My Indie Game Launch was a Failure - Steam Sales Numbers & Lessons Learned

[@JD-vj4go]

99 percent of devs logs I see on KZbin never launch a game. Congratulations on that huge milestone.

[@rungeon83]

THIS! I have released a little game on the xbox360 indie section and honestly the learning experience of this is much more than starting and giving up on lots of projects. You cannot buy what you learn, I hope his game does pick up it seems a bit insane how hard it is to get games known these days.

[@nugget9458]

Should of released it on the switch those guys will buy any garbage on the store

[@ghostradiodelete]

This is the #1 reason why I didn't start one, hah. Also, who has time for that? I'm making a game and working a day job, I can't make videos too, that's insane.

[@dadlord689]

​@@ghostradiodeleteI relate more to this point of view than to the author one. There is not enough life time and life force to work and to do an actual side project. Not everyone can win the Olympic game and make a record, but there will always be few. More to this point: it is quite psychotic to persuade only the highest bars. While you have no war outside - have a chilly evening and appreciate it.

[@ThePancakeJedi]

@@nugget9458 must… not… respond… to… this… bait… and… switch… comment.

[@karolwieczorek4339]

"Building a game is so incredibly hard that you really cannot afford to build it on an idea you're only half passionate about" That quote is pure gold. Thank You for the informative and quite inspiring video and wish You luck in future productions.

[@austinreed7343]

Then what is the bare minimum? Two-thirds? Three-quarters?

[@TheBinklemNetwork]

Two thirds and three quarters of that final third. :B​@@austinreed7343

[@karlhendrikse]

Mmm yes I concur. I worked for a long time on a game I was less than half passionate about. It's still somewhere.

[@austinreed7343]

@@karlhendrikse Amazing. Hopefully you can find it and show the results of working on an idea you have insufficient passion about.

[@dondahighhh12]

@@austinreed7343 the real answer is have a team so work still gets done at a steady rate regardless of passion level

[@clarisrichter7966]

Making a 10 hour long game with fully hand-built content as a part-time solo dev takes and iron will. Looking forward to seeing what you have in mind for your next project!

[@Sanquinity]

And it takes a very strong character to see the game then "fail", decide to learn from it rather than be down, and look towards how one can improve the next project.

[@SarpSerter]

Man.. I am a gamedev as well and coming from a youtube dive.. You are like the 8th gamedeveloper video I watched. All videos I watched was 2 years ago, 1 year ago, 3 years ago.. None of them finished it. Store link, wishlist. No release date. You did it dude. You finished it! So much respect!

[@gbo2steam]

You are expert if u keep track of them

[@GameDevDul]

You launched mate, that's not a failure! I think the hardest part is uploading the final build and pressing release :) Onwards!

[@smokinjoe9415]

It is a failure.

[@IcedCub]

​@smokinjoe9415 not half as much as your life

[@Vistorri]

​@@smokinjoe9415And how many commercial successes have you released on steam?

[@moonchildeverlasting9904]

ITS NOT A FAILURE IF SOME CHECKBOXES EXIST. 1. Was it your first game? 2. Was it something you made mostly on your own, or with a few people involved? If these two questions are answered with Yes. It wasn't a failure. Because I opened the app. I saw the game. Lots of parts in this "game" is just learning and using parts of game features. example, * Rope swing, originated from "Worms" * Levels design are the same in most games. Using VFX, using parallax, blur, depth-perception * Hub worlds (towns) to buy items from * Item shop which require state management of inventory, health, and attributes points * 2D travelling methods (bridges, slopes, elevators, mine carts, ...) * Maps, progression, save points Lots of its is core things you need to have in 2D platformer that (first time) takes time to learn, memorize and understand fully. You now possesses that knowledge. This is extremely valuable. Onto the game itself, It has a great premise. The idea of climbing comes with many challenges and possibilities for surprising experiences. --- Imagine yourself playing the game. The game should be fun. And it probably is too! But when you released the game. Did ANYONE know it was released? Did the word spread by people online? Was it considered something that people was "excited" to get their hands on before release?

[@OcnarfPro]

@@Vistorri 67

[@CodeMonkeyUnity]

Congrats on successfully releasing a game! What you learned from this game will help you a lot in your next one!

[@NicNac2451]

Thanks for the kind words and thanks for stopping by. Your channel has been a huge inspiration!

[@Vanduo610]

👍

[@titusorelius9458]

I think the art style was a major factor in the game's failure. As you said, it's hard to stand out and art style can make or break an otherwise good game.

[@Mangeurdemouton]

nah art does not mean anything, gameplay is the key! Look at games like dwarf fortress ascii, vampire survivor and minecraft.

[@titusorelius9458]

@@Mangeurdemouton You have a point to an extent but I think those games were able to sidestep artstyle because of outstanding gameplay. But if you just have good gameplay than you are among thousands of games that are also "good" and not outstanding". In which case having an great artstyle can lift the game up to greatness and get it noticed. It's a balance.

[@Patxi__]

I agree. I am illustrator and concept artist and I think he made an awesome job considering he have not an art education. But yeah, it doesn't stand out at all. It looks quite generic and amateurish. He would benefit a lot collaborating with an experienced artist for his next project.

[@Patxi__]

@@Mangeurdemouton Minecraft looks unique, it have its own aesthetic. And have also a unique and never seen before gameplay. The other 2 I don't know them but probably shine a lot in terms of gameplay. And last but not least, I think marketing and social media is an important thing in the sucess of a game launch.

[@seto007]

​@@Mangeurdemoutonas mentioned in the video there exist games with simple yet charming art styles. Both Minecraft and Vampire Survivors fall into that category. By contrast, the art in this game just looks fairly generic and cheap. Dwarf Fortress is an insanely expansive game that has been in development for decades and can be downloaded for free. The paid version of course has a rather charming art style and QoL improvements, as opposed to the default ASCII and keyboard controls of the free version.

[@WikiPeoples]

Hey man, appreciated your post mortem here. I'm a solo dev who shipped a massive SaaS B2B project a few years ago, and have made a whopping $500, with a net costs of around $6k (hosting, PO box, and local tax). So just here to say that I resonated a lot with some of your points. I also at one point reached a development hell, and realized I needed to ship or I might never ship. The result was the project worked but lacked enough features to really drive organic traffic. Marketing was also not my strong point so there was very little of that, and as a result many people never even saw it!

