📈 What Works For Getting Wishlists?
This might be the most-asked question I get from indie devs who have upcoming Steam games. Wishlists are how we get our games into popular lists on Steam that get loads of traffic. They're important!
Recently I had a chat with Robby Bisschop of Pirate PR. Naturally I had to ask about wishlists, and Robby had a great answer with multiple suggestions:
- Make a really good game
- Make a game Steam wants
- Get a good trailer on IGN
- Make a visually interesting game
- Reach out to smaller outlets
📺 Watch the Video
1) Make a really good game
OK sure, this is easier said than done. The bar is high! More amazing games are coming out than ever before. How do you even know if you have a good game or not? Here are some things you can ask yourself:
- Watch people play your game. Are they having an absolute blast?
- Will your game earn an Overwhelmingly Positive rating on Steam? Why or why not?
- Does your game offer players something they can't get anywhere else? SERIOUSLY! I asked this question online recently and I think some of us are kidding ourselves.
2) Make a game Steam wants
What games do Steam players buy? Check the charts! Also check:
If you're still not sure, take the advice of the experts. Chris Zukowski suggests "crafty, buildy" games are among what Steam players buy:
zukalous
3) Get a good trailer on IGN
Anyone can get a trailer on any major platform. Really! It's all about having a great trailer and messaging the right person. However, it's not all necessarily about IGN specifically – getting your trailer onto any major gaming outlet can give your game a huge boost.
Seriously, if you make an awesome trailer, then do the research to figure out who you need to send it to – you can do this. If you need help with your trailer, again consult the experts, in this case Derek Lieu:
Matt Hackett
4) Make a visually interesting game
Again, easier said than done. It's getting harder and harder to find unique, untapped art styles. A killer art direction would definitely help get wishlists!
If you don't consider yourself an artist, or if you're on a tight budget, give this video a watch:
5) Reach out to smaller outlets
Robby's advice is: don't discount the little guys! Sometimes a "small" YouTube channel with only a few thousand subscribers has the chops to make a viral video.
Also: the "big" channels often keep an eye on the smaller ones. When the small channels make a killer video of your game, the bigger channels see that, and might want to follow suit. Try to create a snowball effect!
Speaking of small channels: here's mine!
🏴☠️ Stay Tuned For More From Robby
Robby and I recorded a long conversation where he doles out tons of PR and marketing tips. I'm working on it! Look for the whole episode as a Make the Game episode soon.
In the meantime, follow Robby and check out the Pirate PR website. The Treasure Trove is an especially good place to find marrrketing arrrrrrrticles.
Thanks for reading and/or watching and good luck with your game! Here's that video again:
