Video Game Marketing Roadmap [2020]

Summary

This video from Ask Gamedev outlines essential marketing strategies for indie game development, emphasizing the importance of starting marketing efforts during pre-production. It covers conducting market research to estimate potential sales and understanding the target audience. As the game progresses to production, tactics such as focus testing and building platform relationships are highlighted. The video also stresses the significance of community building through mailing lists and Discord, alongside creating engaging content to maintain interest. Ultimately, it prepares developers for a successful launch and ongoing engagement with their audience.

Takeaways

• 🎮 Marketing starts in pre-production, not just before launch.
• 📊 Conduct market research to understand your game's potential audience and sales opportunities.
• 🔍 Use tools like Steamspy to analyze comparable titles and gauge market size.
• 💡 Focus testing during production helps refine the game by gathering player feedback.
• 📚 Learn the unique promotional opportunities available on your chosen platform (e.g., Steam, Xbox, Nintendo).
• 🤝 Build relationships with platform representatives, press, and other developers to enhance marketing reach.
• 📢 Announce your game with a press release, a website, and a captivating trailer.
• 📧 Start building a community through a mailing list and a Discord server to engage with potential players.
• 🎨 Create and share various content types (game assets, devlogs, original content) to maintain community interest.
• 🚀 Prepare for launch by ensuring all marketing and community-building efforts are in place.

Q & A

Why is it important to start marketing during the pre-production phase of game development?

Marketing should begin in pre-production to conduct market research, understand consumer expectations, and inform the development process, ensuring that the game aligns with market opportunities.

What methods can be used to estimate the potential market size for a game?

You can estimate market size by researching install base sizes for specific platforms, looking at active user numbers on services like Steam, and analyzing sales data of comparable titles.

What role does focus testing play in the production phase?

Focus testing helps identify areas of frustration and delight in the game, allowing marketers to provide actionable recommendations to the design team, ultimately improving the game's quality.

How can a game developer leverage platform knowledge during production?

Developers should learn about unique promotional opportunities available on their distribution platform, including self-serve marketing tools and promotional programs designed for indie games.

What are some effective ways to build partnerships while developing a game?

Developers can build relationships with platform representatives, engine developers, press, influencers, and other game developers through networking, sharing progress, and engaging in community events.

What should be included when officially announcing a game?

The announcement should include a press release, a dedicated website, high-quality assets, and a trailer to attract attention and inform potential players about the game.

What strategies can be employed to build a community around a game?

Developers can build a community by creating a mailing list, establishing a Discord server for fans to engage, and developing an optimized landing page to capture interest.

Why is it important to maintain content flow after the game announcement?

Maintaining a flow of engaging content keeps the existing community interested and helps attract new audiences, sustaining excitement leading up to the game’s launch.

What types of content can developers create to engage their community?

Developers can create various types of content, including game assets (screenshots, gifs), development blogs (devlogs), and original content that resonates with their target audience.

What should developers remember about pricing their game based on user expectations?

Developers must consider the typical sale price for similar games and the expected playtime to ensure their game provides sufficient value at the desired price point.