Your Ultimate Guide to Game Marketing Success

You created a game and have painstakingly crafted every pixel, sound, and line of code. Now, it’s time to release it to the world, but you have one last challenge to face, one you have pushed to the last minute to focus on your creative craft: Promotion.

How do you market your game successfully to ensure it isn’t lost in the sea of new releases? How do you transform your hidden gem into a breakout hit?

Welcome to the world of video game marketing, where, without a well-thought-out strategic plan, even the most inventive titles may find it difficult to attract players. For indie developers, the stakes can be even higher, and the ocean appears ever so larger.

It can feel difficult, if not impossible, to promote your game when you have a restricted budget and limited resources. Yet, it’s a critical step—without the correct promotion, your masterpiece might remain undiscovered. And it would be a shame not to show the world all the sweat and blood you have poured into your project.

This guide is your lighthouse in the overwhelming waters of game promotion, crafted with indie studios in mind. From competing with big studios to working with tight budgets and standing out in a crowded market, we understand the challenges indie studios face.

Our goal is to equip you with the knowledge and tools you require to successfully navigate these challenges and promote your game to reach the widest audience possible.

Why Promote Your Game?

Promoting your game might feel like an afterthought or something you dread. You may think you lack the time, don’t want to manage public perception of your game or simply view it as selling out. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

As creatives and artists, your work deserves to be seen and enjoyed. Game marketing is there to help you showcase your passion projects and what we consider to be art pieces. We want you to spread your message to the masses, be able to profit greatly, and prove this won’t be a one-off endeavour!

Effective game promotion goes beyond a series of marketing tactics; it’s about creating a story that resonates with your players, building a community around your game, and making a lasting impact in the industry.

It involves understanding your audience, what they like and don’t like, using the proper channels at the correct times, and continuously monitoring and adjusting your strategies to perfect them.

I. How to Craft a Brand Your Audience Resonates With?

Think of your game as a diamond in an ocean of bright gems. It may be exquisitely crafted, unique, and full of potential. Still, without a compelling brand identity, it will remain another sparkling object among thousands of others, waiting to be finally discovered by a daring adventurer (aka potential players 😉).

The key to transforming your game from an unnoticed treasure to a celebrated masterpiece is first defining a solid brand identity. To set you apart, create a lasting impression on your players, making sure your game remains unforgettable and turns them into loyal fans. And a loyal fanbase is the hottest commodity available, no matter what you sell!

1. Importance of a Strong Brand Identity

A strong brand identity will make or break your game. You need to leave a memorable impression on whoever plays your game to increase the likelihood that people will recognize your studio and work repeatedly. Your brand identity is your guiding light, leading your players toward your shore (aka storefronts) amidst the turbulent waters of the competition.

It needs to encapsulate your game’s vision, goal, and values, clearly convey to your players what your game is all about, and the kind of experience they can expect. A well-crafted brand identity will create a strong sense of loyalty from your fanbase over time.

Guide to Game Marketing Success
Image of the three games from supergiant game studio, Hades, Bastion and Transitor
Supergiant Games issued images on X.

Supergiant Games, the studio behind Bastion, Transistor, and Hades, has a distinct art style and narrative approach consistent across all their games. This cohesive identity helps players instantly recognize their work.

Steps to define your game’s brand identity

Vision: To find your vision – ask yourself, what is your game’s ultimate purpose or long-term objective? You must define your goals and the effects you hope your game will have on players. For example, your vision could transform the puzzle genre by providing gamers with emotionally charged, narrative-driven challenges.

Mission: Then, figure out your game’s primary objective. You need to describe what your game does and who it serves. Your goal may be to design captivating and inventive gameplay experiences that satisfy the needs of puzzle fans who are drawn to challenging ideas and rewarding gameplay mechanics.

Values: Finally, decide what principles guide your game’s development. Identify the core values that shape your game and resonate with your audience. These could mean many things, such as creativity, integrity, player-centric design, or community engagement.

Death Stranding’s Brand Identity

Let’s take Death Stranding as an example. After all, why not? We aim to demonstrate that anything is possible, even for games that defy traditional categorization.

Death Stranding is often classified as a “genre-defying” or “strand game,” a term invented by the game’s creator, Hideo Kojima. However, it primarily blends elements of action-adventure, open-world exploration, and social simulation genres.

Guide to Game Marketing Success
gameplay image of the video game Death Stranding
Gameplay image from the 2019 action game Death Stranding, developed by Kojima Productions and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. It is the first game from director Hideo Kojima and Kojima Productions after their split from Konami in 2015.

The game focuses heavily on exploration and delivery missions to maintain a connection between isolated communities, emphasizing narrative and emotional depth. Its unique gameplay mechanics, which involve balancing cargo, traversing rugged terrain, fighting eldritchian horrors, and building connections with other players without ever seeing them, set it apart from traditional genre definitions.

Many have compared the game to a walking delivery simulator with horror and survival elements, but when you dig deeper, you find that it challenges conventional boundaries, offering a unique experience that cannot be easily confined—or explained—to a single genre or style.

Application of Death Stranding’s brand identity

  • Vision: Death Stranding wants to redefine the boundaries of storytelling and gameplay by creating a unique, emotionally resonant experience that explores the connections between life, death, and human relationships in a fractured world.
  • Mission: Death Stranding wants to offer a groundbreaking, genre-defying experience that blends narrative depth with innovative gameplay mechanics, challenging players to reconnect a divided world and its individuals while confronting existential themes and the fragility of human connections.
  • Values: Innovation, emotional depth, artistic vision, and player engagement are at the core of Death Stranding. The game introduces unique gameplay mechanics and narrative structures that challenge standard gaming norms, creating a story that resonates on a personal level while delving into profound issues such as life, death, and human connection. It provides a visually and philosophically compelling experience that pushes the frontiers of interactive entertainment, all while instilling a sense of community and interconnectedness in both the game and its players.

2. Crafting Your Editorial Line

Logically, your game’s logo and visual elements are the first things players notice and the first things you have crafted for your studio. A well-designed logo acts as a visual anchor for your brand.

It should be unique, easily recognizable, and reflective of your studio or game’s overall theme and style. For example, if you intend to create a dark-souls-like game where death is around every corner, create visual branding that conveys that sense.

For example, Nintendo’s logo, which is simple, clean, and red and white, is instantly recognizable. Nintendo’s logo now embodies the company’s legacy of innovation and family-friendly entertainment. The timeless design (which has been few to no redesigned over the years) reflects the company’s long history and commitment to quality.

Alternatively, Blizzard’s logo features a bold, stylized font with a slightly futuristic twist, often presented with a glowing blue effect. The Blizzard logo conveys a sense of epic storytelling and high-quality production values. It’s synonymous with some of the most successful and beloved franchises in gaming, such as World of Warcraft and Overwatch.

3. Crafting a Consistent Brand Voice and Messaging

Additionally, it’s also important to develop a brand voice that reflects your game’s personality and appeals to your target audience. Whether your game is playful and whimsical or dark and mysterious, your brand voice should be consistent across all communications.

This includes social media posts and press releases, in-game dialogue and customer support interactions. Consistency in voice and messaging builds a cohesive brand experience that players will recognize and trust over time.

A perfect example is the popular Helldivers II, the Starship Trooper look-alike third-person shooter produced by Arrowhead. Their patriotic and propagandistic voice in their in-game dialogues, marketing strategy and promotion across all their socials and media has made them well known for their amazing use of powerful tone and voice branding.

Reinforced brand identity and player connection

Guide to Game Marketing Success
Cover artwork for the game Helldivers II
Helldivers II – the popular Sci-fi shooter from Arrowhead Game Studios – Picture published on PlayStation. Blog by Katherine Baskin, social media and community manager at Arrowhead Game Studios, on January 23, 2024.

Just take a look at their first game trailer, which immerses the player in the game’s universe before they even start playing. By tapping into the aesthetic and tone of the Starship Troopers film franchise (and lore) propaganda, they build a rich story and invite players to fully engage in the role-playing experience of a soldier enrolling in an intergalactic war.

This strategy has paid off, as evidenced by the enthusiastic social media feedback, especially on TikTok Players eagerly invited their followers to join the Helldivers to win the war collectively.

Helldivers 2 – Announce Trailer | PS5 & PC Games – published on May 24, 2023, on PlayStation Youtube Channel

The gameplay mechanics further encouraged this, as real-time events like the conquest or loss of a planet or system depended on players’ active participation. This created momentum, attracting many followers from the start and maintaining engagement to date. However, beyond the massive budget, the correct branding and tone significantly contributed to the game’s achieving the popularity it enjoys today on social media.

II. Define your Market Through Research

You have got a brand, now you need your players! To truly understand your player base, you’ll need to go beyond the surface-level information gathering and conduct thorough market research. Start by identifying who your players are, what they enjoy, and why they are drawn to your game over the competition.

Analyzing this data provides valuable insights into their age, gender, location, interests, and gaming habits, as well as their motivations and pain points.

1. Understand the Market, Rule the Industry

We have seen that a thorough market analysis is essential for any game studio, but especially so before launching a game. Understanding the market landscape helps you make data-driven informed decisions, identify potential opportunities, and mitigate risks. This market analysis guides your development process and ensures your marketing strategies are well-aligned with industry trends and player preferences.

Market size and growth potential

Start by analyzing the overall market size and projected growth for your game genre. Look for data on player demographics, spending habits, and platform preferences to gain an understanding of your potential audience and how to best reach them.

Genshin Impact – Game artwork cover

Before launching Genshin Impact, Hoyoverse studio (anciently miHoYo) conducted extensive market research to understand the growing popularity of open-world RPGs and the potential of cross-platform play. This strategic knowledge helped them create a game that resonated with a global audience and achieved the massive success we know today.

Trends and emerging technologies

You also need to identify the current trends, such as popular game mechanics, art styles, and monetization strategies. Additionally, you need to remain aware of emerging technologies like VR, AR, and cloud gaming that could significantly impact your game’s development and market appeal.

The rise of mobile gaming influenced Supercell’s decision to develop Clash of Clans in 2012 and Clash Royale in 2016. In the same year, Clash of Clans peaked at $799.39 million in revenue, while Clash Royale earned $647.92 million. These successes were driven by in-app purchases amid the rising popularity of mobile games. By capitalizing on the real-time strategy trend and expanding the mobile market, they created a global hit.

Guide to Game Marketing Success
Infographic on games clash of clans and clash royale
In 2023, Clash of Clans generated over 359 million U.S. dollars in in-app purchase revenues. Supercell’s main IP is still going strong after its initial release in 2012. The more recently released Clash Royale generated 166 million U.S. dollars in IAP revenues during the same period—Clash of Clans and Clash Royale annual mobile revenue 2023, published on Statista by J. Clement, March 4, 2024.

Regulatory and economic factors

Understanding the regulatory environment in different regions, including age ratings, content restrictions, and data privacy laws, is a must. Additionally, consider economic factors like currency fluctuations and purchasing power in your target markets to ensure your game’s accessibility and long-term profitability.

Aware of China’s strict content laws, Blizzard Entertainment adapted World of Warcraft to the country’s specifications, guaranteeing the game’s successful launch and expansion.

Specific changes were made to conform to China’s stringent regulations, especially regarding the representation of blood and skeletons.

For instance, skeletons were modified to resemble mummies, with exposed bones covered in flesh. These changes were facilitated through Blizzard’s partnership with NetEase, a Chinese company well-versed in local regulations, which played a crucial role in navigating the complex regulatory landscape.

The most recent esports guides suggest that there are approximately 129 million active World of Warcraft players. Up to 1.2 million gamers were reportedly logging in daily in January 2023 to take advantage of all that World of Warcraft has to offer.

Adapting to market changes

Trends and player preferences are constantly evolving, and unfortunately, you’ll have to adapt quickly to any disruptive change coming your way. Regular market overviews can help you stay ahead of these changes and adapt your game preventively.

Early in the 2010s, Ubisoft noticed that open-world games were becoming increasingly popular. This was especially true after The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which debuted in 2011 and sold over 30 million copies by 2016. Ubisoft changed its strategy in response to this trend, which helped make successful games like Assassin’s Creed—which rose to prominence as a standard for open-world gaming.

Guide to Game Marketing Success
Gameplay image from the game Assassin's creed
A gameplay image from Assassin’s Creed was published on TheGamer by Rhiannon Bevan on September 11, 2022.

According to Ubisoft’s financial statistics, the open-world gaming genre is predicted to continue growing and represents a substantial percentage of the gaming business, valued at approximately 27,6 billion. The steady success of Ubisoft’s open-world games can be attributed to this strategic concentration, which allowed the company to take a sizable chunk of this industry.

2. Importance of Monitoring the Competition

The second step of your market research is to define your competition. Keeping a vigilant eye on your competition is not just advantageous; it’s essential.

Understanding your competitors helps you spot market gaps, learn from their wins and losses, and refine your strategy. A competitive analysis keeps you ahead of trends, sparks innovation, and leads to smarter decisions that drive your game’s success.

