Ep. 018 - 10 Years Of Game Dev Experience In 20 Minutes
Aug 23, 2024
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Discover a streamlined three-step approach to kickstart your indie game development career. Learn the importance of product creation and audience building while generating wishlists. Explore strategies for creating a sustainable business model, including valuable micro games. The journey highlights personal experiences with customer engagement on platforms like YouTube, alongside tackling the challenges of stress management in a creative industry.
Establishing products like wishlist pages and resource offerings is crucial for indie developers to gauge interest and generate revenue.
Focusing on creating micro games enables developers to reduce risks, maintain financial stability, and continuously learn in the indie game market.
Deep dives
Building a Revenue-Generating Foundation
Creating a solid foundation for game development involves establishing two key products before focusing on game creation. The first product should be an opt-in or Steam page that collects wishlists for a game that may not yet exist, which can help gauge interest. This approach allows developers to generate potential revenue by monitoring wishlist engagement, leading to a more informed launch strategy. The second product is a resource such as an online course or asset pack, providing additional income and stability while developing games.
Audience Development as a Revenue Stream
Building an audience on a preferred platform, such as YouTube or TikTok, is essential for driving traffic to the two products and generating revenue. Regularly creating content that adds value to the audience while promoting the opt-in page and resources ensures steady engagement and leads to substantial wishlist numbers. The focus shifts from merely accumulating subscribers to effectively converting this engagement into sales of digital products. This strategy allows developers to maintain financial stability while working on games, mitigating the risks associated with relying solely on game sales.
Emphasis on Micro Games
Focusing on micro games is a pragmatic strategy for indie developers, as these smaller projects demand fewer resources and time, reducing financial risks. By creating and launching smaller games, developers can use the income generated from wishlist engagement and their digital products for ongoing sustainability. The strategy behind micro games allows for continuous learning and improvement while ensuring that each launch holds potential for revenue. Ultimately, this model fosters a healthier balance between creativity and financial security in the unpredictable indie game market.
1.
Simplifying Game Development: A Three-Step Approach