This page features tips and materials how to market and publicise a game. If you have any other tips on the release process (eg. user testing, pricing, etc.) please share them in the comments section and we’ll integrate key points into this page!
Publicity
When releasing a game, it’s a good idea to have a press release and to distribute it as widely as possible. If you are a confident writer, you can write it yourself. If you aren’t, you may want to pay $100 (or so) to hire a professional writer to do it for you. You can usually find writers on Indie Gamer.
Examples:
Distribution (suggestions on where to send the press release):
- Send it to us so that we can spread the word and record local releases.
- Post it to the PIGMI mailing list to get feedback from local game developers.
- Start a thread on Indie Gamer
- Forward the press release to gamespress.com. (It’s free to upload press material and it gets picked up by a lot of automated news sites.)
- Post to the TIG Source “Announcements” forum
- Submit to various news sites: ModDB; Offworld; Indie Games blog; Rock, Paper, Shotgun; GameSetWatch; AussieIndie
Related guides and information:
- Article by Kieron Gillen (of Rock, Paper, Shotgun) about using the game press to market your game.
Thanks to the following members of the PIGMI mailing list for compiling these resources: Chris McCormick, Anthony Sweet, Paul Turbett, Avril Cox, and Joel Blackwell.
Marketing
On 26th May 2012, Let’s Make Games hosted the Indie Games Marketing Course. The workshop featured Tim Colwill, editor-in-chief of games.on.net, and Chris Wright, founder of game marketing firm Surprise Attack. (More details about the speakers on this post.) Course materials from the workshop are below.
- Tim Colwill – Approaching The Press
Presentation:
Slides: Tim Colwill – Approaching The Press
- Chris Wright – Positioning Workshop
Presentation:
Slides: Chris Wright – Positioning Workshop
Workbook: Surprise Attack Indie Game Development Positioning Workbook