[@TB191]

What kind of project did you build?

[@100_Dollar_Bill]

@@TB191you won't get a response. Remember, not good at marketing 😂

[@planescaped]

@@100_Dollar_Bill People who value their sanity tend to disable reply notifications. I know I do, lol. But that's assuming youtube even notifies you to begin with, which it frequently doesn't.

[@RyotaKen-n3q]

@@planescapedcan confirm.I comment alot but never seen the replies because i turned it off or something,it legit doesnt show any replies even from months ago.I wont b seeing if theres any replies on this comment too

[@eganrabiee627]

so you would be $5500 richer if you never made that project?

[@_Nay_Nay]

The fact that you released a game in general on steam is something that not many can share. You should absolutely be proud of yourself and your work.

[@NYNmetal]

I think you can also consider making a "Summit Remastered" by working with an artist, and playtesting with a community etc. You've put a lot of effort into this game and you can probably pivot it to the point where it gets the attention it deserves!

[@nathanfranck5822]

Definitely deserves another go in a couple years once you leveled up and made some connections

[@cliqist]

I was thinking the same thing. I'm not a metroidvania fan, but the concept is intriguing enough to not abandon. Makes me wonder if it would be worth doing a revised vertical slice with some updated art and animation.

[@nowayjosedaniel]

It's a platformer. It is unsalvageable. Platformers are the most oversaturated genre in PC gaming. Even more than match-3's. At least they used to be. I think most people got the memo after realizing that the supply was 1000 platformers released every day (hyberbole) and demand was 0. Platformers are the MOST POPULAR genre to be made by gamedevs and the LEAST popular genre among gamers. It's literally the biggest flooded genre and the least in demand. Supply:Demand people. It's not hard.

[@Assimandeli]

@@nowayjosedaniel "Platformers are the MOST POPULAR genre to be made by gamedevs and the LEAST popular genre among gamers." Any actual stats behind this claim?

[@BeepBoopMega]

Yes, you can literally look up the stats. No need to be lazy.

[@doriane.r1437]

Hey, you shipped a game and learned the right lessons, for a very first commercial game that's a success! You should be proud! As someone who released a *somewhat* successful game, here are other things I learned: - Start with a very short game. If you want to make a game in 6 months, imagine a game that could be made in 2-3 months. - Playtest your game a lot, every month/2 months or so. Even when you think you won't learn anything valuable, you will! - Invest money in your key art. Pay someone to make it if you're not skilled enough in art. It's such an important part of you game getting noticed on Steam! - Manage expectations: in your communications, trailers, Steam page etc, don't hesitate to state what your game is and particularly what it is not. Very important for reviews. Best of luck with you future projects!

[@ricktyner5801]

I think Thomas Brush would tell you that all of this is part of the success of failing forward. Many people never even finish the process of actually releasing the game. Keep moving forward!

[@wPelniSwiadomy]

Recently I watched a documentary about Bethesda. The most important thing about it was that they were constantly testing the game at every step. They have the whole testing procedure there. They give the product to the testers and observe in silence. Maybe create a demo of the next game and share it on steam, advertise it on YT and ask people what they like and what they don't like, I know that many people do it and it works.

[@Archheret1c]

@@wPelniSwiadomy kinda fascinating to hear since Bethesda is known for their many bugs.

[@VarietyGamerChannel]

YES! Listen to this dev. ART matters. Visuals MATTER. If the game was 70% shorter and artistically eye catching it would have sold 100x more.

[@maikaviprostata7653]

@@wPelniSwiadomy Много хубав:) пример И на каква цена се случват там нещата? кой плаща? Едно е да гледаш друго е да виждаш приятелю ;)

[@MateusAntonioBittencourt]

The art style is too reminiscent of yearly and mid 2000s flash games. Which for me gives the gut reaction of a basic game with one single mechanic, you play for free for 30 minutes then never again. But don't feel discouraged. What you did is already an incredible achievement. I know how hard it is to work on your free time on a project like this. I've been making an android app I hope to publish this year. And having to project manage myself, plus my social life, plus my ADHD is terrible. Seeing someone able to complete a project, regardless if it's successful or not is a great inspiration.

[@Fickji]

I too would have passed the game up as an asset flip Shovel ware style game if not for this video. Now it is Steam wish listed. So even this video may have helped market the game. I'm trying to figure out why the art style throws me off so much and i think it might be those ground textures. They're not as artistically shaded as the rest of the areas. They're just flat dirt or flat stone and they take up a lot of the foreground. I'm trying to remember any 2-d games that I like doing that. I think most will put different interesting little filler or easter eggs in or just shadow the area so it isn't as noticeable. Think Terraria or Aquaria.

[@rhyantrick8178]

yeah the art style is lacking and the large head characters remind me of old toddler cartoons my kids use to watch. the general design is very basic too. people want to play as cool creatures or interesting otherworldly characters in crazy enviroments that are unique

[@Korn1holio]

Just what I wrote a minute ago, almost using the same words. Pretty neat, I think our feedback has some merit.

[@manashieldworld]

I just posted this! Everything else seems perfectly serviceable but then the graphics are such a turn off. Not that they're terrible but like you said. Just gives off Flash vibes and people associate a certain feeling to that.

[@chickenmadness1732]

@@Fickji Because you can tell it was made by an amateur so it looks cheap lol. If a professional artist worked on it the colour pallete would be consistent and not all over the place for starters.

[@Korn1holio]

If you'd like a little feedback,..... I would say the main reason of your game's failure is artwork. Vector based high-definition 2D graphics are very much "out of fashion", reminding people of early 2000s Flash games and are commonly associated with low-quality low-effort productions. Even very lowres pixelated art would work better in your case. Just my impression. You have to evoke a certain feeling and your game's look is a bit too sterile. Wishing you best of luck with your new endeavours!

[@thejunkwall]

I'd be careful with a generalization like this. There are still plenty of modern 2D vector games that have been able to nail the style and there are plenty of modern pixel art games that come across as generic and unimpressive. It depends on how you implement them and also who the audience is.

