the gaming industry by looking into practical applications and future trends in AI-driven game development. Episode Shownotes Link:

We all understand the importance a community can have for studios and devs, however, it can still be challenging to maintain and the idea of reaching a point where a community is self-sustaining may seem unlikely. Thankfully, Sam Greszes of Vicarious PR shares his expertise and experience managing all aspects of social media while focusing on sustainable community growth.

While a majority of us know the importance of , sometimes how fast you can learn from your marketing efforts is just as if not more important than doing the marketing itself.   In today’s discussion, I share the importance of why you should take a fast approach with your marketing and ways to go about doing it so you can learn quickly and save yourself from potentially costly mistakes down the road.

Let’s face it, we all have our pain points especially when it comes to indie game marketing. Often times identifying these pain points can be a challenge and working through them can quickly become overwhelming. Thankfully, our guest Mike Gamble of Talenthouse Media Foundry shares his thoughts on these important topics to better identify what areas need attention and determine the right solutions to take action with.

Out of all the content game devs create for their indie game marketing, making a trailer is one of the best ways to tell a story and communicate their game. While effective, making game trailers can be challenging especially when finding ways to create impact for players.   Luckily, we’re discussing this with Derek Lieu, an industry game trailer veteran about his experiences on how game trailers can not only set expectations but resonate and create impact for players.

Here's Part 2, a continuation of the last episode that talks about indie game marketing. In this part, we focus on other marketing strategies that can help amplify the top methods discussed in part one.  For some, this will serve as a great reference you can pull lots of value from, and for others, it will be a thorough, high-level helpful guide as you embark on your indie game marketing journey. Regardless of your level or where you are on this journey, the strategies discussed here are sure to have you stand out for this year, and many to come! 

I wanted to take a different approach with this episode by sharing a recently published guide of mine covering the key areas of indie game marketing.  For some, this will serve as a great reference you can pull lots of value from, and for others, it will be a thorough, high-level helpful guide as you embark on your indie game marketing journey. Regardless of your level or where you are on this journey, the strategies discussed here are sure to have you stand out for this year, and many to come! 

We decided it would be great to look back and reflect on our past episodes of 2021 and showcase the moments that resonated with us the most. While all episodes of 2021 are great, we thought these moments would be some of the most impactful ones to apply to the new year! A special thanks to Mustapha for putting this together! 

While it was a bit challenging to make this decision, Mustapha and I are taking a short hiatus to focus our efforts on other projects we have going on for the end of the year. In light of that, we briefly discuss the importance of taking time for yourself to tackle your own projects and even to unplug a bit, plans we have for the other year, and when you can expect us to be back in full force again!   

When it comes to building a team for your indie game studio, people usually focus on the work needed to finish the project. While that’s important, knowing and understanding how to build a healthy team from the beginning is essential to greater productivity and a healthy work culture.  Thankfully Nicolas Hafner of ShinMera shares his experience and methods he uses to build an effective team that promotes active communication and a clear vision so they can work seamlessly together. 

Gamifying your marketing is one of many ways to increase engagement for your audience, but people usually don’t think about how this can be done using different products. That’s why today we have Shawn French of HyperKinetic Studios to discuss how he took their game and adapted it to a comic, providing two stand alone products that organically cross-promote each other, creating a super value packed experience for both players and readers. 

Many great games go unnoticed due to a lot of different factors, but one of the main areas studios and developers struggle with is nailing down discoverbility. So today, we're going to tackle this problem by understanding issues with the current game discovery system and discuss practical solutions to fix it, so you can break down barriers in game discovery and stand out!   Episode Shownotes Link:

Knowing the right actions to take can be a little daunting when it comes to promoting your game on Steam prior to launch. There’s a lot of different paths to take, and not all are created equal making this a challenge for any dev.  Thankfully, Bruno Laverny of Ishtar Games shows how his team navigated these questions through coming up with a simple plan and breaking things down so they could meet their goals and crush their steam marketing. 

Quitting your job to go full-time dev can be a well...frightening thought. There’s a lot to consider but most importantly, is it the right move to make, and what’s the best way to go about making that commitment? Thankfully our guest Bruno Bonbardi has gone through this process twice and shares his reasons, how prepared he was and other considerations to be mindful of when you’re ready to quit your job and go full-time dev!

