Chris Zukowski | Game World Observer

All publications by tag «Chris Zukowski»

Game Development September 4

How Nova Drift sold 400k copies during 5 years of Early Access with community feedback and constant iteration

Indie top down roguelite space shooter Nova Drift has launched after five years in Early Access. Its developer Jeffrey Nielson (a.k.a. Chimeric) has had a long road to success.

Market Analysis July 18

Only 232 of 8,000+ games released on Steam in first half of 2024 got 1,000 or more reviews: top genres and trends

There are several genres that Steam players love the most, but the market as a whole is not stagnant. Game marketing expert Chris Zukowski has analyzed how many games and in what niches performed the best in the first half of 2024.

Marketing July 10

Chris Zukowski on picking game release date: “Pleasing the Steam algorithm is the most important thing”

Game marketing expert Chris Zukowski has found out that many developers try to launch their games during the gap between Steam’s major events. So is this really a good release window or is it better to pay closer attention to other things?

Marketing July 28, 2023

Pros and cons of Early Access: why high risks might not be worth slightly higher rewards

Although we have seen numerous successful Early Access games, there is still a debate about whether all developers should take this approach. Game marketing expert Chris Zukowski tried to get an answer using the raw power of numbers.

Industry News July 4, 2023

BattleBit Remastered hits 1.8 million copies sold, but its creators urge indie devs not to make multiplayer games

BattleBit Remastered has been a massive success, especially for a game made by three indie developers. However, its story should serve as more of a warning to other indie studios wishing to make a multiplayer title than a call to action.

Marketing May 22, 2023

How roguelite hockey game Tape to Tape generated $600k by finding right niche and marketing strategy

Indie sports titles rarely find success in the market, but this roguelite hockey game Tape to Tape is a welcome exception. Marketing expert Chris Zukowski has broken down how small studio Excellent Rectangle managed to find a perfect niche.

Marketing March 10, 2023

Why game demos are key to opening two main marketing doors and boosting visibility, explained by Chris Zukowski

Many indie developers are still hesitant to release demos before launching their games. But the reality is that they are the essential tool for increasing visibility on Steam, so it is simply unwise to neglect it.

Market Analysis January 30, 2023

Chris Zukowski: Steam can only promote up to around 500 indie games per year

Each year the number of indie games released on Steam increases. Despite that, there is no steady growth in the number of games that get promotion from Valve. Yearly only 470-590 indie games can count on featuring.

Marketing November 29, 2022

Median indie game earnings on Steam barely exceed $1,000 lifetime

It is unlikely that every indie developer expects their game to generate millions of dollars. However, the median lifetime earnings on Steam might not be enough to even stay in this industry and make another project.

Marketing October 17, 2022

How indie roguelike miner Dome Keeper generated $1 million at launch, and why Raw Fury laid eyes on it

Dome Keeper, an unusual combination of roguelike and mining genres, has grossed $1 million at launch. Here is how the Raw Fury-published indie game became profitable.

Marketing May 31, 2022

Steam players don’t care about platformers unless they mixed with other genres

Game marketing consultant Chris Zukowski has shared a deep analysis on genres that Steam users love to play. Based on this data, it is hard for an indie developer to make a profitable platformer unless it is mixed with other genres like metroidvania or roguelike.