[@Pivot-Shorts]

@@thejunkwallDo you have any recent examples?

[@IsThisDustin]

⁠@@thejunkwallSurely you can give an example

[@Korn1holio]

@@thejunkwall sure, every generalization is wrong at some level. I myself would remember "Oxygen Not Included", "Don't Starve" (and maybe Cult of The Lamb) as examples of Hi-Def 2D graphics done right, however, opting for HD 2d graphics makes it way easier to fail and produce something that looks unappealing and amateurish - you have to put in more effort, which is often unattainable if you're a solo developer. So, to re-generalize, pixel art done by solo developers *generally* looks better than HD art.

[@katiedoucet4748]

The artwork makes me think of a mobile game. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but it turns me off.

[@SimonSlav-GameMakingJourney]

Sorry to hear that. Chris Zukowski says that you need at least 2 games to get a good shot at being profitable and most studios quit after the first one, so you're on the right track! Good luck with your future development and thanks for sharing this.

[@ImpreccablePony]

I am not sure I've heard "play testing" even once. It's a shame people don't understand the value of play testing. Giving the opportunity to see other people interact with your game will make a world of difference.

[@8ightBitKid]

Ok mr know it all

[@aarondcmedia9585]

Very good point.

[@fictitiousnightmares]

Love how easy it is to criticize. I know as a solo hobbyist dev myself with pretty much NO social media presence and no desire for one, finding players to play test and to market to is not only hard, but practically impossible without 'building' that social media presence.

[@ImpreccablePony]

@@fictitiousnightmares So you literally have no partner, no parents, no coworkers, and no one in the whole world who you can ask to play your game? Okay, I respect that. But dude. You have reddit with a million subs with some of them bound to be interested in what you build. You are one post away from play-testing.

[@fictitiousnightmares]

@@ImpreccablePony Oh, so your definition of 'play testing' is having 1-3 people who will most likely lie to you because they are friends/family play it then? smh Come on, use some common sense. And you making up random numbers about Reddit and not even talking about any specific subreddit doesn't help anything. Also, reddit has that weird ass thing where you have to have points or thumbs up or some crap over time even to post or respond on it. I tried and stopped using it years ago because of that crap.

[@Ryandb2]

I launched a game on Xbox 360 20 years ago. It failed. I have been developing but never launched another game since. Launching a game is one of the best things I have ever done. Getting a game released is an amazing accomplishment regardless of sales. Congratulations!

[@Ryandb2]

@@NewRomancer37 Yeah it was an indie game, I was a solo dev. It was called resistanceBlocks, it was basically a poorly made Lumines clone. It only sold about 200 copies, but I spent two years of my life creating it and am proud of having completed it, even though it failed. I made a game was rereleased and you can now play it on Xbox and Steam and its free, so go pick it up.

[@MrShitthead]

So many people don't realize how hard it is just to release a game. over 90% of indie dev's never release a game. It's fucking hard lol.

[@beardyluke]

I absolutely know this... We released game a month ago and it is a failure... about 250$ before steam cut. But like you said, lessons learned...

[@NicNac2451]

Exactly! All the best for your next game!

[@beardyluke]

@@NicNac2451 Thanks, you too! By the way, I will buy Summit today! As developers We have to support each other!

[@beardyluke]

@@NicNac2451 Thanks! You too! By the way I bought your game today, I think as developers, we should support each other!

[@fiveprime7968]

Congrats on being one of the few people who have actually released a commercial game though!

[@educate3d]

You finished it, its a win. Keep going, your next project will do better

[@niuage]

I'd be really proud if I were you of the end product. It's no Ori or whatever but I still think it has its charm.

[@ph0b0x92]

You have a released, good looking, well designed, complete game on Steam... I do not see a failure there. No no no! Sales numbers do not defined failure nor success! I see a great accomplishment here. Keep updating the game based on feedbacks. Good luck.

[@NewHopeGames]

Well said and just by what I see, I can already see he has what it takes to be successful in game dev. I believe if he had a publisher and marketing, his initial launch with this game would of been a lot different.

[@jigsaw2253]

Cope, money defines success

[@BobsiDevlog]

Just the fact that you got to release is amazing. Especially with a project lasting 3 years! Most solo game developers lose interest and never look back, so all power to you for sticking with it. Game marketing is a beast of its own for sure. Gathering 1.000 wishlists is still good! Good luck in the future, hopefully I can get my game to release in 2024 🙄

[@realElzie]

Not a failure, this is an inspiration. I’m new to game dev. Like you, I’m a programmer and not an artist but I have always been driven to create things. I look forward to your next game!

[@EggCess]

You didn't only start a big project, you actually completed it. That takes incredible discipline. Then you learned from it. AND your shared your learnings with the world. You're an amazing person. Best of luck with whatever you have planned for your future!

[@realdonkeydong]

Part of our faults are sometimes to set an expectation against a back drop of a type of people that might not match up. That being said, the truth is you have already put yourself up there in my opinion, the top 1%. I only see great work ahead of you and wish you your best success.

[@NicNac2451]

Thanks for the true and kind words!

[@starlightskyes]

I took a year off from game development because it was so hard. Really impressed with your mindset to finish, seems like you learned a lot! Content creation and making games for sure are both very time consuming but we appreciate you sharing your story. Good luck on your next project

[@iamblinkin]

Honestly dude as a programmer > artist, your art is excellent. Great video and reflections, thank you for sharing!

[@zwenkwiel816]

​@V3SPRlol how's that for constructive criticism XD I kind of agree though. Like if art isn't your strong suit just lean into that. Like pick a simple style you can do instead of poorly doing a style you can't. Like forget about realism and shading. Just make something simple that looks cute.

[@CloudlessStudio]

It took me 4 games on Steam to make significant money. The way I see it as a solo dev, I can’t make my ultimate dream game, so I make games based on my life experiences. Short and polished is what finally gave me some success

[@gravious]

a possibly interesting way to introduce the game and have it more zappy at the start is have him be fully capable, you do a small mission then fall and get injured, lose your equipment, and you need to build back up?

[@ricktyner5801]

Exactly! Typical Metroid intro, that is part of the magic.

[@ryanorionwotanson4568]

Metroid 101! Yes!

