Why Indie Games Need a Strong Marketing Plan

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Indie games need more than luck to survive; they need a strong marketing plan to carry them through their launch. Let’s look at the “why” behind the need for indie games to have a strong marketing plan. 

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1. To build game awareness in a highly competitive niche

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In 2023 alone, nearly 14,000 indie games were released, compared to a measly 181 AAA games. All of this is to say that the indie gaming industry is highly saturated, with the competition increasing with every passing year. This means that “build it and they will come” no longer works. You need to actively build awareness about your game to let people know that it exists through a solid marketing strategy. Otherwise, you risk your project getting drowned in a sea of other games. 

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2. To ensure the success of your game

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Hundreds of indie games are released on Steam alone every month. Do you know how many of them ever become successful? A mere 5%. This means 95% of indie games fail, which is years’ worth of labor down the drain. Let that sink in. The difference between the two groups lies in having a solid marketing strategy. So if you want to become one of the 5% of people who find success through their indie games, you need to start marketing as soon as possible and collect a minimum of 7,000 wish lists even before your game is launched. This will give you a nice boost on launch day, which, in turn, puts you on the map with an additional push from Steam’s algorithm.

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3. To build a gaming community

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Unlike AAA games that already have a loyal following and celebrity endorsements under their belt, the success of indie games largely depend on trust, loyalty, and word-of-mouth recommendations. The first step to achieving this is by building your very own loyal gaming community. Not only will this help you build your Steam wishlists, you also get a loyal fanbase for any future games. As a bonus, your gaming community can also help you with feedback, testing, raising funds, and testimonials. 

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4. To create a personal brand

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The #1 marketing rule–regardless of industry–is to create a personal brand that distinguishes you from others by highlighting the unique values that you bring to the market. The same goes for your indie games. What gameplay mechanics or experiences does your game offer that is uniquely yours? These are the things that you want to be known for. You want people to be able to look at game clips and say, “hey! That looks like XYZ’s style!” Think GTA and Rockstar Games. The way to get to this stage is by highlighting your unique selling propositions (USPs) and creating a personal brand around that to increase your visibility. This will help you with any future games you create.

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