While it was a bit challenging to make this decision, Mustapha and I are taking a short hiatus to focus our efforts on other projects we have going on for the end of the year.

In light of that, we briefly discuss the importance of taking time for yourself to tackle your own projects and even to unplug a bit, plans we have for the other year, and when you can expect us to be back in full force again!

When it comes to building a team for your indie game studio, people usually focus on the work needed to finish the project. While that’s important, knowing and understanding how to build a healthy team from the beginning is essential to greater productivity and a healthy work culture. 

Thankfully Nicolas Hafner of ShinMera shares his experience and methods he uses to build an effective team that promotes active communication and a clear vision so they can work seamlessly together.

Gamifying your marketing is one of many ways to increase engagement for your audience, but people usually don’t think about how this can be done using different products.

That’s why today we have Shawn French of HyperKinetic Studios to discuss how he took their game and adapted it to a comic, providing two stand alone products that organically cross-promote each other, creating a super value packed experience for both players and readers.

Knowing the right actions to take can be a little daunting when it comes to promoting your game on Steam prior to launch. There’s a lot of different paths to take, and not all are created equal making this a challenge for any dev. 

Thankfully, Bruno Laverny of Ishtar Games shows how his team navigated these questions through coming up with a simple plan and breaking things down so they could meet their goals and crush their steam marketing.

Quitting your job to go full-time dev can be a well...frightening thought. There’s a lot to consider but most importantly, is it the right move to make, and what’s the best way to go about making that commitment?

Thankfully our guest Bruno Bonbardi has gone through this process twice and shares his reasons, how prepared he was and other considerations to be mindful of when you’re ready to quit your job and go full-time dev!

When you start sharing your game with the world, everything you do from then on deals with messaging. While you may have a good idea of what your studio and game are, sometimes how you convey that to others isn’t in the clearest or concise way.

That’s why Mustapha and I are here to help discuss how important it is to clarify your messaging and some tips on ways you can do that, so when you start promoting your game, people have a clear idea of exactly what to expect from you.

We have discussed numerous times on the show that understanding player behavior and your audience is so important when it comes to marketing your game, but one thing we don’t think about much is how people react when money is involved.

Understanding how price can change how people act can be a very daunting challenge, but knowing a little bit more of how it plays in someone’s decision to purchase your game can make a huge difference.

Finding a musician to compose your game music can be a task in itself, but understanding the process and communicating your vision can be more challenging than any dev would expect.

That’s why we have Dakota Suave with us today, to share his insights to help us navigate the music composition process so you can have something you love and your audience wants!

Making any type of investment in your indie game is a big decision, especially when considering paid advertising. While there can be some risk involved with ads, there’s also a lot that can be gained, even outside of the results you get from running your campaign.

That’s why today I’m going to discuss the right way to approach ads and how doing so will help you with all of your marketing efforts.

Out of all the different ways that games can get attention, the method that has stood the longest has been events. While major events like E3 started with different intentions compared to today, it’s a telling sign how the event landscape has shifted for numerous reasons, but one being the continued growth of indie games.

In light of this, Mustapha and I talk about the impact major events have had but more importantly ways to view and approach them as an opportunity to stand out.