What to do before launching a page on Steam — Tips from Chris Zukowski
The sooner an indie developer creates a Steam page for their game and starts collecting wishlists, the better. This is the view of game marketing expert Chris Zukowski. In a recent article, he shared basic tips on what to do before launching on the platform.
Before moving on to the tips, let's outline Zukowski's position regarding the early creation of a Steam page. According to the expert, you can never predict when a game will go viral. If this happens before a Steam page is available, thousands of wishlists will be missed.
“Even if wishlists became obsolete (which they don’t), the potential losses would be far fewer than if you didn’t start collecting wishlists from the beginning. This is a classic example of 'loss aversion,' where we humans are more afraid of losing something than a commensurate gain,” Zukowski wrote.
Below are the tips themselves.
1. Decide on the genre
Zukowski notes that it may sound funny, but developers need to finalize the game’s genre before creating a Steam page. He worked with a team that initially made a soulslike, and then pivoted mid-development to a story-driven adventure. Such radical genre changes can cause many gamers who added your game to their wishlist to back out and not purchase it upon release.
2. Settle the visual style of the game
The same goes for the game’s visual style. A developer must clearly know if they are making a cel-shading game, pixel art, grimdark aesthetic, or something else. Not all art might be ready, but the style should be chosen.
3. Prepare enough content to showcase three unique locations or gameplay types
Steam users want to be sure that the game has varied content and that the project is deep and not slapped together from ready-made assets. At least three distinct locations should be shown. As Zukowski notes, the game content may not be fully ready at the time of creating the page, so developers are not forbidden from using the "Potemkin village" approach to make mock-ups for screenshots and trailers. The key is to eventually deliver them in the game.
4. Hire professionals to create the Steam capsule
A well-designed capsule affects the game’s sales. Therefore, creating it should be entrusted to professionals, not acquaintances who just know their way around Photoshop.
5. Film a trailer that showcases gameplay
Even though Valve removed the trailer requirement from Steam page criteria, it is crucial for game promotion. A trailer can be short — 30 seconds is enough — but it must focus on gameplay. This ensures gamers that the game will be engaging and of high quality.
“Announcing a game and creating a Steam page is like having a child. You always feel not ready, and there’s always a reason to wait. But when you decide to do it, yes, it’s stressful, but it’s also exciting. You realize it’s not that hard. So just do it!” Zukowski concluded.