When you start sharing your game with the world, everything you do from then on deals with messaging. While you may have a good idea of what your studio and game are, sometimes how you convey that to others isn’t in the clearest or concise way. That’s why Mustapha and I are here to help discuss how important it is to clarify your messaging and some tips on ways you can do that, so when you start promoting your game, people have a clear idea of exactly what to expect from you.

We have discussed numerous times on the show that understanding player behavior and your audience is so important when it comes to marketing your game, but one thing we don’t think about much is how people react when money is involved.  Understanding how price can change how people act can be a very daunting challenge, but knowing a little bit more about how it plays in someone’s decision to purchase your game can make a huge difference.

Finding a musician to compose your game music can be a task in itself, but understanding the process and communicating your vision can be more challenging than any dev would expect. That’s why we have Dakota Suave with us today, to share his insights to help us navigate the music composition process so you can have something you love and your audience wants!

Making any type of investment in your indie game is a big decision, especially when considering paid advertising. While there can be some risk involved with ads, there’s also a lot that can be gained, even outside of the results you get from running your campaign. That’s why today I’m going to discuss the right way to approach ads and how doing so will help you with all of your marketing efforts.

Out of all the different ways that games can get attention, the method that has stood the longest has been events. While major events like E3 started with different intentions compared to today, it’s a telling sign how the event landscape has shifted for numerous reasons, but one being the continued growth of indie games. Discussing everything from changing times, format, and delivery of these events, Mustapha and I talk about the impact major events have had but more importantly ways to view and approach them as an opportunity to stand out.

If there is one common dream that most indie devs share, it’s probably to be able to make indie games full time. But with such a goal there lies great challenges and what may seem like a daunting objective.  Thankfully, Thomas Brush of Atmos games shares his journey and experience on how he achieved this very goal while providing insight and tips on how to gain the confidence and freedom that every indie dev is looking for.

Some people may think that marketing to cultural audiences only involves partnerships and localizing your game. But to really cater and serve that audience, it starts with having a core understanding and how to best represent those people.  That’s why today Osama Dorias shares his experiences and understanding of global gaming culture and how applying empathy and taking certain approaches can create numerous opportunities while better serving your audience.

Since the show’s inception, Indie Game Movement has come a long way. What started out as a means to offer clear insight around topics that needed further attention has developed into a platform that supports and educates a thriving community. In today’s episode, we share our experience so far, what the progress was like and how we have decided to take that and make things more fun and helpful in a special announcement!

Developers often struggle to clearly communicate their game’s vision to partners, leading to misalignment, potential conflicts and a whole slew of other challenges during development and beyond. In this episode, we explore how to establish and share a strong vision within your team, overcome common articulation challenges, and effectively present your vision to potential publishers. Join us as we uncover practical tips and personal experiences shared by our guest to ensure your game vision is understood and supported by all stakeholders.   Episode Shownotes Link: 

So I can’t think of how many times we have discussed or at least mentioned the importance of knowing your audience, but never took the time to really dig deep and explain what exactly that entails or how to really know what is going on in your ideal player’s head.  So that’s why Mustapha and I wanted to dive deep in this conversation to explain the reasoning behind this, what the process entails, and ultimately determine where exactly you can find your ideal player.

Creating a funnel isn’t necessarily a huge challenge, but creating one that isn’t mindful of your player’s journey will likely not provide you the results or the community you’re looking for. There are lots of ways to do this, but one of the best ways to develop and maintain a relationship with your fans is to understand their needs, provide value and engage with them through email marketing. That’s why today we have Ziv Raviv of Daily Cookie to share his expertise on how to build an email list and develop effective email marketing strategies designed to have players take action and stay engaged, wherever you are in the development process.  

Depending on your goals and resources, sometimes your best bet is getting a publisher. After initial talks, once you receive an offer there can be a lot of unknowns especially when it comes to fully understanding how certain agreements can dictate your future. That's why today we have Tim Bender of Hooded Horse Games to share what to look out for and how to approach negotiations so you can be prepared and get the most out of your publishing agreement.

