Game Marketing

Marketing on Zero Budget - GDC (2018)

• One can promote a game with zero butget if it creates an audience before the game.

• Calls to action: Join our newsletter / Join our Discord

• Discord

  • Is a great way to create a fanbase.

  • It keeps people interested in your game close to you.

  • They'll be your hardcore audience.

  • The speaker of this talk divided the game into factions. He says that this decision created a "tribe mentality" where players felt more engaged to participate in the game.

  • Offer incentives for joining

    • Closed beta testing

    • Let them take part on the design process

    • Let them voice their suggestions

• Always ask.

  • Ask for press to publish your press release.

  • Ask to Discord for tips on how to grow your audience.

  • Ask for Twitter to verify you.

  • Ask for the dudes at the play store tips on how to get your game featured.

You Suck at Showcasing Your Game - GDC (2017)

Video about showcasing your game at game events. It lays out some tips, divided into "before", "during" and "after" the even has taken place. Very interesting and practical.

Before the event

• Prints: Logos high up in the print

• Flyers: Don't do that

  • Instead: Business card-sized prints! (possible to be collectable, free stuff!)

• Set the game to convention mode

  • Shorter play sessions

  • Unlock everyting

  • Idle card

  • Fill empty seats with AI

  • Safe environment (dont let the player tweak options, streamlined experience)

During the event

• Bring mints for your voice

• Avoid keyboards (simplify the game layout!!!)

  • Go wired if using game controllers (safety)

  • If mobile, get a big touchscreen or buy phone holders (again, safety)

• Height is super important. The higher you can get your prints, the better.

  • Two monitor setup, one for the players, one for the audience. Or just one big boy monitor high enough for the people in the back to see.

  • Get balloons

• Sound is very important, get a big boy speaker bro

  • NO HEADPHONES, you wanna speak with ur players

• LED lights!!!

• TV topper w/logo

• Buy food before the doors open

• Film stuff

  • Reaction cam (webcam recording the croud)

• Free stuff! Give free stuff to folks to attract people

• Tournamets get lots of eyes.

  • Free steam key to all spectators if hard challenge is won by a player.

• Give the spectators something to do!

  • Design a new character, get a reward!

• Elevator pitch: You'll repeat yourself a lot, THAT'S OKAY!

• Go out and meet people! TALK!

After the event

• Edit your footage.

• Follow up with business cards, you may want to wait 3-4 days.

• Write a post mortem.

• Contest winners!

• You won't get a sales spike after the event. Probably helps with a sale after the event.

  • Builds an audience over time.

  • Events are for getting awesome relationships w/other industry people.