Identify gaps and opportunities

Analyzing your competitors helps you discover unmet market needs. For instance, if you notice that most games in your genre lack robust multiplayer features, you can focus on developing a superior multiplayer experience to attract players.

Consider the indie game Slay the Spire, which was developed by Mega Crit in 2019. By identifying a gap in the market for a deck-building roguelike game, the developers created a unique game that stood out from competitors, leading to widespread acclaim and commercial success.

Through careful market analysis, they discovered that while there were numerous deck-building games and roguelike games, very few combined both genres, especially with a cooperative mode. This insight allowed them to target a specific niche of players who were looking for this unique blend of gameplay.

Guide to Game Marketing Success
Gameplay image from the game Slay the Spire
Gameplay image from PcGamer.com – Part of Slay the Spire’s brilliance is that getting to the end isn’t the hard part, published by Tyler Wilde on April 9, 2019. Slay the Spire was developed by Mega Crit Studio in 2019.

Learn from other’s mistakes

Understanding why certain games failed or succeeded provides valuable lessons. By studying user reviews and feedback on competitors’ games, you can avoid common pitfalls and enhance your game’s features and release timing. The developers of No Man’s Sky experienced significant backlash at launch due to unmet player expectations and a perceived massive lack of content.

The game overpromised during its campaigns and couldn’t deliver, much to fans’ deception. Players were promised a vast, richly detailed universe filled with diverse experiences, but many felt the game was empty and too heavily focused on resource gathering, which made the gameplay quickly repetitive and boring.

Guide to Game Marketing Success
Artwork cover from the game No Man's Sky
No Man’s Sky digital release poster from the Nintendo store. Developed in 2016 by Hello Games Studio, it came out to very mixed reviews. Over time the game has been patched and updated and now enjoys a strong and grateful player base.

From Flop to Top

This initial disappointment was reflected in user reviews, widespread criticism and bad ratings across gaming communities. Instead of abandoning the project, the developers at Hello Games used this feedback constructively. They listened to player complaints and identified the key areas that needed improvement, such as adding multiplayer functionality (a highly requested feature), enriching the game’s content, and fixing bugs.

Over time, they released a series of substantial updates and patches, each addressing specific player concerns and adding new features that significantly improved the gameplay experience. In the end, Hello Games made the choice to actively engage with their community and acknowledge the game’s shortcomings.

They made regular updates based on the players’ feedback and, over time, attracted new players, who had been initially skeptical and dismissive. Gradually, this continuous improvement transformed the game’s reputation leading to a resurgence in popularity.

How to conduct the competitive analysis of your game

Identify key competitors

Start by researching games similar to yours in terms of genre, style, and target audience. Focus on both direct competitors, which are games with similar mechanics, and indirect competitors, which are games that attract the same audience but may differ in gameplay or genre.

Let’s take the rightfully popular Baldur’s Gate 3 as an example. We would consider its direct competitors to be Divinity: Original Sin 2 and Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire. Both games feature a rich, story-driven RPG experience with deep tactical combat intricate storytelling and a focus on player choice.

Its indirect competitors are games like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Skyrim (The Elder Scrolls V), as while they attract the same audience, they offer a different gameplay experience. For instance they both are open-world RPGs that appeal to players who enjoy deep narrative and exploration freedom, but they are not Turn-based gameplay mechanics like Baldur’s Gate is.

Analyze competitor games

Study the details of your competitors’ games by analyzing their gameplay mechanics, graphics, storylines, and user interfaces. Pay close attention to user reviews and feedback to understand what players appreciate and what they find lacking in these games. These insights will help you identify areas where you can bring something different or better to the table.

Examine marketing strategies

Observe how your competitors promote their games across various channels. Analyze their social media presence, influencer collaborations, and advertising campaigns. Understanding their marketing strategies will help you identify effective tactics and potential gaps that you can exploit to better reach your audience.

Track performance metrics

Monitor key performance metrics such as sales figures, download numbers, and player engagement levels.

This information will help you benchmark your game’s performance and identify opportunities for improvement. Competitor analysis can feel like a painstaking process, but it is necessary to position your game correctly.

Guide to Game Marketing Success GameRebellion Banner

3. Understanding Your Target Audience

We define a target audience as a specific group of people identified as the intended recipients of a particular message, product, or service (basically your players). A target audience is defined by characteristics such as demographics, psychographics, and geographic location. Understanding and defining these groups helps businesses tailor their marketing efforts to resonate with those most likely to be interested.

To determine your game’s target audience, start by analyzing your current customer base to identify common traits like age, gender, interests, and purchasing behaviour. You can then conduct market research through surveys, interviews, and focus groups to gain deeper insights into potential customers’ preferences. Another trick is to study competitors’ audiences and use analytics tools to track website and social media engagement.

Player persona Vs. Target audience

Once you understand your audience’s preferences and dislikes, you will be able to create detailed player personas. These personas are fictional yet realistic profiles of your ideal players.

Their description includes demographic details like age, gender, location, and occupation. It also covers psychographics, such as interests, favorite genres, values, and lifestyles. Gaming behaviors are included too—platform preferences, gaming frequency, game types, and spending habits.

Once your persona is created, it should explain why each player plays and their in-game goals for each profile.

Build your player’s personas

Let’s take as an example, “Strategic Sam,” a 25-year-old who enjoys strategy games and spends an hour each evening playing online with friends. Perfect! You have a strategy game that allows for a multiplayer experience. Strategic Sam is the perfect player persona and the audience you should target.

GameRebellion player persona included in game market analysis 
Guide to Game Marketing Success
Persona example – Visual provided by GameRebellion in our Game Market Analysis service. Use these personas to tailor your marketing strategies and ensure your messages resonate with the right people at the right time.

Defining the right audience for your game and creating personas that reflect your players is an extensive task. It is a long, painstaking process that requires a significant investment of time, skills, and resources.

It demands extensive data and a strong understanding of trends. You might lack the resources or knowledge to gather this data, and pulling it all together already feels daunting.

Guide to Game Marketing Success GameRebellion banner

Want to learn more? Check out our latest articles for an in-depth guide on how to define your game’s target audience with user personas.

III. Building a Winning Marketing Strategy

Game Marketing is more than just trying to create a buzz; it’s about building a cohesive plan that resonates with your target audience by leveraging multiple channels and ensuring your game gets the maximum visibility possible to attract players!

Of course, the end goal is to drive sales and share the art you have been working on. You have already studied your competition, analyzed your market, and defined your audience; now, you need to catch their attention.

1. The Power of Storytelling

Storytelling is an effective tool for building a loyal fanbase, but it is often underestimated. We like to preach the mindset of “everything can be content”; this approach involves packaging every step of the way into something valuable for those who follow you.

You have to share the story behind your game creation, highlight parts of your development process, talk about the challenges you have overcome, and present your team and their work; anything to humanize the making process. If, for you, your game is more than just a product, this is the perfect approach to showcase that to your audience and build an emotional connection over time.

Leveraging storytelling to build a loyal fanbase

Stardew Valley, developed by ConcernedApe (also known as Eric Barone), is an exemplary case of leveraging storytelling to build a loyal fanbase. ConcernedApe consistently shared his development journey on social media and forums, providing fans with a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges and triumphs he faced. He posted regular updates, including screenshots, gameplay features, and personal reflections, highlighting his dedication and passion.

Guide to Game Marketing Success Artwork cover for the game Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley Loading screen – Game created by concerned Ape in 2016.

ConcernedApe actively engaged with his community, responding to feedback, answering questions, and incorporating player suggestions, which strengthened the bond between him and his players over the years.

You’re the best story

As a result, fans became emotionally invested in both the game and Concerned Ape’s success.

Upon release, Stardew Valley received overwhelming support, driven by a loyal, almost cult-like fanbase that was cultivated quickly thanks to its creator and the transparent and authentic storytelling approach of its creator.

Guide to Game Marketing Success Infographic on Stardew Valley unit sales
Lifetime unit sales generated by Stardew Valley worldwide as of February 2024, Published on Statista by J.Clement on February 2024. By February 2024, Stardew Valley, developed solo by Eric Barone (ConcernedApe), sold over 30 million copies, with 19 million on PC. Released in 2016, this indie RPG’s success highlights the power of strategic planning.

Even after the game’s release, ConcernedApe continued to share updates and expansions, maintaining a strong connection with his audience and keeping them engaged and invested in the game’s future.

Every game tells a unique story, but the development process tells another tale. It’s one of passion, creativity, and dedication. By sharing this transparent journey with fans, you let them connect with you. They become personally invested in your game’s success. The bottom line: they will care if your game succeeds or fails.

2. Positioning Your Game in the Market

As we have seen, to position your game correctly in the market, you need to clearly define where you stand in relation to your competitors and how to appeal to your target audience. After that, you need to understand and define what makes you different from everything else that’s already out there.

Basically, define what makes your game unique! It can be a distinct art style, innovative gameplay mechanics, or a compelling story. Then, you’ll have to market the unique features your game possesses to ensure interest and attract the right player.

Niche Market Opportunities

Targeting niche markets can be a highly effective strategy for all studios, in special indies. By focusing on specific player segments, you can create highly tailored experiences that resonate deeply with your audience. Niche marketing allows you to stand out in a crowded market and build a loyal community around your game.

Targeting a niche market offers several significant benefits for game developers. First, niche markets typically compete less than mainstream genres, making it easier for your game to stand out and capture attention. Additionally, players in these markets are often highly passionate about their specific interests, leading to a loyal player base that is more likely to become dedicated fans and advocates for your game.

Furthermore, niche markets tend to have tight-knit, engaged communities, which can drive strong word-of-mouth marketing and organic growth. Finally, by focusing on a niche, your game can develop a unique identity that sets it apart from the mainstream, helping it gain recognition and establish a strong brand.

Finding your niche

You know your competition and your audience. Now, it’s time to carve out your niche.
Determine underrepresented player segments with particular needs or interests, and think about using distinctive themes, gameplay elements, or visual aesthetics to set your game apart.

Your greatest quality is your uniqueness. You can identify gaps in the market by performing competition and market analysis. Your game has the best chance of succeeding if you focus on these specialized niches and provide something unique.

Undertale trailer

Undertale by Toby Fox targeted a niche market of players who enjoy unconventional RPGs with unique combat mechanics and a strong focus on player choice and narrative. This approach allowed the game to become a cultural phenomenon with a dedicated fanbase thanks in part to its innovative gameplay and memorable story.

Global Market Size

Imagine your potential market as a funnel that starts wide and narrows down to a specific segment. At the widest point of this funnel, you have the global gaming market, which includes approximately 3.32 billion players with diverse preferences and styles.

Global market size trickling down towards a market niche – GameRebellion infographic

Concentrate on a particular genre within this large market, such as action games, which draw approximately 1.21 billion players globally. This genre, which includes anything from platformers to first-person shooters, is well-liked because of its thrilling gameplay, competitive spirit, and fast-paced style.

Guide to Game Marketing Success GameRebellion banner

As you continue to narrow the funnel, your analysis will guide your focus on a niche that allows you to better tailor your products to the unique demands and interests of the market.

This strategic approach not only differentiates your product in a crowded marketplace but also helps forge closer connections with the players you aim to attract, ensuring a more impactful and successful launch.

3. Defining your game’s unique selling points

Unique Selling Points (USP) are any features you can use to differentiate your game from the crowd. A well-defined USP not only highlights what makes your game special but also clearly communicates to potential players why they should choose your game over others.

The key is to identify the aspects of your game that offer something players can’t easily find elsewhere, ultimately creating a clear and compelling reason why your game stands out.

When you effectively communicate what makes your game unique, you establish a distinct identity that resonates with your target audience, especially in crowded genres where similar experiences are common. This differentiation is what compels players to choose your game over others.

Guide to Game Marketing Success Artwork cover fro the game Undertale
The critically acclaimed Undertale was published by Toby Fox in 2015 and caused a massive stir in the indie game market when it launched—image from IMDb.

For example, Undertale, is an excellent case study of a game that effectively leverages its USP. The game introduced an innovative combat system that allowed players to engage in either violent or non-violent encounters depending on the path they choose, combined with deep, emotional storytelling and a rarely seen gameplay. This unique combination set Undertale apart from other RPGs and played a significant role in its success.

Players were drawn to the game because it offered a fresh experience that was both intellectually stimulating and emotionally impactful. By emphasizing these unique aspects in marketing messages, Toby Fox successfully positioned Undertale as a must-play game within the indie scene.

Crafting marketing messages around your USP

Once you’ve identified your USP, the next step is to craft your marketing messages around it. Every piece of promotional content, whether it’s a trailer, social media post, or press release, should emphasize what makes your game unique. Highlighting your USP consistently across all channels helps reinforce your game’s identity and keeps it top-of-mind for potential players.

