Indie Game Marketing

Since we developed our first games, Happy Sheep and Demonball, without knowing anything about the marketing process on game development, and after talking to other indie game developers, we've learned a few things.

Developing the game is only half the challenge for having a successful game, it can be a great game, like some android games we found and played made by indie developers using AndEngine  like we do, but they didnt worked the marketing angle, so they're games went into the oblivion. Just like Happy Sheep and Demonball, we're not saying our games are great games, they're our first atempts in the game developing business, both are nice, simple and fun games, like the reviews we had on Happy Sheep say so (just see our older posts) and we've seen a lot worse in Google Play Store with thousands if not millions of downloads, so whats the difference between a successful game and a game that goes on into the oblivion? In one word: Marketing.

Now that we know this, we're not going to pretend to be marketing experts, not by a long shot, we're hoping that our next game, in which we're working on right now, no spoilers for the moment ;) we'll make a better job in the marketing part, for that, we've been reading, and reading, and learning, and keep on reading, thats why I decided to write this post, to put here some great links from people that know more about the subject than me, that other indie game developers might be interested:

• http://www.pixelprospector.com/the-big-list-of-indie-game-marketing/
• http://www.pixelprospector.com/the-big-list-of-indie-game-sites/
• 10 Quick-and-Dirty Indie Game Marketing Tips, Part I
• Basic Marketing Plan For Indie Games
• Indiegames.com
• Top Android App Review Sites for Developers

Hope this helps, feel free to coment, if you have a link for a good marketing resource that can be added here, or any other idea about the subject :)

Latest Happy Sheep review, on AppsZoom
"The gameplay is really fun and challenging for kids...an entertaining app for your kids that sometimes you'll find hard to put down too." -- AppsZoom





Pros:

• Fun and cute
• Actually challenging
• Different levels every time

Cons:

• Too Simple

It's for kids, the point is to be too simple ;)

Happy Sheep just got a new review on Mobile Apps Review:

"This is a fun little game which I would say is suitable for the whole family and people of all ages. Upon first try I was startled by the user friendliness of the game. The directions and instructions are very easy to use and follow as are the controls. The graphics are very simplistic but fun and quirky. The simplicity of the graphics does not take anything away from the game but only adds to the fun sense and feeling that this game has around it...." Read more


Download Happy Sheep on Google Play

DemonBall is out

DemonBall has come to our realm to take all the lost souls to Hell, but he needs your help before time runs out and the vortex to hell closes up.

DemonBall is now released, download it now on Google Play or use this QRCode:

PlayAndroid Big Review on Happy Sheep

PlayAndroid new Bigger Review on Happy Sheep, like expected for a first game, a few good comments, a few constructive critics, a very helpfull review to make us see where to begin improvements, Rome wasnt built in one day, everything, especially a new game from newbies in the gaming biz, is a work in progress, thank you PlayAndroid Oh, and check out this guy talking in PlayAndroid's interview ;) Ricardo Vieira Interview ;)

PlayAndroid blog just released a small review about Happy Sheep :D "The independent developer Ricardo Vieira from Apps2Ppl just informed us about his first Android game and we are pleased to announce that the game “Happy Sheep” is now available in the Google Play Store..." you can read more here

QR Code for Happy Sheep, it's easy to use, no excuse to not download it now :)