[@Xix1326]

Very good vid, thank you. And I kinda like your art style. Good to see the concept of reusable code is still alive.

[@manashieldworld]

I would say artstyle hurt this the most. I'm only speaking based on footage, but the mechanics and setting are cool. Just screams flash game. Solo dev is so frustrating because your limitations are GLARING as you continue your project.

[@fictitiousnightmares]

I disagree, I think the art style is pretty decent actually. Fantastic graphics are not a necessity in games and if you read one of his very few positive reviews, it even mentioned how beautiful the game was.

[@manashieldworld]

@@fictitiousnightmares It doesn't have to have "fantastic" graphics and if we're being blunt the artstyle looks like a child learning Flash did it. Stop arguing points no one brought up.

[@fictitiousnightmares]

@@manashieldworld Are you not educated enough to comprehend the English language you are using? Points that no one brought up? You literally said "I would say artstyle hurt this the most" I responded "I disagree, I think the art style is pretty decent actually." I then added to my comment with a relevant statement about games not needing fantastic graphics AND that I am not alone in disagreeing with your statement as the review itself stated it was a beautiful game. Thomas was Alone is all rectangles for christ's sake. West of Loathing is stick figures. Get the hell off your high horse already. Your opinion does not trump mine or anyone else's. I will argue any point I want, especially ones that WERE brought up but you can't comprehend the English language enough to realize apparently.

[@manashieldworld]

@@fictitiousnightmares No one argued it needs to have fantastic art either. No one brought up whether or not a single individual liked the artstyle. The guy who made the video/commenters literally agree with my statement. I'm glad you think 1 is more than 100. Smart guy you are.

[@chickenmadness1732]

@@fictitiousnightmares When I see a game with this art style I pass on it instantly. Just looks cheap. I'm sure many people have the same reaction.

[@AdmiralJonB]

As someone that likes to work on mini projects and then leave them at the side - you did a fantastic job at rounding off a project into a total product. As others have said - not many get to this stage and you did. In a recent podcast I was listening to - they were talking about the reasons you go in and do something. "Did you lose all that time for no monetary gain?" or "Did you learn so much during that time that the learning is the value out of what you did and that's what you value?". If you think of the second more -- you have a good chance at doing great things. Based on this video, it sounds like you're the second type now ;). Good luck for your next project - I'm sure you'll learn a lot more and produce something better! (I've wishlisted your game for when I next have some time - looks right up my street!)

[@NewHopeGames]

Congrats on actually finishing and publishing a game. Many indie devs don't even get to that point. Initial launch is critical but sometimes there's games that still find their audience after release.

[@Wip3ou7]

I spent 7 years making a fully featured 12 player air combat moba, it's in early access and I have virtually no players... it's called SKYRAID. I'm still working on new content and have some plans for getting it out there still, but man people really don't understand how difficult it is. Congrats on the release of your game.

[@plehmann2595]

Multiplayer requires a minimum population of players being online. If you add combat against bots, the time a player is in your game at least increases to have the chance to meet someone else.

[@williamthompson2866]

I actually think your art style is very beautiful. The off-putting part about it for me is the animation of the main character. As someone who is currently working on my first platformer game, I would encourage you that it’s a really cool looking game! Good luck with future projects!

[@View619]

Most indie games fail, you have to be satisfied with completing and releasing it. Congratulations.

[@ichigokurosaki7820]

for graphics side, i recommend playing with contrast, contrast can help a lot

[@TheBendixSA]

Most important thing here is that you didn't give up. Sucks that summit didn't do the numbers (might still randomly go a little viral at some point) But you are ready to jump in and go for the next one. That is the right attitude and i wish you great success on round 2.

[@WhatforNameIsThat]

I appreciate anyone willing to share their learnings. Good luck on your next project.

[@darksidegirl]

I don't know much about game success, but most of what you say is really obvious... Too many 2d platformers, too mny metroidvanias, huge game... It's sad most people working on their dream project are doing exactly the same others are doing... Congrats for releasing. At least you learned something.

[@LostPlaceChroniken]

Servus Dominik, mir wurde dieses Video zufälligerweise vorgeschlagen. Ich muss zugeben, ich bin eigentlich recht beeindruckt, was du hier auf die Beine gestellt hast. Gerade die Grafiken finde ich eigentlich sehr anspruchsvoll. Sehr viele Details und Spielerein. Großen Respekt für diese tolle Leistung. Schade, dass es nicht so gut ankommt wie erhofft. Selbst wenn man nur Zeit hinein gesteckt hat, ist es dann natürlich trotzdem enttäuschend. Ich plane auch gerade ein Game (welches nicht annähernd dein Level erreichen wird) und bin froh über so ein ehrliches Video. Viel Glück für das nächste Projekt.

[@ghostradiodelete]

Congrats on shipping your game! My piece of advice that I've seen other devs lean heavily on, is playtesting. That first negative review was mostly critical of the controls. Controls might feel good to you, but maybe the majority of the play-testers will reveal what you're too comfortable with it to notice? Anyway, my #1 thing to do after making sure the art direction, and basic stuff is where you want it, is to playtest. Good luck with game #2! Never stop doing what you love. =D

[@ΓιωργοςΠαναγιωτίδης-ω2μ]

I like the map art style

[@glowshedfilms]

Brutally honest, the visuals look weak and disconnected. I feel if there was some very strong art direction involved, it would likely have more success. The mechanics seem very strong but as always people are drawn to the visuals. Consider developing visuals in Mid Journey if art isn't your strength. I know many will protest the idea of using AI, but MJ can give you a strong visual base to use as a style / visual guide. Best wishes with future projects.