For instance, if your game’s USP is its unique art style, your marketing should showcase this through visually striking trailers, screenshots, and promotional artwork. If your USP is a groundbreaking multiplayer feature, create content that demonstrates this in action, such as gameplay videos or player testimonials.

The goal is to ensure that your USP is the focal point of your marketing efforts, making it clear to players why your game offers something they can’t get anywhere else.

Examples of effective USPs in the gaming industry

Undertale is just one example of how a well-crafted USP can lead to success. Other games have also effectively used their USPs to carve out their niche.

  • Cuphead is known for its distinctive 1930s cartoon-inspired art style and challenging gameplay. This unique combination immediately sets it apart from other platformers and is a major draw for players who appreciate its aesthetic and difficulty.
  • Portal’s inventive combination of dark humour and physics-based puzzles created a unique experience for players. The game’s USP resides in its capacity to test players’ problem-solving abilities through the use of space and portals while presenting a complex story full of humour. The game stands out in the puzzle and first-person genres thanks to its unique blend.
  • Firewatch by Campo Santo positions itself as a first-person adventure game with a strong emphasis on narrative and atmosphere. Its USP is the deeply personal and emotional story it tells, which is conveyed through natural dialogue and immersive environments, appealing to players who seek a more introspective gaming experience.

A strong USP is not just an advantage for games, it has became part of their DNA. By clearly defining what makes your game unique and effectively communicating that uniqueness through your marketing strategy, you can position your game in the market in a way that resonates with players and drives success. Your USP is the key to standing out in a crowded market and ensuring that players choose your game over the many others available.

4. Building Brand Awareness

For a strong brand awareness strategy, you need consistency. This means continuously reinforcing your brand message so your target audience becomes more familiar with it and inclined to trust you over time.

The goal is to get your gamers to recognize, remember and engage with your brand through repeated exposure, and to join your player base ultimately. It’s simple: The more people know and trust your brand, the more players you’ll attract!

Building brand awareness takes time and resources. It won’t happen overnight. You need to create a step-by-step process and a timeline aligned with your marketing strategy.

Furthermore, this includes planning for effective communication across various channels, including social media platforms, creating content marketing (such as blogs, behind-the-scenes videos, and guides), and press releases, and attending gaming events and trade shows.

Guide to Game Marketing Success GameRebellion user acquisition funnel infographic
GameRebellion – Marketing Funnel Strategy

You need to leverage your social media to engage with your community and encourage feedback. Moreover this not only surveys the brand perception of your studio and game but also aids in your development process—creating a win-win situation! Additionally, advertising through ad campaigns and influencer collaborations is crucial to get the word out.

Your goal should always be to create multiple touchpoints where players can meet and interact with you and your brand. This multi-channel approach ensures that your brand remains visible and engaging, helping to build a loyal player base.

5. Defining Goals to Achieve Success

When planning your promotion strategy, establish clear, measurable goals to ensure your campaigns achieve the best outcomes. Setting specific goals also provides the highest return on investment.

Trying to achieve too many objectives at once can dilute your efforts. Like in a game with limited ability points, you need to carefully choose where to focus your resources and energy.

Define your campaign’s specs

By prioritizing and defining your goals—your campaign “spec”—you can strategically channel your efforts to areas that will have the greatest impact, ensuring your promotional strategy is both efficient and effective. You don’t want to spread too thin, our advice: Pick a couple of goals and stick to it!

  • Increase brand awareness: The objective is to make more people aware of your game. To measure this, track metrics like impressions, reach, and social media mentions.
  • Drive engagement: Encourage interaction with your content. Evaluate metrics such as likes, shares, comments, and click-through rates on social media and other platforms to measure engagement.
  • Boost sales: Aim to increase the number of game purchases. Analyze sales data, conversion rates, and revenue generated from the campaign to measure success in this area.
  • Build a community: Foster a loyal player base that actively participates and supports your game. Assess community growth through forum memberships, Discord server activity, and repeat engagement metrics.
  • Improve customer retention: Keep existing players engaged and prevent churn. Track retention rates, repeat purchase rates, and in-game activity levels to measure retention success.
  • Enhance brand perception: Shape how your brand is viewed by your audience. Conduct surveys to gauge brand sentiment, monitor reviews and ratings, and analyze changes in brand sentiment over time.

6. Key Promotional Strategies

Various marketing channels are available, each with unique strengths and weaknesses, depending on your promotional goals.

Your goals may include boosting game visibility, increasing engagement, promoting effectively, or building a loyal player community. Pick and choose wisely what fits your promotion goal best!

Content marketing

Content Marketing is all about delivering valuable, relevant, and meaningful content that addresses your audience’s needs, interests, or problems. Instead of pushing sales-driven messages, content marketing focuses on offering useful information, insights, or entertainment that genuinely benefits the audience. This is a great way to build trust, establish your brand as an authority, and encourage a stronger connection with your audience, ultimately leading to long-term engagement and loyalty.

Game Rebellion Blog
Game Rebellion is engaging in a form of content marketing by offering articles and guides for all to access. Check out our blog here.

Create content like tutorials, behind-the-scenes guides, and blog posts showcasing your game development process and challenges. Introduce your team and collaborators, share gameplay videos, and highlight development milestones. Host podcasts for discussions and interviews to engage your audience.

Aim to create high-value content

Anything you can think of can be content marketing as long as it provides additional value to your audience. (A good tip is to ask yourself: Would I be interested in watching/reading/listening to this content in my free time?”).

Content marketing attracts potential players and helps grow your audience with a strong conversion rate. It will also improve your retention by keeping your existing audience deeply engaged and invested in your game’s journey. By diversifying your content, you will reach different audience segments and provide a unique opportunity to connect with your fans and build anticipation for your game.

Content marketing offers other advantages, including improved SEO to boost organic traffic to your websites, socials and storefronts (ASO). However, it can quickly become resource-intensive and often has a slow return on investment (ROI), as it requires constant updates to remain effective.

Advertising marketing

To get the correct audience to notice your game, you need a strong advertising approach. Start by deciding which platforms—social media or search engines, for example—are the most pertinent, then customize your advertising for each.

With Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads, you can target particular keywords and make sure users who are actively looking for related content see your game. In the meantime, display ads help increase brand exposure by using graphics to draw users’ attention across a variety of websites and apps.

Then monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as impressions, clicks, and conversions to optimize efficacy. By concentrating on the content that appeals to your audience the most and making necessary adjustments to your underperforming ads, you can use this data to improve the overall impact of your campaign.

Influencer marketing

Influencer marketing has become practically unavoidable, and for good reason! It’s an effective method that enables game makers to use the reach and reputation of established content providers to market their games to already highly engaged audiences.

Collaborating with influencers allows studios to tap into communities that trust and value these individuals’ opinions. Influencers create authentic content, like gameplay reviews, live streams, and tutorials, that resonates with their audience. This increases engagement on their platforms, creating a ripple effect whenever they collaborate with brands.

This strategy increases visibility and credibility since gamers are more likely to test a game recommended by someone they follow. Influencer marketing is particularly effective at reaching niche groups and creating word-of-mouth buzz, increasing conversion rates and long-term player retention.

Social media marketing

Working with influencers also means working with social media. Don’t panic. It’s way easier than it seems and can even be fun. You just need some preparation and a good schedule.

But, first and foremost: You need to find out where your target audience spends their time online. Knowing this can make or break your promotion strategy. You need to choose the platform where most of your audience is located and the most active. It could be social media giants like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or X, gaming-specific platforms such as Twitch, Discord or YouTube, forums such as Reddit, and so on.

Select the right platform

We recently published a piece on how Palworld used social media and communication channels to propel its rapid ascent. Pocketpair Studio effectively engages players because they are treated as members of the team, and sincere connections are made via forums, Twitter, and Discord.

Guide to Game Marketing Success Loading screen for the game palworld
Palworld loading screen

As a result of this strategy, Palworld’s Discord community grew to 335,238 members. Its Twitter following increased by 1,549.9% to 407,000 followers. Through open-beta participation and real-time feedback, the studio built a close-knit, trustworthy community. This community enhances the game and strengthens lasting bonds with players.

By strategically selecting your platforms, you won’t waste your time and energy on things that won’t provide a return on your personal investment, and you will maximize the reach and impact of your campaigns. Once your platform of choice has been selected, you can focus on running your campaigns.

Maximize your presence

Social media is your gateway to reach a vast audience, and also the easiest channel to get into. Anyone can create a social media account, but not everyone knows how to use its potential to the fullest. You are here to maximize its potential to get more players and to do so, you need to:

  • Post regularly to keep your game in the feed. Remember: consistency is key to keeping your project in the mind of your audience.
  • Engage actively with your followers and respond to comments and messages to build a loyal and responsive community.
  • Remember what we said about content marketing? You can also use the content here! Use a mix of content types such as images, videos, stories, and live streams, to showcase different aspects of your game. This includes the behind-the-scenes and presenting the game-development process we talked about earlier.
  • Each platform has unique strengths; tailor your approach to Instagram’s visual appeal, X real-time updates, and TikTok’s creative videos.

Pick the right format for the best results

Social media marketing offers a wide reach and allows you to present content in diverse formats. You can promote posts that gain the most organic traction by paying to turn them into ads. This approach helps you reach deeper into specific demographics and interest groups based on engagement.

However, it is also at the mercy of algorithm changes, can be time-consuming, and often requires someone on the team to be fully dedicated to community management.

Our tip: Don’t forget to participate in discussions, respond to comments, and show appreciation for your community’s contributions. This will make you more appreciated and provide an additional reason for your followers to want to interact with you.

Other channels to consider

Email marketing

An effective email marketing strategy starts with building and segmenting a strong email list. Gather addresses through your website, social media, and in-game prompts, then segment based on player behaviour and preferences for personalized messaging.

Create visually appealing emails with compelling subject lines, high-quality images, and clear calls to action. Keep your content concise and informative to drive engagement. Regularly update subscribers on game updates, new content, and special offers to maintain their interest.

Email marketing offers a direct line to your audience, allowing for personalized content and strong ROI with detailed analytics. However, managing it carefully is key to avoiding subscriber fatigue and ensuring long-term success.

Artwork cover for the game Destiny 2
Destiny 2 game cover artwork – PlayStation store.

Destiny 2 by Bungie effectively used email marketing to keep players engaged by sending regular updates on expansions, events, and rewards. They offered exclusive content to subscribers and personalized emails based on in-game behaviour, encouraging players to stay active. This approach also included gathering feedback, which helped build a loyal player base and maintain ongoing engagement with the game.

Press and Media relations

PR is another effective way to reach a wider audience. If you have the time and resources, write press releases. Building strong relationships with journalists and media outlets can maximize your game’s visibility. This way, you’re not only communicating with fans but also reaching anyone who encounters the article or press release.

To write an effective press release, craft concise, newsworthy posts highlighting key aspects of your game, including quotes, images, and relevant links to provide a complete story. Distribute these press releases to relevant media outlets and gaming websites to maximize exposure. Create a list of contacts in the gaming media and regularly share updates and news about your game.

Our tip: Plenty of journalists are on social media, especially X! Do not hesitate to contact them, they are always looking for the next story; you never know what might happen.

Spot and study efficient PR

artwork cover for the game cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 game artwork – Published on ScreenRant on December 7, 2020, by Cody Gravelle.

Cyberpunk 2077 by CD Projekt Red is a prime example of a game that successfully utilized press and media relations in its marketing strategy. Leading up to its release, the game gained massive media attention through well-crafted press releases, exclusive interviews, and partnerships with major gaming publications like IGN and GameSpot.

CD Projekt Red strategically released key information and developer insights, ensuring widespread coverage and keeping the game in the spotlight. They also maximized visibility by showcasing the game at major events like E3 (R.I.P) and Gamescom (we are at Gamescom every year, check our review here and come see us at our booth!), further building anticipation through extensive media coverage. This approach made Cyberpunk 2077 one of the most talked-about games before its launch.

Events and conventions

Participating in gaming events and conventions offers another opportunity to showcase your game to a wider audience. Plan ahead to ensure your presence will be noted. To maximize your exposure at these events, you can create eye-catching displays, offer engaging demos, and interact with attendees through interactive activities.

The goal here is to stand out and attract more visitors to your booth. Additionally, follow up with contacts made at events to build your relationship network and maintain momentum. We have covered many events int eh last year alone, check out out reviews of MIGS, Big House and Gamescom 2023.

Guide to Game Marketing Success image taken at Gamescom 2023 of the GameRebellion booth
Come visit our GameRebellion booth at Gamescom 2024—stop by and say hi! Photo from Gamescom 2023.

Participating in conventions lets you meet creators, potential players, media, and industry professionals face-to-face. You can receive direct feedback from attendees, helping you understand what players like most about your game.

Events like MIGS, Big House, or Gamescom greatly increase your game’s visibility and exposure. For indie developers, it’s an opportunity to showcase your passion and build your local player base.

