Hello. I’m Futaba Tsukimori from the SKOOTA editorial team!
Actually, I have recently taken on the role of promoting and releasing indie games at SKOOTA GAMES starting in April, in addition to creating articles for the SKOOTA editorial team! I’m still new to this role and currently feel lost, but I’m studying every day about how to get more people to know about our games and about indie games in general!
I believe many of you reading this article are likely game developers yourselves or are well-versed in indie games. As a gamer, I often engage with various games, and there’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time.
It’s way too hard to find good games!
Don’t you think so? In this information-overloaded era, finding a game that perfectly matches your preferences can be quite challenging… Of course, there are times when the search itself is enjoyable.
This is equally, if not more, of a significant challenge for those of us on the game release side. Among the multitude of games and information, how can we ensure our game doesn’t get buried and catches the attention of players? This is a pressing issue that we grapple with daily, and I believe many developers share similar concerns.
When I tried to tackle this question, I found that the first step is “getting seen by many people”, and for that, basic strategies like “how to present the store page” and “how to create an engaging trailer” are often emphasized! Of course, this is absolutely true! …but such information is already available in various places, and I’m sure you all are quite aware of it.
On the other hand, when I think about actually putting this into practice, I find myself wondering, “I understand the basics! But what should I do next, in what order, and what should I be careful about?!” and I often feel lost in the specifics and finer details, or feel like there’s not enough information (at least as a beginner, I find myself going “hmm!” at that point!).
So in this series, I want to set aside discussions about “improving the appearance of the store page!” and “creating an amazing trailer!” and instead focus on those “points where you get stuck when you’re about to take action” and “perspectives that you might overlook but are indeed valid!” I want to share what I’ve researched and found insightful, as well as how those who have created works that many people enjoy have approached these challenges!
The theme of this momentous first installment might relate to the core of information dissemination: “the repetition of promotion”. I’ll discuss this point that I initially found myself pondering, like “Will it be annoying if I say the same thing multiple times?” and share what I’ve researched and thought about, as well as what I plan to do based on that!
If this article can serve as a hint for delivering your games to more people or inspire you to think, “Alright, let’s try this!” I would be very happy! Since I’m also learning, let’s think about this together!
Is it okay to just say it once and be done?
Now, the theme of this installment is “the repetition of promotion.”
When developing a game, there are truly various types of information to disseminate. Of course, there are major news like the release of a heartfelt trailer or the announcement of a release date, but also daily development progress, little game tips, event participation announcements, and so much more.
So when you post such information on social media, for example, you might feel like, “Alright, I posted it!” and think of it as “mission accomplished!” (I certainly did).
But isn’t it quite unsettling to think that it was “conveyed” just once? There are often few reactions, and you might wonder, “Did it really reach anyone? Did anyone see it?” leaving you with some anxiety. That’s why you might think, “Should I say it again?” but when it comes to “repeating the same story,” hesitation arises… Have you ever experienced that?
I certainly have, thinking, “It should be conveyed if I say it once,” and “Saying it multiple times feels somewhat apologetic and might be annoying,” unconsciously associating “repetition = bad” in some way. (How about you all?)
But what if I become the “receiver”?…
At one point, while I was struggling with this, I suddenly thought, “What if it’s information about content I love?” I considered games I’m eagerly awaiting, my favorite anime or manga, and the activities of creators I support…
Looking back, I realized that news that is “important” to me, like “The release date of the long-awaited game has been decided!” or “The production of the sequel to my favorite anime has been confirmed!” is something I’m actually happy to see multiple times, not just right after the announcement, but as the release date approaches or as new information is gradually revealed.
“Oh, it’s almost time for release! I need to pre-order!” or “By the way, what was the bonus information again?” or “That PV I missed before is still amazing!”—by repeatedly encountering information, my anticipation can grow, I can fill in gaps in information, and I can reaffirm my enthusiasm. I felt that these positive experiences were more common.
