Game Dev Unchained 0360: Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut with Tony & Abby Howard
Jan 28, 2025
Tony Howard and Abby Howard are the creative duo behind Black Tabby Games, known for their innovative titles like Slay the Princess and Scarlet Hollow. They dive into the evolution of indie game development, emphasizing community engagement and modern marketing strategies. The importance of narrative in gaming shines as they discuss character development and game demos. They also tackle the challenges of localization and balancing ambition with community feedback, offering valuable insights for aspiring developers.
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Second Project Born From Scarlet Hollow Downtime
- Slay the Princess started during Scarlet Hollow development to use downtime productively.
- Abby ended up producing far more art than expected because the protagonist and environment constantly shift.
Treat Early Access Like A Real Launch
- Treat early access or episodic launches as a true product launch and ship with polish.
- Aim for a complete, satisfying slice that players will buy and recommend, not a half-baked placeholder.
Steam Favors New Releases, Not Longevity
- Steam's launch attention spikes and algorithmic signals drive rapid sales falloff after release.
- Long-term success depends on word-of-mouth and a focused engaged community rather than one-off launch boosts.