7. Keeping your Audience Engaged

You converted your target audience into players, but it is not over just yet. If you are looking for long-term success, you need to build a strong community around your game. By engaging with your audience through different channels, such as dedicated forums, social media groups, and events, you create a space where players can connect, share their experiences, and discuss your game.

Encouraging player feedback and involving your community in the development process is crucial. When players feel that their opinions matter and can directly influence the game’s direction, they become more invested in its success.

This feedback loop improves your game’s quality and strengthens the bond between you and your players. Players who feel heard and appreciated are more likely to stay engaged with your game. They are also more likely to advocate for it within their circles.

A strong community also amplifies your game’s visibility. When players discuss your game in forums, share it on social media, or participate in community events, they generate organic buzz that attracts new players. This word-of-mouth promotion is invaluable, as it comes from a place of genuine enthusiasm and trust. As your community grows, so does your game’s reach, leading to greater awareness and potentially higher sales.

Engage your audience

You have figured out your players and are starting to interact with them. Now armed with the insights of your target audience, you are able to create personalized marketing messages that resonate deeply with your players’ interests and needs based on the segmented personas you established.

Highlight aspects of your game that align with their preferences. For example, if your research indicates that your audience values social interaction, focus on the multiplayer features and community events of your game in your messaging. You can also utilize social media, forums, and in-game surveys to collect their opinions and suggestions.

Engagement is a two-way street, so foster a dialogue with your players by actively seeking and responding to their feedback. Additionally, Show them that their input matters by addressing their concerns and implementing their ideas when feasible. By doing it, you can improve your game and build a loyal and invested community around it.

Interactive content and community involvement

Minecraft, developed by Mojang Studios in 2009, has continuously evolved over the years by notably incorporating player feedback through various channels such as forums, social media, and official feedback mechanisms. The developers regularly release snapshots and beta versions, encouraging players to test new features and provide feedback before official updates.

Image of the minecraft Mob Vote
Picture from Minecraft.net on Best Mob Vote Tutorials, written by Kristina Horner on October 14th, 2022. Minecraft Mob vote first started in 2017. At the time, it was considered a revolutionary new way to add content to the game. The active players had the choice and power to decide which feature would be added to the next game update. Since then, every Mob Vote has been closely watched by fans and has renewed player interests over the years.

The “Minecraft Mob Vote” is a yearly survey where players vote for new mobs to add to the game. This event happens during Minecraft Live, Mojang Studios’ annual update and news event.

While not the only standout feature, it keeps Minecraft relevant and beloved by players. By engaging with players, developers create games that meet and exceed expectations, building a dedicated community.

IV. Putting Theory into Practice: Applying Your Marketing Strategy

Now that we’ve explored the various components of a successful game marketing strategy, it’s time to put theory into practice. In this final section, we’ll show you how to apply these insights to build a cohesive, impactful marketing plan.

Whether you’re launching a game, boosting retention, or expanding your audience, strategic implementation is key. Combining the right channels, messaging, and timing will maximize your game’s visibility, engagement, and success.

1. Select your Channels

You need to start by establishing all the right channels for each phase of the project in order to maximize your game’s impact and reach your target audience effectively. From pre-launch buzz to post-launch engagement, each channel offers unique advantages that can help propel your game to success.

The following table outlines the most effective marketing channels for different stages of your campaign:

Guide to Game Marketing Success GameRebellion Marketing Channel infographic
GameRebellion – Marketing channels

2. Game Marketing Campaign Timeline

Once you’ve determined where to focus your attention for each phase, you can retroactively plan your marketing timeline. Start by outlining key activities for each stage of your game’s promotion.

Pre-launch should focus on building buzz with trailers, screenshots, and developer insights. On launch day, maximize visibility with a coordinated content release and social media blitz, pushing ads across targeted platforms. Post-launch, keep momentum with updates, community engagement, and ongoing support.

Create a timeline with actions like crafting promotional content, contacting influencers and journalists, and launching milestone-based campaigns. Setting deadlines ensures your promotion stays on track and maximizes impact. In summary, you need to:

image of GameRebellion Marketing campaign Timeline infographic
GameRebellion – Marketing campaign Timeline

Running pre-launch campaigns

Pre-launch campaigns are probably the most important phase of your campaign and the perfect opportunity to harness the excitement of a new release. To capitalize on that excitement, offer sneak peeks, beta tests, and exclusive in-game content to early followers!

Valve’s recent update to Steam’s demo feature is another way to improve your game marketing. The update allows demos to have their own Steam page, notify users about the demo launch, and potentially feature on the “New & Trending” list, significantly increasing visibility and engagement.

In the article What Steam’s Big Demo Update Means for Your Marketing Strategy, Zukalous highlights the importance of careful planning, festival participation, and streamer engagement in prelaunch campaigns, using the game CleanFall as a case study to demonstrate the potential traffic and wishlist gains from an effective demo launch.

Example from “How To Market a Game” by Zukalou, July 31, 2024: Valve has drastically shifted the importance of demos, making them crucial for growing your player base before launch.

Therefore, by encouraging early purchases, countdowns, and teaser releases, you can build anticipation and generate buzz, especially on social media. Any interaction you stimulate before your release helps to create a community of eager players ready to jump in on day one!

Offering exclusive content and incentives to early adopters

Everyone loves to feel special, and exclusive content can make your early adopters feel valued. Offer special editions, in-game bonuses, or other unique incentives to encourage early purchases. These early adopters not only boost your initial sales but also become advocates for your game, spreading the word within their communities and once again providing another opportunity to grow your audience of players.

Overwatch Game cover artwork – Published on Aorus on June 28, 2016.

An example is the launch of Overwatch by Blizzard Entertainment. Early adopters who pre-ordered Overwatch received exclusive items, like character skins, only available before release. They also gained access to the closed beta, allowing them to play early and provide valuable feedback.

These incentives created a strong community and excitement, contributing to Overwatch’s successful launch and loyal player base. Early access and exclusive rewards encouraged players to share their excitement, effectively spreading the word.

V. Ready? Set, Go!

As an indie game studio, you possess the creativity and passion to create incredible gaming experiences. Promotion might seem daunting, especially with limited budgets and resources, but success is within reach.

The strategies outlined in this guide are designed to be actionable and adaptable, regardless of your experience level or financial constraints. Remember, the key is consistency, engagement, and a deep understanding of your audience. By taking proactive steps and applying these techniques, you can elevate your game’s visibility and achieve your promotional goals.

Now it is time to put these strategies into action. Does promotion still feel daunting? Do you want to have your own thorough market analysis to position your game effectively? Want to know more about your competition? Do you feel you are still missing something but can’t put your finger on it? Fear not! We are here to help you.

At GameRebellion, we strive to help studios accomplish their goals and make sure your game gets the best chances when it hits the market. Get our Game Market Analysis to maximize your game’s reach potential!

Guide to Game Marketing Success GameRebellion Banner

Your journey to successful game promotion starts now—embrace it and make your game shine.

How to Define Your Game’s Target Audience with User Personas ?

You’ve probably heard this before: “Build your player base before you launch your game!” Easier said than done, right? Where should you even begin, and how do you make this happen? Crafting your user personas is the key to this problem. With over 3.26 billion gamers expected by the end of 2024, knowing your audience is more important than ever.

However, not all of those gamers have the same taste, therefore your game will not appeal to everyone. You need to focus on gamers who are genuinely excited about your game. Today, we’ll look at how to define your target audience and design user personas that resonate with your game and are more likely to become dedicated players.

Define Your Game Before Defining Your Audience

Before building user personas, you must have a thorough understanding of your game. This is the first phase in the positioning process, laying the groundwork for determining who will be interested in your game.
When defining your game, look for the following info:

  • Consider the genre and specificities of your game: What are your game’s genre and mechanics? Is it designed for PC or mobile? Understanding your game’s particularities is key to targeting the right audience.
  • Learn from your competition: Research your competitors—both direct (games similar to yours) and indirect (games with related elements and genres, but big differences in either gameplay or specific mechanics). Research what your game has in common with them and define their players’ profiles to get a grasp of your own.
  • Identify your game’s strengths: Step into your players’ shoes and think about what will captivate and engage them. Is it the gameplay, the characters, the art style?

The more thoroughly you understand your game’s market, competition, and unique qualities, the easier it will be to define your target audience and connect with the right players.

At GameRebellion, our Game Market Analysis service helps you define your genre, analyze your competition, and identify your game’s unique strengths to ensure you’re targeting the right audience.

Pinpoint the type of players you need

For example, if your game is similar to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023), your target audience will likely be older, competitive players. These are fans of mature, online multiplayer first-person shooters (FPS) who enjoy intense, fast-paced gameplay.

User Personas Call of Duty
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare lll (2023) – Rated M for mature | Catered towards mature, online multiplayer first-person shooter (FPS) genre fans.

On the other hand, if your game is more like Banjo-Kazooie (1998), your audience will be broader. This includes younger players and families who enjoy whimsical, story-driven experiences in the action-adventure genre.

User Personas Banjo Kazooie
Banjo Kazooie (1998) – Rated E for everyone | Catered towards families and single-player fans of the action-adventure genre.

By defining these key aspects, you can accurately identify the players drawn to your game. This ensures your marketing efforts resonate with the right audience.

Analyze your target demographics

Analyzing your target demographics is essential to successfully marketing your game and reaching the right players. Start by using tools like review websites, social media analytics, and platforms like Statista to gather demographic information relevant to your game.

These resources provide insights into the typical characteristics of your potential players, helping you understand who they are and what they want.

Infographic used in user persona analysis
RPG gaming app audiences in select countries 2019, by gender – Published by J.Clement on April 30, 2021.

For example, see this graph on mobile RPG gaming audiences. We can see that in the United Kingdom, 63 percent of mobile RPG gamers were men. In contrast, South Korea had the highest share of female players, with 41 percent of the gaming audience being women.

This allows us to extrapolate that the market for RPG gaming apps is primarily male-dominated, with regional variations that could influence marketing strategies. with that knowledge, we will be able to target the correct market and players!

To further your research, you can look into forums and social media communities to get additional insights. By engaging with these groups, you can directly observe what players are excited about, what they desire in a game, and the challenges they face. And best of all, most of this information is free.

Participating in these discussions not only sharpens your understanding of your audience but also helps you start building relationships with future players.

Segmenting Your Audience

You likely have a rough idea of who your audience might be. At this stage, you’re making educated guesses about their needs and preferences. At Game Rebellion, we begin by segmenting target audiences into Primary and Secondary groups before diving into more detailed segmentation. This approach helps us create a clear, focused strategy right from the start.

The primary audience includes your core players—those most engaged with your game and likely to become loyal fans. This group should be the main focus of your marketing efforts, as they are crucial for building a dedicated community.

The secondary audience consists of those with a more casual interest or who are on the periphery of your core demographic. While they may not be as immediately engaged, they offer significant growth potential. By tailoring your messaging and engagement strategies to these distinct groups, you can better meet their needs and maximize your game’s reach and impact.

Challenge your assumptions about your players

Now, it’s time to challenge those assumptions. You might be convinced that your primary audience is teens, but your research could reveal something quite different.

Image from ESport.net.

Take Pokémon, for example. You might assume its primary audience is children and teenagers, given its colourful graphics and accessible gameplay.

However, research shows that most Pokémon players are in their twenties or thirties. These are fans who grew up with the franchise and are drawn to its strategic depth, such as competitive battling and global tournaments. If you only targeted teens, you’d miss the opportunity to connect with this loyal, older audience.

Structure Your Game’s User Personas

You know your game, you know your market, and your audience, now it’s time to organize your players’ types into clear and concise user personas.

A user persona is a simple visual tool which is a fictional representation of your target players —no need for long descriptions or complex character sheets.

User persona profile visual tool
User Persona Profile visual – Source: GameRebellion Game Market Analysis

A user persona is a snapshot of your ideal player. It captures details like age, gender, gaming preferences, motivations, challenges, and content habits. By understanding who your players are and what they seek, you can fine-tune your game. This makes it more engaging and irresistible to them.

For an accurate user persona, you need to define the following elements:

  • Age: Take key ages based on your research
  • Gender: Based on the gender distribution of your audience.
  • Location: Geographical regions (e.g., North America, Europe, Asia).
  • Gaming Habits and Preferences: Assess the frequency of play, preferred game genres, typical playtime, and gamer type (e.g., hardcore, casual).
  • Goals: Understand what drives your players—whether it’s completionism, narrative immersion, or other motivations.
  • Interests: Explore your players’ gaming-related interests (e.g., social play, farming, competitive gaming) to better cater to their preferences.
  • Online Engagement: Analyze how your players engage online—whether they are active on social media, content creators, or more passive consumers.
  • Pain Points: Identify challenges your players face (e.g., gameplay difficulty, graphics, mechanics) and how they respond to these issues.

For more information on gaming habits, we have an entire blog article that covers an in-depth analysis of gamer behaviour.