“Important information” might need to be repeated to be received
This “sensation as a receiver” was quite a significant discovery.
Of course, I don’t think it’s appropriate to repeat all kinds of information. For those who aren’t interested, it can become noise, and it’s undoubtedly necessary to be creative with how and how often you convey it.
However, at least for those who might find our games “interesting” or “look fun,” delivering important information in an appropriate manner repeatedly is not necessarily “bad”, and rather, it might be seen as “kindness” or “responsibility” towards the audience we want to reach… I’ve started to think this way little by little.
In fact, there’s even a story about how “the second announcement generated nearly double the buzz compared to the first announcement” from a certain anime account.
This is really interesting! Why do you think the second announcement gained so much more attention on that account? Perhaps there were people who missed the first post or didn’t quite get it at the time, but by the time of the second post, they had seen other news and thought, “Oh, this might be interesting!” and their interest had gradually warmed up… Could there be reasons related to the audience’s readiness? In any case, the way information resonates can truly change depending on timing and context.
Perhaps the worry of “Will this be annoying?” stems from the feeling of being shown information that has no relevance to me, repeatedly without any creativity. Conversely, it might be that receiving important information that is relevant to me multiple times, in a way that I can remember is actually quite appreciated! I’ve started to think this way.
Challenging “repetition”! Announcement plan for Tokyo Game Dungeon 8!
So, I’m currently thinking, “Maybe repetition is important depending on how it’s done? Maybe it’s better not to give up on finding ways to deliver information to those we want to reach!” and I’m feeling motivated to try it out!
I’m not sure if this thinking is correct yet, but I’ve decided to put it into practice by challenging “repetition” in the announcement for our participation in “Tokyo Game Dungeon 8” (scheduled for May 4, 2025)!
While my anxiety about being seen as “annoying” hasn’t completely disappeared, my desire to properly deliver information to those who might be looking forward to our participation has grown stronger.
Specifically, I plan to proceed with the following strategy!
- Not just the initial announcement, but reminders as the event date approaches.
- Changing the posting times and being creative with hashtags.
- Gradually changing the information while repeating it.
- To avoid being seen as “annoying,” I’ll try to maintain some balance in the timing and frequency (…I hope!).
Now, I honestly don’t know if this “repeated announcement” will work out… but I would be happy if we could all watch the results together!
The results will be revealed in the next article! Please follow the SKOOTA editorial team and SKOOTA GAMES accounts to check it out.
Summary of this installment
So, in the first installment of this series, I discussed the theme “Is repetition important in promotion?” along with my own anxieties, discoveries that emerged from changing perspectives, and plans for what I will do moving forward.
Of course, I believe the most important thing to get many people to play the game is to “create an interesting game,” but equally important is figuring out how to deliver that game to players and pique their interest. I’ve felt this more strongly as I’ve researched while starting this series.
I’m just at the starting point of indie game development. I hope to apply what I’ve learned in this article to the games I will create moving forward, working hard with my team.
If this article and series can serve as hints for developers who are also striving for game releases on Steam or for those who are considering taking on the challenge, I would be very happy!! If you have any tips or concerns regarding your promotions, please let me know on social media (@shiohoshi326)!
Next Time Preview
Next time, we will have the practical edition! I will report on how the “repeated announcement strategy for Tokyo Game Dungeon 8” that we planned actually went, along with the results and new learnings! Did it have an effect…? Please follow the SKOOTA editorial team and SKOOTA GAMES accounts for the exciting results report!
Here is the SKOOTA editorial team’s X account!
Here is the SKOOTA GAMES X account!
Here’s a promotion
We at SKOOTA GAMES are currently in the midst of creating a super chat command action game called 『太ももうさぎのスパチャくれなきゃ突撃ダイッ！！』 aimed at aspiring streamers! Please add us to your wish list and share on social media! Also, we will be participating in the Tokyo Game Dungeon 8 on May 4, 2025, so please come and visit us! We’ll be waiting for you at the venue!
Written by: Futaba Tsukimori