Trying to create awareness for your game is always an uphill battle for indie devs, especially when it comes to identifying your audience and how to approach them. But even when you figure those steps out, it’s a challenge to determine the best ways to build upon and improve those efforts.   That’s why we’ve invited Joe Winters, creator of Song of Iron to share his insights on how he found the right audience while taking a genuine approach to his marketing, creating an amazing impact for the community and his game.

Supergiant Games has been praised for having a consistent and quality signature across their vast array of games. From the initial concept to communication and gameplay, we want to discuss their standard of quality, and how the ideas behind some of these games grow to become a completely immersive experience.

In a previous episode, Mustapha and I shared our own insight into the importance of future planning but we wanted to dive further into this theme from the perspective of an established developer. So in future planning part two, Chevy Ray of Happy Ray Games, the developer of Ikenfelll shares what it’s like being a smaller dev, the importance of maintaining a clear vision and how having the right collaborative team can make an impact on your project’s final result.

We’ve finally made it to 2021 and I thought it would be fun to switch things up for this episode to share some resources and strategies we’ve used that have really helped us see things in a different light and help us with projects and all facets of life. The goal of this episode is to share some examples, experiences, and resources that can help motivate you and provide a newfound source of energy to help you grow and gain better results with your projects and beyond.

Hindsight is always 20/20, but knowing how to look at things and apply your learnings is more important than just acknowledging them, especially when it comes to crowdfunding campaigns. That’s why in today’s episode we meet again with Mikhail of Mythallica Incorporated in part 2 of episode 137 - How to Execute a “Killah” Crowdfunding Campaign to get further insight on how to approach and apply learnings, maximize their impact, and that you should always expect….the unexpected.

Not going to lie, it’s been a difficult year, but despite the turbulence and uncertainty that has impacted the industry, Mustapha and I can confidently say that Indie Games as a whole has taken this as an opportunity to shine brighter and be a beacon of hope in our creative medium. With that said, we wanted to celebrate this by putting together an end of the year special by having a relaxed structure compared to previous episodes where we put together a small panel of past guests to reflect on this year’s events and how they bring us closer as an industry and community.

When it comes to devs supporting the indie dev community, sometimes people can feel that doing so can be counter-intuitive and be viewed as a way to support your competition. In today’s episode, our guest Chris Zukowski of Howtomarketyourgame gives their reasons why this couldn’t be further from the truth by providing great examples of how devs have leveraged their community to gain valuable insight and create powerful opportunities that they wouldn’t have been able to do alone.

Crafting game animation requires more than technical skill, as it's about weaving immersive storytelling into interactive experiences. And while this can enhance gameplay and storytelling, it's a challenge to address...but doesn't always have to be. Today, we're going to dive deep into the craft of game animation, discussing everything from strategies and concepts to the importance of keeping an open mindset, so you can approach game animation with an understanding that will help you level up the experiences you provide for your players. Episode Shownotes Link:

You’ve finally made it! You worked long and hard, your game is hitting the market at last and you’re getting ready for all of that public reception. But just because your game is out and the end of this journey is in sight doesn’t mean you should stop your marketing efforts. Thankfully, Tanya X Short of Kitfox Games has been in this scenario multiple times with their own titles in addition to titles they’ve published, providing valuable insight not only why you should continue to market your released games but also ways to maintain that marketing momentum.

For most indie devs working on a game, it’s probably safe to say that their number one priority is focusing on the game. But while it’s good to be driven to complete tasks it’s also important to dedicate some of that time to reflect and plan ahead. That’s why today Mustapha and I discuss the importance of evaluation, projection and execution so you can be better positioned to not only hit your goals but potentially exceed them and be ready for anything that gets thrown in your way.

Preparation and execution are everything when it comes to running an effective crowdfunding campaign, but very rarely do we ever get the opportunity to have a first-hand account from someone who is right in the heat of the moment. Thankfully, Mikhail Sebastian of Mythallica Inc is willing to share everything with us in a two-part episode, starting with their process of planning a non-conventional crowdfunding campaign right to the moment during the middle of it all. Between sharing their experiences to date and the emotions that come with it, our guest is able to provide a fresh take on what it takes to execute a “killa” crowdfunding campaign.