Reaching your Players

We’ve only just scratched the surface of reaching your target audience. With the tools and strategies we’ve seen today, you’re well on your way to identifying your game’s ideal players.
Let’s recap:

  • Understand Your Game: Define your game’s genre, mechanics, and unique strengths to set the foundation for identifying your audience.
  • Analyze Demographics: Use tools and research to gather demographic data that aligns with your game’s characteristics, helping you pinpoint your ideal players.
  • Create and Refine User Personas: Develop detailed user personas to clearly understand your players’ behaviours, motivations, and preferences, guiding your marketing strategy.

By defining your target audience and crafting detailed user personas, you’ll create the first steps of a focused marketing strategy and ensure your game gets the recognition it deserves!

So, what’s next? From identifying your market to analyzing your target audience, we’ve got you covered! You’ve had a sneak peek at what our Game Market Analysis offers with our personalized user-personas profiles, and GameRebellion is here to provide everything you need to craft the most effective game marketing strategy.

Unlocking Your Game’s Success at MIGS 2023

Want to boost your game’s success? MIGS is the place to be! As a solo game developer or studio, this event offers invaluable media coverage. News appearances, articles like this one (hello!), and social media trends are perfect ways to get your project talked about around the internet.

The Montreal International Game Summit, commonly called MIGS, is held annually in Montreal, Canada. For over 15 years, this tradeshow has been recognized as one of the largest game conferences on the East Coast of North America.

It serves as a confluence point for professionals from various domains within the gaming industry. From developers and designers to publishers and investors, MIGS offers a comprehensive insight into the state and future of gaming.

Game's success

What Makes MIGS Different from other trade shows?

Trade shows in the video game industry are opportunities for game studios to find resources to help expand their projects’ ambition through game design, budgeting, investments, and promotions, and even to find more developers to add to a team that needs a few extra hands.

The goal remains the same, but this year, the event is focused only on B2B opportunities. As of 2021, more than 40,000 employees work in the video game field full-time, with over 200 game studios only in Montreal. The city is a significant hub for game development in North America. Holding MIGS in such an environment naturally elevates its significance in the gaming calendar.

Well-established companies that have gone on to become industry figureheads include Ubisoft, Bethesda, Square Enix, Eidos Montreal, Warner Brother Games, and Unity Technologies, the world’s leading platform for game design.

This said, the gaming industry is a passionate atmosphere that circles Montreal and has expanded across the province of Québec. With MIGS hosted at the heart of Montréal, different represented cultures from around the world showcase many tourist attractions near the event where people can enjoy themselves.

Game's success

Ubisoft Montreal, St-Laurent, 2019

The Unique Opportunities at MIGS

Following this year’s goal, through B2B opportunities, studios can focus on business development, human resources professionals, and even investors who are quite aware of the ever-growing market that has positively impacted Montréal’s economy. The event also features top-tier panels and sessions, with industry leaders discussing trends, sharing insights, and debating the future of gaming.

For many attendees, the networking opportunities at MIGS are invaluable. Whether it’s finding a potential business partner or learning from a peer, these interactions often lead to future collaborations. It’s an opportunity for businesses to attract potential clients and for attendees to discover the newest tools and technologies.

Game's success

The View of Montreal – Anju George’s Private Collection

We all agree that MIGS is more than just a conference; it’s an experience. The event has led to countless business deals, collaborations, and even the inception of new gaming ventures. Moreover, it’s an educational place where you can get insights from industry experts and enhance your knowledge and skills.

How to use MIGS for your Game’s Success

As a solo game developer or studio, this event rewards you with media coverage. News appearances, articles such as the one you’re reading today (hello!), and social media trending are the perfect ways to get your project spoken about around the internet.

With this coverage on MIGS, it’s important we establish the professionalism that is prepared in advance before the event. Planning your pitch deck, a quick five-minute presentation that will drive the right audience you seek to work with, is the perfect way to get your project spoken about around the internet.

A pitch deck contains the main proposition, your idea and how you plan on achieving this idea. You list the problems and needs your targeted clients can provide and what solution will follow afterwards. Showing your game’s projected budget and the scheduled game’s release goes into your deck.

Remember, before you plan your deck, you must know your project’s goal and what clients you are trying to drive onboard. When networking, allow yourself to be relatable by just being yourself to a certain extent. Like a job interview, sell the skills you offer in a professional setting. Stand up straight, smile nice, and translate your experience into how you may play a great role in a potential partnership.

Your business cards should be flying out of your hands with everyone you meet and want to work with. A quick and good idea is to use QR codes that can lead to your deck and a demo of your game. Your game’s storefront should be simple and easily accessible on mobile and desktop. Use networking to create exposure for your project.

Maximizing Your Impact at MIGS

This event draws in a significant crowd of developers, gamers, media, and publishers. Showcasing your game here visually can impact professionals with different eyes for key game’s success factors in the industry. MIGS presents an opportunity for your project’s visibility boost as even today, word of mouth is 64% most effective when promoting your project.

Because of the presence of other fellow developers, game testing and feedback from your peers are an excellent source of volunteer help for your project, especially if you are a smaller or independent game team. Study the different reactions and connections that are made while playing your game. Focus on behaviour patterns such as the client’s focus and answer questions they may have for you.

Community Manager: Kelsy Medeiros networking with Inpulse Developer: Nate at this year’s PAX WEST

Live & Learn

You may not always agree with what the industry says about your project, but taking back anything with a grin of salt makes you a strong connection at the event. After MIGS ends, you can use that feedback to study its impact on your game’s success and refine your project. From workshops to talks by industry leaders, these events are a goldmine of knowledge. You can learn about the latest trends and innovative marketing strategies from us at GameRebellion!

Above all, you now have a pocket full of business cards and opportunities to help you reach your ambitious goal for your video game. Industry experts are at every turn at MIGS 2023, it’s an event filled with magic, science and wonder that you will only benefit from attending it.

Dozens of trade shows appear every week, but there are only a select few that stand out as the most needed to attend. There is no doubt that the Montréal International Game Summit is one of them. We wish you luck and a huge game’s success at this year’s MIGS! If you loved this article, stop by Booth 13 to see us and share some love!

GameRebellion at GAMESCOM 2023 – Germany

A Horror Story to Developers

Steam has been supporting indie developers for quite a significant period, and its efforts to promote indie games have evolved. The platform has been a crucial player in the rise of indie games and developers, building their increased visibility in the gaming industry.

Developers could pay a one-time fee per game to gain access to the Steam publishing tools. With this, the platform has implemented features and initiatives to highlight and promote indie games over the years. This includes dedicated sections for indie games, curated lists, and special promotions during events like the Steam Summer Sale.

Overall, Steam has played a pivotal role in empowering indie developers by providing them a platform to reach a global audience. The commitment to indie development continues to be a substantial aspect of Steam’s overall strategy.

Valve may be commended for its developer-supporting platform, but errors beyond anyone’s control can still occur. Unfortunately, one of these errors happened to Bold Spirit Games recently. Their horrific event cost 250K Potential Sales and led to the closure of their indie studio.

Bold Spirit Games: The Horrific Events of Red Trigger Remake

We’ve met Maxime Vézina, founder, Creative Director and co-producer at Bold Spirit Game Studio at MIGS 2023. Max was the leading developer behind the Red Trigger series. The first game, released in 206, received acclaim at a student gala and was later released on Steam for free, amassing 250,000 downloads and a 90% positive rating.

In 2020, I founded Bold Spirit Games and began work on a sequel, ‘ Red Trigger 2,’ aiming for a more ambitious project. Facing challenges with publishers, Max and his team opted to rename the original game to ‘Red Trigger Prologue’ and the sequel to ‘Red Trigger’ to clarify their relationship.

However, a series of misunderstandings with Steam, involving name changes, a remake, and pricing adjustments, led to the accidental deletion of the remake’s Steam page. This, along with a reset in reviews and complications in the release, resulted in a commercial failure, leaving the studio financially strained and the future uncertain.”

The consequences included the loss of wishlists, a lack of visibility for the remake’s launch, and a drastic drop in reviews. The unintended association of the original free game with the paid remake impacted potential sales, ultimately leading to financial difficulties for Bold Spirit Game Studio.

Despite efforts to recover through a Kickstarter campaign for the sequel, the diminished visibility and financial setbacks forced the studio to disband, with the founder contemplating a return to a traditional studio job to rebuild resources for a potential future attempt. Max had recently been featured as a guest on the “Self-Publishing: Independent Game Commercialization” panel, where he shared his nightmare in detail. Here’s a short video highlighting his tale:

Starting Over Can be an Opportunity

As the community manager at GameRebellion, I played the upcoming Red Trigger 2 for about 30 minutes. This was not the first time I dove into the series, and I was very excited to see the updates Max and his team made to the game. The game was polished and felt amazing to play. Each puzzle and every decision that went into its level design was mind-blowing. I smiled and laughed with the developers at Bold Spirit Games for my full-time playing the game.

I left the booth with a painful smile as I realized how much I enjoyed the game. It’s impressive that this team created something special. My time with the title got me thinking: “How can Max bring his game back into the Steam platform?”

Unfortunate Events to Opportunities

Though Max has expressed frustration, he has taken his story to use as a warning to all developers in the industry. He wishes for everyone to learn from the unfortunate event and has now realized that this story can be used to spread some light on his game. The team is highly determined to push Red Trigger Remake in marketing and is willing to do the necessary work to reach its prior community and potential new audiences.

This motivation is a recipe for success that is only guaranteed to come by. The team could have called it quits in this given instance, but instead, Bold Spirit Game Studios is using this story to fill its passionate hunger for sales. Bold Spirit Games has already taken the first steps in its new marketing strategy by speaking publicly about what has happened to its game through tradeshow panels and online through their Reddit form.

They have been networking with the gaming community about their game’s genre. That being said, there is still much work to be done, but don’t worry, we’re here to help the team with some tips and tricks!

Surpassing your Original Success

Starting from scratch may be demotivating, but having the proper mindset is a great place to start. Video game marketing strategies are an ever-evolving medium. As time passes, people change, games change, algorithms change, and so does the market.

What worked previously may not necessarily work today. Not to completely erase the hard work done beforehand but to use it as a reference in researching what will work now as a base for their brand-new marketing strategy. Think of when you first started marketing your game, but now you have an outline to help you. In Red Trigger’s case, we researched the critical ways for the developers to reach their core audience.

1. Use Your Unfortunate Event as a Promotion

What happened with Bold Spirit Games is an error that should have never happened. However, it makes the development of Red Trigger Remake unique. We mentioned in other articles that successful indie games like Cuphead and Super Meat Boy faced uniquely tricky development processes.

Bold Spirit Games shared their story on XSolla’s panel at MIGS, earning many new B2B opportunities. The team also released their Reddit statement, informing the video game community about their tragedy. Since then, Reddit posts have attracted over 300,000 readers. This number doesn’t include additional articles published by other news outlets, including those in the gaming industry.

2. Make an Engaging Steam Page

Steam pages aren’t just present to represent your game’s storefront. This page is your game’s home. It brings out the game’s personality and growth, which can include various features. Developer vlogs, updates, patches, screenshots, and Q&As can be shared on Steam pages. These interactions help engage the gaming community and boost your game’s relevance on Steam.

Making beta versions accessible is a great way to get players’ feedback for free. Use reviews from players to improve your game’s design. This also promotes your title naturally, as gamers can play and review your game. When players reach the end of the demo, display a “Feedback” message. This motivates gamers to leave their input on the title upon finishing the demo.

Steam page. A live stream usually showcases fans of the game’s stream of the title.

3. Utilize Social Media Groups and build a Community.

Before marketing your game publicly, it’s essential to research your game’s identity and what kind of gamer you will be trying to reach. The case of Red Trigger targets the genres of puzzle solving, first-person shooting, strategy, and platforming. Red Trigger has taken massive inspiration from Portal, which has found significant success across the community. Red Trigger can learn a lot from studying its target audience and getting involved with the Portal fan community.

Facebook Group pages and indie game servers on Discord, including their very own server, are essential when creating a loyal and supportive community. Twitter, Reddit, and TikTok are great ways to reach out to gamers who are scrolling and searching for their next adventure to fulfill their gaming needs. Developers can create a relatable brand for the series by replying to comments, creating memes, hosting developer diaries and more.

Indie Game Devs on Facebook is an active group with over 54,000 members. These members consist of developer updates for their titles, tips and tricks in game development, resourcing, and networking.

4. Reach Out to Influencers & Reviewers

Streaming is now the most popular form of media in the gaming industry. From micro streamers to affiliates and partners, hundreds of streamers are working on their brands in visibility for their channels.

Researching your target audiences’ figureheads in the influencer communities is a great way to spread content about your game while earning new followers. Sending your builds to major reviewers such as Gamespot and Polygon allows your audiences to see how critical your game is. Gamers cannot be fooled; they know what makes a great game and will be willing to purchase what they know will be fun.

Famous gaming influencer: EazySpeezy’s video on Cuphead earned 10 million views and brought much attention to the indie title.