[@Mizufluffy]

I'd like to share my thoughts on this. First of all, I believe this is the first time I've heard about your game. There are a lot of games on Steam, and sometimes it can be difficult to find games on their release. For example, about a few weeks ago I found a game that was released in June 2019 so a little over five years ago, and I've really been enjoying that and I wish I had found it sooner. Sometimes it just takes time for those who are interested in your game to find it. Things like marketing the game so that customers can find it is important in my opinion. On the other hand there are also games that I may find and add to wishlist long before their release but even then there are cases when a game is sitting on my wishlist 6 months, a year, or even longer and its status stays at "Coming soon" or "To be announced", and although I understand that it can't be always easy to tell when a game is going to release, even only the release year, but from my personal opinion it can be discouraging to not know when a game might release because some of those games will never release. "Coming soon" might as well be in 100 years or never. Once in a while I go over my wishlisted games and see if there are any that I could clear off the list such as games I'm not interested in anymore, or games that still don't have any new information on their release after a long period of time (also, any news or posts on Steam discussions are also something I may take a look at). Since you mentioned the art style, I'll say a few words about that too. I honestly think it is fine for it is. It's nothing spectacular like in some other games such as Ori (Blind Forest & Will of the Wisps) or Ender Lilies but it's definitely not bad. It's slightly bland but not boring to look at. I do like backgrounds more than the character designs but that's just my personal preference. I personally don't think a game needs to be visually amazing to be a great game but I won't deny that interesting looking game, including its art style, can affect on a decision to buy the game. Think it like this: There are tens of thousands games on Steam, why this customer would like to buy your game and how can you grab their attention before they move on? If someone views the store page from 3 to 10 seconds, and sees maybe a few screenshots then unique style and visually interesting game can grab the attention more quickly than a video that shows what the gameplay is like or what the reviews are saying. But like I said you don't need to have visually the most beautiful game for it to be an amazing game. One of my favorite games, Rabi-Ribi, has quite simple style but I have played it for hundreds of hours simply because I fell in love with its gameplay. TEVI, not a sequel but a spiritual successor to Rabi-Ribi, has a different style to it and although I don't consider its gameplay to be a downgrade (objectively speaking I'll admit there are some improvements even!), it lacks the charm that Rabi-Ribi has. I consider both of those as great games, and some of my favorites, but for different reasons. On the other hand games like Ori or Ender Lilies are visually very beautiful despite of them looking completely different. It's not that I don't pay any attention to visuals, graphics or art style at all but I can learn to like different styles but it's harder to like the gameplay if it's not done well. Another thing I'd like to point out is the pricing of a game. On one hand a lower price can lower the threshold to buy a game but on the other hand making a game too cheap can give an image of a cheap game. There are exceptions to this such as Vampire Survivors which quickly became very successful despite of it having the same price as Summit. In my case if I'm looking for an indie game, or a metroidvania, or a game with 10 - 15 hours (possibly more) of content, I'm typically looking at a price range of about 10 - 25 € depending on the game. I'm not saying that cheaper games can't be good, or that I wouldn't buy them if I find one that seems interesting. It's just that I'm expecting a little bit more from a 10 € game than from a 5 € game, and even more from a 20 € game than from a 10 € game. In other words, my expectations for the game can increase based on its price. On the other hand the cheaper a game becomes the lower expectations I may have for it. I guess my reasoning for this is that the lower the price is the lower the budget for the game must have been. I haven't played your game yet so I can't say if 4,99 € is a good price for it or not but maybe I'll buy the game and check it out since I already put so much effort into writing this comment...

[@RyuRamasama]

Pro Tip if you set your launch discount to 40% people tend to think your game is an Asset Flip/bad game 10% - 15% is typically what people normally set it as.

[@NicNac2451]

Hmm, that's interesting. I guess 40% was indeed a little high to start with. Guess I have to put in some work to nail the Steam basics next time.

[@Joxerlol]

That's very subjective. I can say one thing though, setting discount less than 20% will not send an email notification to people that wishlisted the game.

[@RyuRamasama]

@@Joxerlol i mean you might day that but I have never seen a game that had a discount that was more than 20% have legit positive reviews

[@shannenmr]

Also I believe you get a "free" marketing push the your Wish listers the first time you discount to 20% so that can help you by releasing at 10 - 15% off and then after you have fixed the majority of the repeating issues people complained about and building your wishlist think about doing a 20% one to trigger that.

[@RaveMasterr]

Agree. Author needs to have more confidence in their creation.

[@psyringe5627]

Short but interesting post-mortem report, thanks for sharing! As someone who buys a lot of games, I'm pretty sure that the main reason why the game sold "only" a few hundred copies was the lack of a marketing campaign, as you already expected. I can say with 100% certainty that I would have bought the game if I had seen it (or heard about it) at release or during a sale. Metroidvanias are one of my favorite genres, I like especially the exploration aspect, and at a 40-60% discount off of a 5€ list price, it definitely falls into a price range where I'd buy it just to give it a chance to hook me. That said, I never saw or heard about your game until KZbin recommended this video to me (possibly because I'm watching a lot of GDC talks and similar content). I do check Steam as well as various deal trackers and price comparison sites on a daily basis, and I also watch lots of gaming news media, including channels with a focus on indie games. But, again - no channel, no news site, and no deal tracker ever made me aware of this game. Steam didn't present it to me either, even though Steam probably knows that I'm interested in indie metroidvanias. But there are just too many games coming out for a release without any marketing support to gain traction. Anyway, I wishlisted tha game and will probably grab it on the next sale. Best of luck for your future projects!

[@delicious_seabass]

Im really not sure why indie devs tend towards making platformers. There's so many out there, making something that stands out enough the it peaks people's interest is tough.

[@mitsuhh]

Platformers are easy to develop, that's why

[@shannenmr]

Not only is it an oversaturated market its one that the majority of Steam user don't like / buy.

[@nsmetroid3403]

Balatro is a great example of "simple and different enough" for it to be a massive success.

[@Martinit0]

I would state it even more extremely: I don't understand why indie devs tend towards making games. It's incredibly competitive with low barriers of entry and customers have limited ability/desire to pay AND you are competing against people who are doing it as a hobby.

[@plehmann2595]

@@Martinit0 Its fun to learn and make your own creations. The problem comes when people jump into the risks of doing it as a fulltime job, as the is a high chance to never get a payout that yields the time spend on it.

[@BoristheBlade]

I'm gearing myself toward making a game, watching videos like these and tutorials etc. Personally the coding side terrifies me and I'm more capable on the art side of things. I suspect collaboration might be the way to go. I applaud you for releasing something. Even if it 'failed' in your eyes, publishing a 10 hour game is a HUGE achievement. I'm going to check it out. All the best.

