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Think back to an indie game that you really loved. Did you recommend it to your friends? Rave about it on social media? Or join a Discord channel made by the developer? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the following, then, congrats! You already know the power that a loyal player holds.
Building a community is all about nurturing relationships with such loyal players. Let’s explore why it’s so important in indie game marketing.
Gives your game some exposure
And a ready-made fan base for any future games you might release. So, not only will you get plenty of word-of-mouth referrals, you also get a loyal set of players willing to support you every step of the way – even with your future games. A loyal fan will spread the word to their network of gamers, helping you build your community (and Steam wishlists) further. In other words, you get free support and marketing.
Lets you connect directly with your audience
By interacting with potential players 1:1, you get to foster genuine relationships with them, giving your game a more personal touch. This makes your players feel valued, which is the cornerstone of loyalty.
In addition to feeling appreciated, the players also feel more connected to you and the game, leading to a more fulfilling experience for them. This may also motivate them to create user-generated content about your game, giving you even more exposure. You can enhance their experience further by giving them access to exclusive behind-the-scenes updates or unreleased content.
Allows you to collect feedback
Whenever you create an indie game for public consumption, your main goal should be creating something your intended audience would want to play. This is a process that involves getting direct feedback from your potential players and making sure that the final product aligns with their needs. A gaming community helps you with this step by facilitating the back and forth of ideas and letting you get feedback from a group that's going to be playing your game.
Lets you collect reviews
Want to have some testimonials ready to showcase on launch day to increase the trust of potential players? You can release an early version or a demo version to your gaming community members in exchange for some honest testimonials. You can, then, showcase these reviews across your social media platforms and on your Steam page, enticing more players to buy your game.
Gives you motivation
Developing an indie game is often a long and lonely process. But, having your own community to cheer you on, help you with your decisions, and give you positive feedback can make it feel not-so-lonely. Moreover, knowing who you're making the game for, and that there are people out there eagerly waiting for its release can be a great source of motivation, giving you the strength to keep going.