5. Participate in Events

As Bold Spirit Games did at MIGS, participating in events is essential for B2B and B2C opportunities. These tradeshows allow developers to show their game to investors who can fund greater production ambitions. Developers can meet marketing experts (like us! 👋) and give gamers hands-on experience with the game. This helps gamers decide if they want to purchase the game on release.

It also allows gamers to meet the developers and understand the kind of people they are. Creating a personal connection with gamers is a great way to grow your game’s community on Discord. This also helps increase your game’s traffic.

The Beginning of a New Chapter

Though the horror events of Red Trigger Remake have occurred, there is no such thing as a time machine. We can’t go back, but we can use what has been done to create a better future for the title. Red Trigger Remake is a fantastic time, and the developers are incredibly kind and passionate about their work and the video game community. As gamers themselves, they understand games on a deeper level.

Our rebel in command: REB-E (left) standing tall with Maxime Vézina (right) at MIGS 2023 after meeting each other over the story of Red Trigger Remake.

Since the team’s statement about their game, hundreds of thousands of watchers have been on this event. There is no doubt that the core of the game’s development story has ended so that the climax can begin. You can check out Red Trigger on Steam to experience the passionate project yourselves while staying up to date with Red Trigger 2’s development. We wish Bold Spirit Games nothing but luck and success!

Share your thoughts about the story with us. What marketing strategies could they apply to increase their game’s visibility? 🚀 check out more articles, here!

The Secret to Game Development – ShellJump’s Inpulse

We’re now starting a series of interviews with our community members on Discord! We recently met with Nathan Sievers, a dev from ShellJump studio behind Inpulse. Nathan Sievers’ game development career was destined to happen from a very young age. The developer knew precisely what he wanted to do with his life before he reached 13.

Unlike developers who commonly choose to create games because they love their favourite home game console, Nate did not own anything video game-related. His skills were tested through his newly found passion while on annual summer vacation trips, staying in the same motel with his family.

From Super Nintendo Aficionado to Game Developer

A Super Nintendo Entertainment System was available to play for 30 minutes before the game would reset. The console held the most popular game of its era: Super Mario World. It was a 2D platformer that was easy to pick up and play but challenging to master. It wasn’t the pressure of beating the game before the console reset that Nate fell in love with; it was just the opposite.

Having the system reset made the win and losing conditions disappear, making the experience cater to bring about self-improvement. The game brought a sense of wonder to him. Due to his limited time per demo before the game reset, Nate had to practice beating the game in under 30 minutes without help. With every session, Nate would advance further in the game. Little did Nate know then that this yearly event with his family was quietly developing the mindset of how this young mind would set out to create his very own game someday.

Pursuing a Passion for Game Development

Super Mario World, Released in 1991 by Nintendo – sold over 20 Million Copies, making it the best-selling SNES game of all time.

Fast-forward into the future. Nate is in awe of Super Mario World. He pursued his curiosity by graduating with a degree in Computer Science at University while advancing his math skills and taking topology courses to better visualize and understand the concept of shapes. With all of his gathered resources, he developed a passion project intended only for himself and a few of his peers.

The Birth of Hackers Dreams

The game was a ROM hack on Kaizo, which means “Modification.” Nate’s influence in this community was to focus on “troll” design and to be more about the flow of design, exploring what Kaizo could be without the feeling of punishment. In 2011-2023, the young game developer created his levels of Super Mario World called Hackers Dreams, which unintentionally made the hack widely known as the “hardest fan-made Super Mario Bros. levels of all time.”

Over time, this helped influence the modern Kaizo landscape. The lead designer would upload videos of Hackers Dreams as it would influence the modern Kaizo landscape. It was like a diary of his philosophy as he grew into a designer and developer. Only the most advanced players worldwide would dare to attempt to complete the challenge. The community, filled with speedrunners and esports, will attempt to complete the outstanding level design that Nate produced. To this very day, only three have ever succeeded in achieving Hackers’ Dreams. The mod took ten years to develop, all while Nate was still a student.

Crafting Awe-Inspiring Challenges for Gamers

The Super Mario community showed Nate much support instead of expressing frustration with his difficult challenge. The community endorsed his design techniques for maximizing spectacle without losing the flow state. This is a technique designers use to draw in the minds of gamers and have them feel in “awe” to look at a challenge while not overstimulating the player into retreating from the game’s experience. With much feedback in mind from an overly supportive community, Nate founded Shelljump Studios and finally began his original game for the world to enjoy.

The development of Inpulse began about one year ago. Nate already knew the mission for his game. Still, the most challenging part of this game’s design has been figuring out how to make newcomers feel the flow of Kaizo without the tech overhead. He had to have a reason for every decision. The results always had to match the core value of his project, which they have been constantly using to target the right audience.

Community Manager of GameRebellion: Kelsy Medeiros (right) meeting with Lead Game Designer: Nathan Sievers (left) st PAX WEST 2023 | 📸: Adele Cabral

I met with the talented leader at this year’s PAX WEST while he was showcasing Inpulse. I was mesmerized. This game intrigued me as a professional gamer, musician, and longtime fan of the similar art style “Celeste” by Maddy Makes Games.

The Unique Gameplay of Inpulse

You play as an ordinary square who transforms into a flute, which is also his name… get it? (haha) Using Flute’s seven consequential types of notes, you must navigate challenging rooms filled with platforming tests.

Each of Flute’s notes affects the character and his progress. The note’s timing matched the rhythm and tempo of the level’s design. I noticed I died at least 20 times on my first challenge alone, but I smiled at the seamless respawn time and its encouragement to try again

There was no loading screen or “game over” pop-up. There was only you, yourself in the moment, and the skills you must develop while understanding the task.

 I got through 5 challenges before my time at the booth was up, as I spent over 45 minutes there, but I promised myself that I would be back to complete this title upon its release.

This experience was unlike anything that I have ever played. Later on, Shelljump’s Inpulse achieved multiple awards at Pax West, including a “Best in Show” by a critic. The booth was crowded and had many supporters during its showcase.

Finding Your Game’s Unique Value Proposition

When I recently sat down with Nate for an interview, I asked how Inpulse became such a unique title that stands out in the industry among thousands of games already done. He wanted people to learn, truly understand how to play, and be rewarded for that experience.

When you learn guitar, you learn the chord fingerings, picking techniques, etc. It’s an awkward, mealy sort of process. Completely different when you know guitar and are learning to play a song. It’s an intuitive, exploratory experience where you learn about the pieces and flow. It’s a feeling of going from not understanding to understanding very rapidly, and you feel good about yourself as you do it. Kaizo is the same thing, but most people see the chord fingerings. I want to fastrack people past that stage and experience the joy we feel when playing at a high level. I want people to be able to flow for themselves.”
Nathan Sievers

It’s not just about the encouragement but redefining the win condition: you don’t lose when you die because death is not about losing. the winning is you learning and getting better.

Beating the level is just part of that process. Nate and his team, which includes two individuals who joined him only in the past few months, want to create a microcosmic feeling of understanding, not memorizing.

Personal Experience and Unique Challenges

The game isn’t just a game; it’s a story that presents all of Nate’s most significant moments from his life, which are represented in levels and challenges within the game. Personal experience is something that no one else can replicate in any industry.

“It’s hard to find that special part that defines your game’s core. I always ask myself, what do people lack in gaming, and how can my game give them that missing factor?” – Nathan Sievers

Encouraging Players and Providing a Sense of Competency

By today’s standards, complex games make you feel like you, as the player, are bad at video games. Dark Souls is an example of what many believe to be the most brutal genre of the decade, where players are brutally punished for making mistakes.

Shelljump’s main uniqueness is that it always encourages the players along the way, and every decision reflects this idea to ensure a good reason for making a decision in the game.

Inpulse is categorized as a rhythmic platformer that gives you a sense of competency. The better you are at the game, the higher your score and the feeling of achievement you will earn. This is similar to classic 90s platformers like Sonic the Hedgehog, who reward the player with speed if you learn to understand and memorize the level’s design. The game has found an excellent balance of not holding the player’s hand through the level’s challenges while providing the right amount of knowledge that you will use to figure out each level.

The title has no deadline, as Shelljump wants to give the best product through its quality. One of the things that caught my attention is that the devs behind the game aim for its success, and because of that, they put their time and passion into its development. So, if you are on the same path as them and your goal is to create a great game, then you can be sure this is the right recipe for success.

Inpulse is the Dream Game

When I asked what Nate’s “dream game to create someday” was, he quickly answered, “Inpulse is the dream.” Inpulse is a game that makes people feel what Nate felt when he played Super Mario World on a timer. This ASMR finds satisfaction in repeatedly improving that skill until you’ve mastered it. Shelljump is creating something special, a game that expands your soul as you harmonize through each level.

The game’s design has targeted the already very supportive Mario community and other fan-made projects, as well as many speedrunners and professional gamers who have volunteered to help the studio complete their project. Nate cannot wait to deliver people the sense of “wonder” he first had when he readied himself back in childhood. In the early Internet days, there was a wonder about what came next in the game world, what was over the mountain, etc., and with streaming and internet communities, we gained a lot, but we sometimes lost the sense of mystery.

His game is hand-drawn because he is trying to introduce a world to people without explaining it, and he wants them to discover it for themselves. As the player, you are dropped in a world and must learn more about it. Nate views this perspective as another world or an old point and clicks for aesthetic direction on this. Since the win condition is you learning, he dreams of having players participate in finding a new level to feel exploratory and interesting, not just checking a goal off a list.

Nate (second from the left) and his supporters help prepare the booth for “Inpulse” at PAX WEST 2023.

Gamer Insights: Driving User Acquisition in 2024

Like in many other industries, staying ahead of the competition and mastering user acquisition is crucial for game studios. The gaming sector faced numerous challenges in 2023. Whether you’re part of a game studio or a player in the industry, you’ve likely pondered how to connect with your target audience.

This article explores key trends for 2024 and notable shifts in gamer behavior. These insights will empower you to craft effective marketing strategies for your games.

Learn how to improve your user acquisition strategies for this year, even on a shoestring budget

5 Key Gaming Trends That Influenced Player Habits and Preferences in 2023

  • Audience shifts: Last year, we noticed the expanding diversity of game audiences because it encompassed even more older generations. Surprisingly, over 40% of Baby Boomers were actively engaged with games, highlighting this demographic’s enduring and untapped potential.
  • Cross-Platform Support: Platform optimization was also essential. Younger generations predominantly gravitated towards PC and console gaming, which helped studios develop content catering to these platforms. 2023 marked a growing trend of multi-platform gaming, underscoring the importance of having cross-platform play as an option to broaden the potential of the game’s reach to different audiences.
  • Player Engagement: Younger generations were primarily motivated by social interaction, immersion, and achievement, while older generations favoured more casual gaming for leisure. This insight enabled studios to craft games that resonated with specific age groups, which enhanced player engagement.
  • Monetization Strategies: Gen Z and Millennials were more inclined to be big spenders in gaming, giving studios an advantage in implementing in-game monetization approaches. By understanding the factors that motivated spending, such as in-game currencies and exclusive content, studios could maximize their revenue potential.
  • Content Preferences: Lastly, the rising popularity of gaming video content, especially among younger audiences, presented a valuable opportunity for studios to connect with their players. By creating and promoting gaming-related videos, reviews, and collaborations with influencers, studios effectively engaged with their audience outside the game, generating excitement and building a dedicated fanbase.

The Key to Effective Game Marketing in 2024

Based on market analysis, 2024 expects consumers to engage with video games beyond mere gameplay. The graphic below shows an expected increase in development in mobile games, in-game advertising and cloud gaming. Games that follow gamer behaviour trends tend to have successful user acquisition strategies.

User acquisition - graph on current video game market shares for 2024

Current Video Game Market Share as of 2024 – Statista

Embracing Simplicity and Strategy in Digital Board Games’ Rise

In 2023 alone, there has been a significant spike in gamers’ interest in classic board games that have been ported to gaming platforms.

13% of released titles in 2023 were board games that sold millions of copies. Microtransactions and level rewards implemented in the games give gamers a sense of urgency to keep returning to the leisure genre.

User acquisition - example of Chess.com

Chess Online is available on multiple platforms, with over 300,000 active users daily as of January 2024.

Need for Online Multiplayer Games

Based on engagement through different platforms such as PC and Xbox, core active gamers between ages 12 and 21 spend 52% of their time on games online versus battles.

What brings gamers back is the valuable content that can be unlocked through playtime and achievement unlocking. Gamers feel rewarded for the time spent on the game by unlocking special outfits, in-game currency and new maps and modes.

User acquisition - example by Fortnite

Fortnite by Epic Games is the perfect example of a 7-year-old game still among the most active, with 500 million active users as of January 2024. Epic Games releases daily content and new features and modes every season, presenting gamers with rich and new experiences.

Harnessing Nostalgia as an Effective Marketing Strategy 

Games that have been locked in a gamer’s heart while they relate to a particular time they had when playing it make nostalgia.