[@EarwormEngineAI]

You made a bunch of great points. And I think your art looks polished. Good luck on round two!

[@BrianVaughnVA]

My guy I love you for your enthusiasm and one thing I always do is try to talk to indie devs over the AAA companies, especially now. Working with about five as they're starting the launching process of their games (most people have zero idea how long it takes to set it all up, to get deals, to push and market things) - so I get it.

[@teddyboukagain9985]

You launched a finished game, congratulations.

[@harag9]

Yea, think that's a first on steam...

[@Yes-bm4vn]

Congratulations on finishing your game! I've tried to get into the game dev plenty of times but I'd always give up after a few unfinished projects. Your motivation is comendable. I really like your final thoughts that as a solo indie dev it's much better to create a unique, engaging idea for a game and go with it, making it as polished as it can get. Indie developers don't have the time and resources to compete with big AAA studio hiring tens, hundreds of people. On the other hand indie devs have more freedom in decision-making as they're not limited by the management. Good luck with your future games! Can't wait to see what you'll create

[@able75dev60]

I dislike the look of big head characters.

[@xylvnking]

Releasing a fully functioning game especially one of that size is such an accomplishment. Great work!!

[@MichoSchmidt]

If I was you, I would try to expand the game more if it's possible, give some news on the steam page, example "New feature" added, new map "Added". If there is new viewers is a good chance you can get more sells, nearly every month your gonna get new "views" if you of course market from social media, but I feels like it's quite important to Add new stuff at the beginning. Sometimes adding small feature can help too, maybe climbing got stamina (just a example). But the art style aren't bad, you could add "Post Processing", to spice it up, add some particle effects around the ice (cold smoke). Great video btw!

[@andreasoberg2021]

I work as a dev and I think game looks pretty cool. Some parts of the art looks good like the trees while the stones look a bit harsh though. Imoressed you released it. Congrats!

[@peekstone]

Love the video! Thanks for sharing your experience! I think the game is definitely something you can be very proud of and it is great that you have motivation for the next project! Cannot wait to see what you come up with next!

[@NicNac2451]

Thanks! All the very best for your upcoming launch as well!

[@BigCatsBite]

Good on your for completing such a huge project for your first game! Keep at it!

[@arpitkumar4525]

I think art styles and satisfying animations are the most important factor for a game's sale. Then comes gameplay and game design

[@Patrick-cc7qm]

You know what sells? Cute things. And what even sells more? Adorable things. If you had added a cute chibi girl character as the main, you can bet it would have done better. Is just fact.

[@Berlioz1991]

1. People don’t like vector graphics 2. Where’s the battle system? If it’s only platformer where’s the challenge? Where’s platforms? You should play Celeste and take some ideas from there

[@xenleah]

I really admire that you posted about the outcome even if it wasn't what you hoped for, and I'm glad it was a great learning experience. Thank you for this video!

[@Kermit_E_Frog]

Visually it looks like a flash game which I'm sure is a shot in the foot

[@jehusfolly]

Good job on your game! It is brutally hard out there as a game dev (for basically everyone) so it is good to hear that you are sticking with it.

[@groovelife415]

When you said there are some things you can only learn by taking on a large scale project, you are absolutely correct. I remember back in the day after graduating from Purdue with a degree in computer science, I felt like I was on top of the world and knew it all. The massive scale of corporate-level applications humbles you very quickly. I felt like my true learning didn't begin until after I graduated college. With game development, just going from a small test level with primitive shapes for art, to completing and polishing that same level is a massive undertaking. A polished, full scale game with 10 hours of gameplay by a solo developer is extremely rare. Congratulations! You did something a lot of people only dream of.

[@andersonrocha1132]

Your game isn't bad, your game isn't ugly, you made a mistake in launching it because you didn't market it. The easiest way today is to use the keymailer, in total it costs 100 dollars from Steam and 300 from the keymailer, so you can get hundreds of KZbinrs playing your game at launch. Then you will know if it will take off or not. Launching on Steam without marketing is throwing money in the trash.

[@AurioDK]

I am the kind of person who will never buy your game, I simply hate platformers of any kind. The only thing I ever played extensively which I don´t know if it can be labeled as a platformer was "Lemmings". You said it all, platformers appeal to a certain group and the competition is probably tough. I do applaud your will for finishing it though and wish you all the success in the future.

[@lrdalucardart]

Friend advice, don't try to improve the art style, it's a waste of ur time. Instead, hire some artists to do it for you. Really, even if u end up spending 1000 bucks on one, you most likely will get a better return. Even if this one doesn't sell, if ur next one does, Fans will get this one.

[@DeavtheDev]

That's not really good advice. Does it save time yes, but the amount of money he will have to put into commissioning art will further increase the amount of profit he has to make to even break even. As a solo dev you have to wear many hats and acquire many skills, the $ he would spend on even one game could be used to purchase courses that would increase his art skills and therefore would actually save him tons of money in the future.

[@lrdalucardart]

@@DeavtheDev I mean, if your aim is publish shovelware nobody's stopping you. Young Devs tend to underestimate the importance of how art can affect sales of games, or even just attract attention of ppl to click ur game amoung all others. But if you wanna do it all alone than keep doing it, hopefully your grandchildren will be able to be the 1st ones to try your game by the time you finish it. But fine w/é suits your boat, I'm just a stray artist that happens to work on a indi game studio, what hell do I know. 👍

[@StanleyKubick1]

I wouldn't design every asset in this game for $1000. you're looking at at $5k at lest

[@DajuSar]

@@lrdalucardart Its necessary to be so pedantic and sarcastic with your answer? There are a lot of success stories of solo devs building everything from the ground up. Its easier man power wise, but economic wise it could be a huge burden for the developer, its also funny that you defend so hardly to hire someone else to do the art while you are an artist working for an indie game, it just seems so coincidential. You can improve be better and no, you don't need to spend the following 30 years studying art to create something enjoyable for your indie game. You are also overshooting the amount of effort some people need to do succesful art. Have you been studying art for 50 years so you could work for an indie studio?

[@YMRGUITAR]

This is an incredibly humbling and informative postmortem but, although it wasn’t a commercial success, you can’t call this a failure. You had an idea, you worked on that idea, and now a game is out in the world that wouldn’t have existed otherwise; well done!

