Why Do Indie Games Fail? Is It The Game Or The Video Game Marketing Efforts?

From a newbie to an avid game developer, everyone has heard of Steam.

Being one of the most popular gaming platforms, Steam allures nearly all indie NFT game development company and solo game developers.

However, as per VG Insights, on Steam, more than 50% of indie video games never went over $4000. Only the top 1% of video games make $7million and even more on Steam.

Considering the expected growth of the global video game market, $293.2 Billion by 2027 (PR Newswire), it is true that indie games have gone through an uphill struggle. Despite striving to navigate technological advancements to develop top-notch PC-based games, mobile games, and consoles, the profit margin of indie games remains small. 

So, Is there anything that indie video game marketing lacks?

The question remains the same. Why Do Indie games fail to earn maximum applaud?

Here, we are going to share an in-depth analysis of the factors responsible for the failure of Indie video game establishments.

Concentrating Less On Marketing strategies:

Indie video game companies work on tight budgets and schedules. Most of the time they feel less urge to dive into robust game marketing strategies.

Your budget is low, so you are omitting the sure arrows that can lead your game to the pedestal of success. 

It is an utterly wrong step, no doubt.

Success never got tied up with the budget. You can promote your game on different social media platforms to make people aware of why your video games are worth buying. You can create your own video game marketing strategies to stay ahead of your competitors. 

Less Involvement With Gaming Platforms And Channels:

Yes, we know, when it comes down to choosing gaming platforms, it becomes overwhelming. Moreover, with so many gaming platforms and channels out there, how would you find the most suitable one?

This dilemma leads the indie game developers to their next mistake. They gradually feel reluctant to involve and engage with the gaming platforms.

There are two most dominant gaming platforms suitable for Indie video game marketing strategy. One is YouTube, and the other is Twitch.

From the beginning of your game development, if you make your game Twitch-friendly, it would become a lot of help. Additionally, you can generate millions of loyal followers on YouTube. 

Lack Of Long-Term Planning On Gaming:

There is a rule of thumb: if your first game goes viral, the sequel will also fly off the shelves. Moreover, players get hooked to indie games because of the authenticity of creativity. Keep this thing in mind. Don’t lose the string of your creativity once your first game turns to hit. We recommend you make long-term planning before stepping your feet on the arena of indie game development.

Not Having Dedicated Social Media Channels:

On the verge of 2021, social media accounts are no longer fancy to have, especially for indie game developers. There is no way to get escaped from the power of social media platforms. Create accounts on various social media platforms. Create channels exclusively for your gaming endeavours and link them to your landing page through buttons. Since every social media website excels in its unique essence and audience, you can utilize each of them for your marketing campaign.

ASO Overlooked

• Like SEO, App Store Optimization or ASO is also crucial for your game’s success. 
• As per Buildfire, the Apple app store holds 1.96 million apps to download. While 2.87 million apps are there in the Google Play Store.
• In such a fierce competitive video game market, how can you make your video games visible in the app stores without taking ASO seriously?
• ASO helps gaming companies and solo developers to make their video games rank higher in the app stores. So, don’t make any blunders. Craft ASO strategies, and get your game a high App Store Ranking.

These are some of the pitfalls most indie game developers fail to avoid. If it becomes overwhelming to curve out effective video game marketing strategies going align with your budget, why don’t you call us?

We, at EDIIIE, one of the top video game companies, welcome all indie game developers to experience our remarkable video game design, development, and marketing services. No matter your budget is big or small, we will find out proven tactics to market your game in a meaningful way.