Many games from the 1980s and 90s are becoming harder to find as old cartridges wear down. Studios like Nintendo use their recognizable franchises and re-release classic titles in new presentation experiences.

User acquisition - example from Super Mario RPG

The Shift from Physical Game Purchases to Platform Subscription Services

Financial instability makes gamers join online subscription services. Like Netflix, platforms like Xbox offer monthly or annual subscription paid services. The monthly subscription base fee allows gamers to play hundreds of games in one place.


Xbox’s GamePass has surpassed 25 million active subscribers as of October 2023.

Make Your Audience Integral to a Game’s Success

Social media is a powerful tool for driving user acquisition. With an active social media presence, studios can connect with their players on a personal level, fostering a sense of community and engagement. When players feel more connected to the development process, they are more likely to support and promote the game.

Engaging with gamers on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Discord allows studios to gather valuable feedback and insights. Players appreciate when their voices are heard and their opinions are valued. This interaction not only helps studios improve their creations based on player preferences but also builds loyalty and excitement among the audience.

By involving gamers in the development process, studios can create a buzz around their game. Regular updates, behind-the-scenes content, and interactive posts keep the community engaged and eager for the next development. This organic growth of interest and support can significantly enhance user acquisition and retention.

Connecting With Your Audience

Creating polls, asking for feedback, and hosting live Q&A sessions are excellent ways to involve your audience. These activities make players feel like they are part of the team and contribute directly to the game’s success. When players see their suggestions implemented, they become more invested in the game and are likely to spread the word to their network.

Building a Community

An engaged community can be your game’s biggest asset. Encourage players to share their experiences, create content, and participate in discussions. User-generated content and word-of-mouth marketing are invaluable for user acquisition. A thriving community attracts new players and keeps existing ones coming back for more.

Single-Player Campaigns

72% of gamers prefer to enjoy a video game’s single-player campaign’s stories rather than going out to watch a movie. Gamers enjoy single-player story modes because they can control them and make decisions that will impact the ending.

A Winning Formula for Game Development Success in 2024

A successful user acquisition strategy combines deep knowledge of your player base with creative approaches. This blend can elevate your game to new heights. By embracing today’s strategies, video games can thrive, connect with diverse gamer behaviors, and create unforgettable experiences.

Now that you have insights into gamer behavior, it’s time to launch a successful video game. We look forward to playing it!

A Journey to Democratize the Gaming Universe

In a distant galaxy, of the Gaming Universe, a tiny planet known as Creatopia was home to a vibrant community of little beings passionate about creating stunning video games that embraced artistry and wonder. Their lives were filled with endless creativity, innovation, and originality. But hold up! Things took a crazy turn when a bunch of ‘Conformitron’ robots from a neighbouring planet called Standardis crashed the party. 

These robots were planning to overshadow the awesomeness of the Creatopia contributions with massive and closed ecosystems. They wanted to take over and make everyone follow their strict standards, cranking out dollarmitron productions left and right. A major buzzkill, that’s right!

Well, during all this chaos, one particular little being stepped up to the scene. This little being was unique and had a brilliant mind. They just couldn’t handle the injustice happening in the galaxy and knew it was time to take action and fight back against the Conformitrons’ ecosystem. 

Game Marketing to Travel the Universe

Gathering a team of original beings and allies who were fed up, they kicked off the most epic rebellion ever! The beings were tiny, but nothing could stop those brave rebels. They fought tooth and nail to ensure everybody had a voice and show everyone how significant their contributions were to the intergalactic gaming scene despite their sizes and personalities. 

After countless battles, they finally liberated Creatopia from the clutches of the Conformitrons. Their victory was felt across the universe, a rebellion to make Hunger Games jealous.

The little beings of Creatopia celebrated their victory, and they emerged as real heroes among their peers. Under their leadership, the little beings embarked upon a new era of a more democratized galaxy, where everybody’s contribution to the gaming community would be equally celebrated.

Then, they embarked on an epic adventure, fighting for freedom and cherishing the beauty of diversity. They were all about giving props to every being’s unique skills and talents. Their mission? Making sure every corner of the galaxy embraced fairness and celebrated the incredible uniqueness of all contributions to the gaming community.

Their story continues, with our rebel leading the charge to make the Gaming Universe an even more democratized and disruptive place. Buckle up, folks, because this adventure is just getting started!
At GameRebellion we always try to provide solutions for our fellow rebels, check out more insightful tips here!

Indie Developers on Nintendo Switch: Embracing Next-Gen

The Nintendo Switch is undoubtedly the leading console of this generation. The “Nintendo Saviour” (referencing Nintendo’s Wii U failure of 13.5 million sales from the last generation) has become Nintendo’s most successful console in deals and game reviews in its 40+ years in the video game industry, and it presented an opportunity to devs all around the world.

Nintendo has consistently re-invented the controller and the way to play the game as such with the Wii Remote (2006), Nintendo Entertainment System (1983), Nintendo DS (2004), and their most beloved controller: the Nintendo Gamecube (2001).

It has never focused so much on the power of its hardware and has always believed in the quality of its software. As the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto’s most iconic game quote says, “A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad.”

Nintendo Switch: A Triumph in Gaming History

Considered one of history’s most influential video game designers, Miyamoto has collaborated on many other iconic titles, signing games such as Super Mario, Legend of Zelda, Pikmin, and Donkey Kong. We all agree that Miyamoto is the dream developer goal devs aim to reach in success.

I admire how he never cared about what people thought. Instead, he relied on his creativity and person-to-person approach, which brought him excellent results. As the current game director at Nintendo, I expect that the coming console presents more opportunities for developers in every generation. Let’s dive deep into how this console is used by game developers to understand its impact.

Nintendo Switch: Innovation Over Power

Nintendo focuses on innovation, allowing developers to use its ongoing unique styles of hardware interface to explore their ideas and creativity to the maximum.

Every console comes with a new hardware interface. Software sells hardware: this is the belief of Nintendo’s success and is why even if games may take much longer to produce than expected, they will most likely be called “iconic” or “revolutionary” in the software’s genre.

Developers have taken inspiration from Nintendo’s continued success in their revolution and have found such unique ways that not even the company has thought of.

You can play this on a portable device, like a Game Boy or Nintendo DS. You can also play docked on your home television to view 1080p 60fps (if the game is supported). It has remote control options and can doc on itself by standing up on its kick-stand, which was heavily improved with the recent OLED Model in 2021.

A Multi-Play Experience

Now that the new innovative controller inspires devs, some excellent developers have given leading examples of the console’s opportunities. Ubisoft’s Rayman takes their multiple console release, Rayman Legends in 2013, and delivers a definitive edition port to the Nintendo Switch with 20 exclusive added touchscreen control levels, motion control mini-games, new character cosmetics based on popular Nintendo franchises (Super Mario, for example) and new online challenges.

The game did so well that it sold the most copies as of 2019 and is considered the “best” version by most gamers. Other examples include many puzzle games, such as Tetris 99, which takes the original classic Tetris from Gameboy and puts you into an online multiplayer battle against 98 other players worldwide in a heated Tetris battle.

On the go, the wifi connection is a must-have quick-to-play and enjoy games with family and friends. Finally, party games have ended up being the Switch’s best offers. Games like 1-2 Switch take the unique Joy-Con controllers to use creatively across 28 games to play with up to 8 family members and local friends. It’s perfect for a pizza party.

In the following footage, you can see the use of the unique controller in game development by using the rumble feature to feel the weight in water bottles or even the tip of a shaver and the motion of rocking a baby too much or not enough. The unique ways of the controller’s rumble and portable weight inspire developers to try making many game modes for gamers across multiple genres.

Developers Harnessing Creativity

Even with such success, however, what was considered new eventually started to stale. Developers are beginning to notice the need for more power, hindering their projects’ performance rather than inspiring them.

Indie developers have indicated that as of 2022, their titles are sold mainly on Steam and Microsoft’s Xbox / Playstation due to the processing power and memory that a PC and the consoles showcase in feel, accessibility, and graphics.

At Montreal Comiccon 2023, developers spoke to me about releasing their titles on multiple consoles. They described the Nintendo Switch’s process as “exhausting” and said it “has delayed projects.” The Nintendo Switch is turning eight next year in 2024, which is overdue given the competition’s level of hardware power quality.

The standard for today’s games runs at a solid 60FPs, with a standard stable Online Multiplayer offered for most titles. Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch falls behind with less memory, which can hold and run on only 1080X720p.

Even big blockbuster games such as Tears of the Kingdom, created by Nintendo themselves, promised to run at 60 FPS, but they still show frame drops in crowded areas that take more memory. The 2023 title even resembles its 2017 prequel, Breath of the Wild.

Utilizing Nintendo Switch Features

Today’s games are not optimized enough to run smoothly on the Nintendo Switch. The Switch has reached its limits. Innovative controllers will not remain a trend for long.

Think of it like this: an adult at McDonald’s can easily eat a Big Mac and enjoy it. The average child cannot eat the entire meal without a stomach ache and probably won’t finish it.

So, when a game is ported to multiple consoles, the Nintendo Switch version is usually condensed. This version may have fewer levels, a slower frame rate, or downgraded graphics.

Six years later, developers now prefer making exclusive Nintendo Switch experiences. They avoid porting multiple versions of the same project to not hinder sales. This also reduces costs and pressure on developers and companies.

Developers like Activision have taken their iconic games, like Crash 4, one of the most anticipated titles of all time. Released to consoles on October 2nd, 2020, it was only optimized for Nintendo Switch nearly six months later, on March 21st, 2021. The game showed obvious flaws in graphics and frame drops. Features and textures were also reduced to optimize the Switch’s performance.

Nintendo Switch: The Next Generation ?

It’s no secret that technology is changing quickly and becoming more accessible. Xbox and PlayStation are in their fourth year of this generation. We know it’s only a matter of time before Nintendo announces their “revolutionary” console.

In July 2023, rumors arose that multiple developers received developer test kits for trial. This indicates that the console is nearly ready. The suspicion is for a 2024 release, aligning with previous generation game releases. Nintendo Switch sales decreased in 2022 compared to 2021, with a 29.2% decline to 23.06 million units.

Developers have clarified their requests for hardware power and expectations for growing technology. For the first time, Nintendo feels it must finally give in to significant hardware upgrades. They aim to present a smooth online multiplayer experience, more third-party and indie games, and powerful CPU, memory, and graphic capability.

Innovation is still Nintendo’s motto, but they should support the new standard of 4K for streaming services and apps like Netflix.

Wind of Change

We can feel the winds of change for all game developers, and it’s exciting! Developers are incredibly excited for the next generation of Nintendo. They look forward to stepping into the world of 4K. I hope Nintendo listens to their feedback while testing their dev kits. If Miyamoto’s idea to “reinvent the controller once again” comes true, more unique gameplay ideas will emerge.

The console is rumored to be as powerful as the Xbox One (2013). This is less powerful than the Xbox Series S (2020) or the PlayStation 5 (2020). However, it would be three times the improvement over the current generation console. Reported console leaks have appeared online. Developers confirm that the new hardware is rumored to be released in the second half of 2024.

Commitment to Indie Developers

While developers wait for the next-generation console, we had a peek into their latest news: Indie World. It showcases third-party developers who have released outstanding Nintendo Switch exclusive titles for $15.00 to $30.00. This is a great price compared to the standard $100.00. Developers use the Switch’s hardware to create innovative titles promoted through social media and Nintendo Direct. The new Indie World Direct Showcase also promotes these titles.

Nintendo shows it cares about its developers and respects third-party partners. They have made significant improvements since the 1990s controversies. During that time, developers faced strict contracts and licensing restrictions. A more laid-back Nintendo now welcomes more partners. This support offers a massive opportunity for developers to promote and gain visibility quickly.

Below is the full presentation of their latest Indie Direct. It encourages indie titles to come out over the following year. By embracing these opportunities, developers can thrive in the supportive environment Nintendo now offers.

Check out the Indie World for a great look at third-party titles by Independent developers that are making headlines!

Gamescom 2023 Success: Effective Industry Strategies

If you work in the gaming industry, you know the immense potential Gamescom 2023 holds. After countless hours of preparation and perfecting your presentation, you’re ready to make an impact. You even picked out your outfit the night before and meticulously scheduled your day for maximum organization.

Morning arrives with butterflies in your stomach and nerves that make putting on a tie a challenge.

But you show up on time, coffee in hand. You take a deep breath, look up at the building, and it hits you—this is Gamescom 2023, one of the largest and most influential trade shows in the video game industry.

Did all of the above sound familiar to you? Because Gamescom feels exactly like the most important job interview of your life. You are not there to present what you offer to your target audience and sell yourself to the video game industry.

From gamers to developers, publishers to investors, Gamescom has it all. So, it’s essential to take every bit of information to heart and to sell yourself to the best of your ability while in Germany, and that’s precisely what we, GameRebellion, did at Gamescom 2023.