[@Mangeurdemouton]

After 15 sec in the video I understood why the game failed. But gratz on making one!

[@kytranart]

Kudos for launching a game. Your game honestly seems really cool but the main thing that stops me from buying it is the art. From the trailer the visual read is not very clear and scenes often feel too busy. I would look into "value structure" and "value composition" in art. A quick test is to take some screen shots and turn them black and white, then blur your eyes. If you can still easily read the scene and the character then you're probably good. This is especially important in platforming game IMO.

[@cheepcheep2204]

It's always funny how when people talk about their failed indie game it only takes me 3 seconds looking at their game and I can already tell why

[@Combus]

Why did my indie game "fail"? 👀

[@CockieCrafter]

@@Combus the gameplay and graphics are like a 2010 browser game

[@mitsuhh]

@@Combus Because there's nothing special about it

[@usercontent2112]

@@Combus How did your game fail?? It is free! Maybe some people can buy it to support you. However, I think new people need to know about your game, I never heard about your game before but I think it is fun

[@kickass1179]

Thanks for this. I am just starting to enter the world of game dev, and all I found (so far) were devs who worked as hard as you and somehow succeeded. Your story adds realism and it is a big slap back to reality. I wish you good luck! BTW, your game looks much better then theirs..I guess growing your YT channel would help more than thinking of a good marketing campaign.

[@grindalfgames]

Thats actually really scary. You released with over double my wishlists and I've still made more money(only by 100$) I felt that if I could increase my wishlists for my next project that would fix my sales but you just proved me wrong. There must be another factor that we are missing. I thought maybe you released to close to a big launch but there was not that much releasing that month(Star wars jedi survivor, minecraft legends and a dead island game) nothing that I feel would impact the sales of an indie metroidvania anyway. Maybe you're right and its just genre(Im roguelite, so also an over saturated market) but that also means that wishlists are not as important an information as I previously thought..... Im not sure what to think now

[@standardLit]

Whishlist is important. But A whishlist that you get from other developers? Meh, don't count that.

[@grindalfgames]

@@standardLit Other developers still play games. I myself only wishlist games that I am intending to buy(Does not mean I will as there are a lot of games and only so much money) Its the wishlist for wishlist craze that is dangerous, or begging for wishlists to help me out that dont count

[@shannenmr]

Per Chris Zukowski the number 1 thing is does the Steam Audience vibe with your Genre.

[@XDivineExistenceX]

The lessons are actually helpful to maybe have a bit smoother release for our own games. Thx for sharing!

[@michaelduan5592]

I just want to say don't give up quite yet. You've learned a lot about finishing a game and launching it, but there's still more to learn about post launch support. (Also, you launched during a Steam festival amongst several huge indie releases: Manor Lords the #1 wishlisted game, Hades 2, V Rising, etc.) You have to realize that one of the strengths of digital products is that you can edit your copy live, change your trailer, update the first 10 minutes of the game to be snappier, A/B test things, buy ads, and participate in Steam sales. There are plenty of games that didn't sell well at launch but sold well later. You'd be surprised at what a new trailer + intro fix + reply to negative reviews + ads + sales combo can do.

[@roozbehebadi6661]

In reviews some players even mentioned they enjoyed the game from start to finish. you know, finishing something and realizing you don't regret that is an amazing achievement for creators! hands up to you and thanks for sharing your experience! I'm noob in game design yet! 👍👍

[@bobbville]

Crazy man I thought your art work was on point! You think advertising would have made a big difference??

[@NicNac2451]

Thanks, that's great to hear! It's hard to tell what the biggest factor has been but I will definitely try a lot of different things next time.

[@Rick_Jagger]

Why not try some ads right now with this game? Choose Pay per Click, so you have only pay when people are "really interested". Just test it with a 50 or 100 $ campaign. And see if your sales are higher than your ads cost.

[@WPguru]

Dominik! Thank you so much for sharing this. I remember hearing about Summit many years ago and completely missed its launch, I'm glad you released it. One tip I see all too often: don't put your $5 game on a 40% discount, you might as well give it away for free. Either charge real cash, or release it as a freebie. I wager had the price been $14.99 you would have had just as many sales but three times the profit. Either way, you've made another sale today 😎

[@TheTwober]

90% of those problems could have been avoided by talking with someone with experience on the matter beforehand. I could have easily told you the mistakes on a first glance, and also come up with solutions for them. Maybe you should find someone experienced or a group that you can brainstorm your idea with. Solo dev doesn't mean you are alone.

[@voltcorp]

yup, Jake Birkett for example is always pointing out that if you want to profit as an indie you should 1. pay for art and 2. release in a year at most.

[@axs203]

Your artwork looked really good. It's easy to say this but hard in reality do come up with it - it's like writing a song. The simplest song is the hardest to write.

[@WyMustIGo]

Gameplay > Art. A game with great gameplay (that is not the typical saturated platform game that everyone makes) will outsell a bad game with good art. Make the game good, then hire an artist when ready (use place holder until then). Balatro is a perfect example, the art is bad but the gameplay is very well designed -- so it sells like hotcakes.

[@wanderingsince80s]

Congrats on finishing your very first game on Steam and successfully shipping it! For the first game and for a solo dev who did everything from programming to arts and sounds, I think this game's scope is quite huge. The arts is bit old-school and generic, but I wouldn't say it's all that bad, there are scenes where they actually spark some nice moods, such as the eerie room scene, the woodhouse village or the waterfall one. I think one of the reasons that the game was going a bit quiet is because you weren't very "loud" about it. Like, when I went to Twitter, couldn't find any news related to the game actually. And, consider joining events like Steam Next Fest maybe? They're a big help for small indies with zero or little funds for marketing. As a person who recently join the game dev's force, I feel like this is another self-questioning abyss that I just jumped into lol. Is this interesting to others as much as it is for me? Is this gonna work? Is this good enough? Should we extend more or better stop here? 😂 Thank you for sharing the information and insights! Wish you the best on your upcoming projects!

[@mhjmstultiens]

From what I've seen in this vid, I believe you did a really nice job for your first release. It might not have made that much money right now, but the learning experience is invaluable. And you made it to the finish line without giving up beforehand, even thinking about new projects after release. The mental aspect is important too, especially as a solo dev. Keep at it, maybe toy with the idea of smaller (scope) projects. I believe you have that spark in you to eventually create something special, alone or with likeminded people. Good luck!

[@LowBudgetLinuxGaming]

I find it impressive what you have achieved as a single dev. You can really be proud of that. If you're still looking for ideas for your next project, I think a 2D endless runner with addictive mechanics like a global leaderboard would be pretty cool.

[@HBaker40]

I think it's a huge success, and ultimately great experience. Have you thought about calloborating with others and building a game with a team?

[@Baccatta]

Actually releasing a game is such a great achievement. Well done! As sign of appreciation, you now have my subscription and i'm going to buy the game and play through it.

[@MeaganEater]

Family of four new developers working on setting up our own studio here in Florida. Much love and respect for releasing your first and what looks like a well thought out 2D Game. Hang in there and you will level your RL developing, artistic and marketing skills, just like leveling characters in a game. Dominik the Dominator! Hybrid Leveler because you Soloed your first Quest and people are buying it. 😎👍👍👍👍👍 that makes you at least level 33, so level 50 is just around the corner.

[@WadymK]

Next time, I hope there will be one, everything will work out! The hardest part you have already done, and you have a foundation for new projects. Good Luck!

[@PainFireFist]

First of all, congratulations on actually shipping the game. Most people don't even get this far. I made similar experiences like you but back in 2017, when we shipped our (a good friend of mine an me) game. We worked on it 2 years and some of that time even as full-time devs. We too had the issue with quantity over quality, but we only realized this on retrospect. Our game had art that was commissioned to outside 2d artists, but of course that cost quite a bit of money and unfortunately, while the art is nice, it wasn't "flashy" enough to stand out. And I think this made it a hard sell overall. We sold somewhere between 1500 and 2000 units since launch in 2017, which is not enough to even recover the cost of making the game. But I do not regret it and gained a ton of experience through it.

[@demandingdan]

Although the game may not have succeeded commercially, your launch was not a failure. You actually launched a game, and that's a huge success. That's way further than the vast majority of game devs, so congratulations! Keep going forward and learn as you go!

[@aaronogden9900]

I’ve picked it up, it looks like it’ll be fun. As others have commented getting as far as releasing a game on Steam is an achievement in itself. If you enjoyed making it and even a small number of players experienced and enjoyed it you should be proud.

[@henniewest5906]

Don't think I have ever made a comment on a KZbin video. However, your honesty and sharing of mistakes is something I have tremendous respect for. May your future projects be blessed.

[@retrotechtive]

Purchased 🙂 I will mention this video and the game to others I know both in the retro community (since I think it will have some appeal there) and in the games industry where I work, perhaps some of my colleagues will try it out. I'm not particularly influentional so I doubt I will exactly cause a stampede 😄 But I think the value for the price makes this a no-brainer really, to anyone interested in Indie games. Huge congratulations on your launch, I love seeing labours of love like this reach the finish line.

[@jothain]

I think the problem is simply the genre. I kinda dislike launching Steam as there's almost always some indie platform game I've never heard of and tbh many I've looked some times have had quite bad reviews, so I'd assume it has just resulted the whole genre being bit meh for me. Tbh I've never even cared much about platformers. As old gamer I just miss times when games were quite original. Like around 90's there was constant stream of good games that ie. combined or made completely new genres. These days devs seem to rely on old formulas. Unfortunately especially the big studios.

[@Ironroc]

Just found this channel and I appreciate all the clarity and honesty. Congrats on finishing a game! May all your future ones only go upwards in success.

[@MeadlordTheGreat]

Greetings from a fellow yet not releasing gamedev. I find it pretty inspiring and refreshing that your advise isn't against (too) big scopes. Of course this doesn't apply endlessly but I also think it's better to slightly overdo it in that case than just make a small game just because it has to be small.

[@ayotundeayoko5861]

sir, can I say I liked the in-game artwork? Maybe it's because I am not into platformers, but I think they are good. Also, you launched a game, that's a win in my book...I too have ideas and have made a few prototypes but never crossed that step of launching a game. I am subscribing to your channel in hopes you can inspire me. Well done sir

[@BillBrzozowski]

Hey, I'm in a similar position, but haven't launched my game yet. I wondered if you went through the effort of creating a company/LLC/LTD, considering your game was a hobby and you went financially dependent on its success? Congratulations on releasing Summit - I'll check it out sometime!

[@AppNasty]

Unique ideas of mine that you can steal: Titan Takedown. You are looking at back of character. Think tomb raider view. You can only run left and right. Miles away in the background are titans attacking a city. You run left and right shooting at them. They occasionally throw stuff at you. Idle FPS: This one I have about 70% done and playable but gave up on it. Works with pc but best for mobile. I designed it with mobile in mind. Top of screen is a first person view. Character auto runs around Quake style and blasts baddies. You don’t control him. Bottom of screen is a swipeable menu where you upgrade him. Spend coins on faster fire rate, more health and weapon damage etc etc. an idle….fps. On pc you can put the upgrades at bottom of screen or make it so it’s a menu that pops up. In mine, I made him break the fourth wall like Deadpool does. He knows he is in a game. “Hey, kid. I need an upgrade” he speaks to the player. Camera can go from first person to above view. He doesn’t pick up health or other pickups, you have to by tapping or clicking on them when you see them. If you miss one as he runs by it, change cam view to above view and tap it. I was going to release it but got lazy and super focused on school work. (At university for Computer Animation so kind of gave up on game design for now.) Crusher. Again, made with mobile in mind. You have a ball and chain. Upgradable. You use your finger or mouse to grab end of chain. 2d side view. You swipe in circles and make the ball swing around. Release. It flies forward similar to how angry birds works. It smashes into buildings. Get score. Upgrade. Etc. Anyways, I’m an artist and semi good animator.can make sculptures and 3d models pretty good too. If you ever want help, I’m down. Free of charge.

[@nathanfranck5822]

We definitely need to celebrate these milestones! This is a great thing for the community to see, and to ensure that they approach gamedev realistically. I am so far from shipping anything, I've fell back to the some tech problem so many times. You are an inspiration!