From the start, we knew GameRebellion needed a clear mission for the event. We crafted a pitch and a story to introduce ourselves to the market. Our team was prepared to engage with everyone who visited our booth. We chatted with dozens of developers, from independent creators to those working with major publishers. We also met publishers, investors, marketers, and gamers.

Seeing the entire industry come together was incredible. By talking to them, we gained a better understanding of their needs and confirmed we’re on the right track. Attending trade shows is crucial for realizing the value they add to any product or service.

Gamescom is the ultimate trade show for studios seeking visibility, whether B2B or B2C. This event is a “must” for all game developers, studios, publishers, and marketers due to the vast opportunities for global exposure.

It connects the entire industry in one place, leveling the playing field for independent developers and major players. Gamescom offers feedback engagement, partnerships, free press, media advertisement, and gameplay announcements.

Essential Tips for Success with Publishers

Going to that kind of event requires a budget that some of you might still need. Still, if you’re under the lucky kids getting to travel the world to showcase your masterpiece, well, you want to read the points we’ve identified. By talking to fellow industry professionals over there, we had some insights that were an actual opening eyes experience, and we’d like to share them with you.

Defining a clear goal before talking to publishers is fundamental. Many studios go to trade shows looking for publishers for their games. Still, they often need to prepare to pitch their ideas and lose the opportunity. So here’s a tip for all the studios looking at attending the following events of the industry: 

Embrace the Excitement: Preparing for Gamescom 2023

Before talking to publishers, you must understand your game and have a clear goal. There are some questions you can answer before meeting up with key people:

  • What is your goal for attending trade shows? (Why are you investing such a budget on this?)
  • What is the goal you have for your game? (Where do you want to arrive with your game?)
  • What is your game about? (It is good to add details about your game, such as genre and gameplay mechanics.)
  • What are you looking for as a publisher? (What are your expectations for your publisher? Which are the ones that best fit your game?)
  • How can the publisher help you to achieve your goals? (What can they do to help you achieve your goals?)

You can reply to those questions by compiling a compelling story about your project. This will give your audience an idea about your objectives and show a sense of passion and commitment to opportunities.

Publishers will likely work with you if they see you’re organized, committed and accountable. If you show them you have clear goals and vision for the project, they’ll take you seriously. Chances are, a passionate project with a lot of focus on creativity and formality from both the developer and its creation will grab opportunities around the market.

Think of this opportunity as going to a job interview; you must know what to say about yourself and your background. You should also research and learn details about the company you’re applying for. We’ll come back with more content about how to approach publishers by providing more insight on preparing and introducing yourself for these meetings.

Maximizing Visibility for Indie Studios at Global Gaming Events

If you’re a small studio, the best option is in the indie arena. However, it usually doesn’t offer access to the business area, which can be an obstacle to your networking.

It happened to us when we had some meetings booked, but the studios scrambled to get to the business area. We know the costs are high, but getting a pass that allows free access to the different areas of the event is essential. Ensure your booth is in the right area to attract your biggest customers. A quick tip if you are still determining whether you are in the right place is to sign up to go with your country’s delegation. 

Luckily, in Canada, we have the Canadian Delegation and the Quebec Delegation. Both have constant missions to gaming trade shows worldwide, and the visibility you get is enormous. Every year, we count on the support of Invest Quebec | Investissement Québec International, which is well-positioned and provides a great spot to exchange with different companies, delegations, and individuals.

Cuphead’s Remarkable Journey: A Success Story.

Cuphead’s conception can be traced back to the early 2010s when brothers Chad Moldenhauer and Jared Moldenhauer, passionate fans of 1930s-style animation and classic run-and-gun games, decided to blend their love for both art forms. Determined to create a unique and challenging gaming experience, the Moldenhauer brothers formed Studio MDHR in 2013.

It started with only two developers, but by the end of its launch, it would grow to a passionate team of over 25 workers. Cuphead was a labour of love that embraced the essence of classic animation and gaming. The dedication to creating a visually stunning experience and a well-designed gameplay structure paid off, making Cuphead an unforgettable and influential title in indie gaming.

The idea for Cuphead originated from the creative minds of brothers Chad and Jared Moldenhauer. They envisioned a game that would pay homage to 1930s-style hand-drawn animation and classic run-and-gun games. The decision to adopt this art style became the game’s defining characteristic.

The Long Road Ahead: Development Process

The conception of Cuphead can be traced back to the early 2010s when brothers Chad Moldenhauer and Jared Moldenhauer, passionate fans of 1930s-style animation and classic run-and-gun games, decided to blend their love for both art forms. Determined to create a unique and challenging gaming experience, the Moldenhauer brothers formed Studio MDHR in 2013.

It started with only two developers, but by the end of its launch, it had grown to a passionate team of over 25 workers. Cuphead was a labour of love that embraced the essence of classic animation and gaming. The dedication to creating a visually stunning experience and a well-designed gameplay structure paid off, making Cuphead an unforgettable and influential title in indie gaming.

The idea for Cuphead originated from the creative minds of brothers Chad and Jared Moldenhauer. They envisioned a game that would pay homage to 1930s-style hand-drawn animation and classic run-and-gun games. The decision to adopt this art style became the game’s defining characteristic.

Formation of Studio MDHR

The most distinctive aspect of Cuphead’s development was the hand-drawn animation. The team at Studio MDHR meticulously hand-animated each character, enemy, and environment frame by frame, mimicking the techniques used in the 1930s cartoons. This approach was time-consuming but integral to achieving the game’s unique visual style.

The game’s core mechanics were inspired by classic run-and-gun titles such as Contra and Gunstar Heroes. The team worked to create a challenging and rewarding gameplay experience, incorporating various boss battles, platforming elements, and shoot-’em-up sequences. The development process involved constant iteration and refinement. The team would frequently playtest the game, gather feedback, and make adjustments to improve the overall gameplay and balance the difficulty curve.

To further enhance the game’s retro feel, Cuphead’s soundtrack was composed in a jazz and big band style, perfectly complementing the 1930s animation. Studio MDHR collaborated with composer Christopher Maddigan to create an authentic and memorable musical experience.

Funding a Risky Project

For an indie game with a big vision, internal and external investment was essential. So, what did the two brothers do?

  • Personal Investment: The initial funding for Cuphead came from the brothers’ personal savings. They believed in the project and invested their own money to kickstart development.
  • External Funding: As development progressed, the Moldenhauer brothers sought additional funding to support growing needs. They secured financial support from private investors and funding partnerships.
  • Kickstarter Campaign: In 2013, Studio MDHR launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise more resources and create awareness. Kickstarter allows creators to pitch projects to the public and receive financial contributions from interested backers in exchange for rewards.

Cuphead’s Kickstarter campaign offered backers various rewards, such as digital game copies, exclusive merchandise, and access to behind-the-scenes content. The campaign was successful, generating significant financial backing from the gaming community and increasing the project’s visibility.

The Kickstarter campaign alone provided only some of the necessary funding to complete the ambitious development of Cuphead. Still, it played a crucial role in supplementing the project’s increased game visibility from dedicated and hardcore platformer gamers.

Uniqueness is Strength

At the time, games were very focused on 3D graphics as the next generation of technology was approaching with new consoles. Cuphead was aimed to be a throwback to where we all started or loved within gaming, such as we did with 1985’s Super Mario Bros. Combining personal investment, external funding, and a successful Kickstarter campaign, Studio MDHR secured financial support to bring Cuphead to life.

The hand-drawn animation style was at the core of the game’s identity, and it was inspired by the works of Fleischer Studios and Disney cartoons from the golden age of animation. This decision added an extra layer of complexity to the development process, as all the characters, environments, and effects had to be painstakingly hand-animated frame by frame.

The small team at Studio MDHR faced numerous challenges, including technical hurdles, funding constraints, and inevitable delays. However, their unwavering dedication and artistic vision kept them on course.

Born for Success – Crowd’s Announcement Reaction

Cuphead’s announcement reaction was overwhelmingly positive and met with great excitement and anticipation from gamers and the gaming community. When Studio MDHR unveiled the game at Microsoft’s E3 press conference in June 2014, it immediately stood out for its unique art style, reminiscent of 1930s-era hand-drawn animation, a departure from the typical contemporary graphics in most games.

The retro aesthetic and charming visuals instantly captivated audiences, and many gamers were thrilled to see a developer taking such a bold and creative approach. Cuphead’s announcement trailer showcased its classic run-and-gun gameplay and challenging boss battles, adding to the buzz surrounding the game.

Social media platforms exploded with positive reactions, and gamers quickly shared their excitement about this fresh and innovative title. Many praised Studio MDHR’s dedication to hand-drawn animation, a rare and ambitious choice in the modern gaming landscape.

Indie Games Creativity Strikes Again

The art style was compared to classic 1930s cartoons, especially those by Fleischer Studios and The Walt Disney Company. Fans appreciated the detailed character design and environments, which beautifully captured the era’s essence.

Cuphead’s announcement also caught the attention of game journalists and media outlets. They saw its potential as a standout indie title. It quickly became a hot topic in the gaming community. Many gamers eagerly anticipated its release.

Although the game’s development faced delays, the positive reception at the announcement stage validated the developers’ vision. This motivated them to create a polished and memorable experience.

Cuphead’s announcement reaction showcased the power of creativity and originality in the gaming industry. Its distinct art style and challenging gameplay elements resonated with players. This made it one of the most anticipated indie games of its time.

Patience in Development is Key for Excellent Gameplay

The game was initially announced in June 2014, and its original release date was planned for 2016. HHowever, the complexity of the hand-drawn animation required meticulous attention to detail. This made the development take longer than anticipated.. As a result, Cuphead experienced several delays before its final release.

Cuphead was postponed at least twice from its initial planned release date. The launch target was in 2016 but was rescheduled for mid-2017 due to a “lack of time management and planning,” says Chad. His wife, Maja Moldenhauer, gave birth to their first child during production, decided not to take maternity leave and stepped in and became Project Manager. Cuphead was finally released on September 29, 2017.

Welcome to Pop-Culture: Release Day & Legacy

Cuphead’s launch success story is a testament to the power of creativity, dedication, and a well-executed vision. When the game was released on September 29, 2017, it took the gaming world by storm, garnering widespread acclaim and achieving remarkable commercial success.

The game received rave reviews from both players and critics alike. Its unique hand-drawn animation, challenging gameplay, and nostalgic charm were praised as refreshing and innovative. The game’s art style, previously mentioned, was a huge risk that paid off. It was mainly celebrated and has since become a staple description of the characters.

Cuphead proved to be a commercial hit. Within two weeks of its release, the game sold over one million copies, a significant achievement for an independent video game. By early 2023, the sales had surpassed five million copies across various platforms, further solidifying its success.

Cuphead’s success had a significant impact on the indie gaming scene. It showcased that independent developers could create visually stunning and challenging games, breaking away from traditional game development norms. Its triumph inspired other indie developers to explore unconventional art styles and gameplay mechanics, leading to a newfound interest in innovative game design.

The Delicious Last Course – DLC & NETFLIX

Following the success of Cuphead, Studio MDHR announced an expansion DLC titled “Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course.” Initially scheduled for release in 2019, the DLC encountered its share of development challenges, leading to further delays.

When released, the DLC introduced new characters, levels, and bosses, expanding the Cuphead universe with fresh content. However, the developers prioritized quality over rushing its release, ensuring that the additional content lived up to the high standards set by the original game.

Despite the delays, “The Delicious Last Course” was highly anticipated by fans and the gaming community, who eagerly awaited the chance to experience more of Cuphead’s unique art and gameplay. The DLC’s release further cemented Cuphead’s status as an iconic and beloved indie title, providing players with even more reasons to appreciate the game’s artistry and creative brilliance.

What’s next for Cuphead?

This launch’s success story demonstrates how an indie game with a distinct and artistic vision can capture the hearts of players worldwide. Since the project wrapped up, Chad and Jared have hinted that more will come.

This was said in an interview with Gamerant (post mentioned here) in 2022; there has since been no news. Chad and his wife, Maja, are raising two children in Toronto, Canada, while Jared remained in Regina. No matter what project will rise in the public next, the world will be excited and waiting.

It is incredible to think that two brothers who dreamt their whole lives about creating a game without experience in game design and animation would come together and use their ambitions and passion to turn research and knowledge into success.

Chad and Jared both lived on opposite sides of the world and have given up on their dream to focus on adult priorities such as having a staple job, but, as they say: “the heart wants what it wants.” When the two decided to leave their jobs, they focused only on the positivity that came with their aging ideas.

Since they were both kids, they had the freedom, time, and management to create something that stuck with their hearts. Being hardcore gamers themselves when growing up also played a massive role in their development.

When Chad and Jared played video games together, they often discussed features that should or should not have been implemented in the game they played. This would only fuel the ambitions for the following decade’s production. These ideas, discussions, mistakes and inspirations came together to build the success story they now call “Cuphead.”