Creating a Viable Game Product & Lean Canvas
- Jack Self
- Oct 13, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 30, 2022
To get warmed-up for this week’s market analysis, please research two indie game case studies or post-mortems. If possible, find one business that performed well financially, and one with disappointing sales numbers. Where the information is available, please summarise what the developers felt they did right and wrong, what their game’s budget was, and how much revenue they made.
Indie Game Post-Mortems
Ultimate Chicken Horse (2016)
Figure 1: Ultimate Chicken Horse (2016)
Developer | Clever Endeavour Games |
Publisher | Clever Endeavour Games |
Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One |
Budget | CA$ 34,155 (money raised via Kickstarter from 18th April 2015) |
Revenue | ~$6.6 million |
Summary & Thoughts:
Ultimate Chicken Horse (see figure 1) was uploaded to Kickstarter on the 18th of April 2015, and just after 24 hours, the game was already 25% funded. With stretch goals put in place, they managed to accumulate CA$ 34,155 with the support of 1,082 backers. Though the Kickstarter campaign proved successful, the team had other means of reaching their finical goals, such as targeting friends and family, social media platforms like Reddit and Twitter, events and even local radio.
I feel Clever Endeavour Games is a prime example of how an indie game company can market their game by exploring different avenues to promote and sell its product.
Source(s):
Toto Temple Deluxe (2015)
Figure 2: Toto Temple Deluxe (2015)
Developer | Juicy Beast |
Publisher | Juicy Beast |
Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, OUYA, Wii-U, PlayStation 4, Xbox One |
Budget | N/A |
Revenue | ~$3,800 |
Summary & Thoughts:
Toto Temple Deluxe (see figure 2) took two years to develop and was released first on OUYA. After updating the initial release, the developers released the game on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Wii-U, and Steam on the 29th of September 2015. With expenses in marketing, audio and porting, the game sold around 6,000 copies four months after release.
Juicy Beast shares his hardships of developing local-multiplayer games and the significance of striking a deal first, porting to a single console and designing from a marketing perspective.
Source(s):
Creating a Viable Game Product
The initial lecture was about creating a viable game product delivered by Iain Lobb. In this lecture, Lobb advises to keep your feet on the ground and to manage expectations, especially for first-time indies. Lobb continues by stating that it's best to start by making a game you like and can play. Predict potential sales by looking at similar games (it pays to me pessimistic), and don't just pick the most successful game, as there is a lot to learn from games which failed to meet their expectations.
Furthermore, Lobb continues his lecture by explaining the difference between a lean canvas (better for start-ups) and a business model canvas. Finally, Lobb advises you to identify the 'unfair advantage' and to investigate trends.
I found the lecture significant when planning what type of game to develop. I wonder how effective some of these methods and suggestions would be when you're halfway through development or just ready to publish your game.
Factors Affecting Game Sales on Steam
The second talk was about factors affecting steam sales by Erik Johnson. Johnson advises making a game that is currently in demand (whilst quality matters, it is good to be aware of trends and what's popular). Johnson recommends Michal Trneny's master's thesis on predicting market success from games on the Steam store page using machine learning. Lastly, he states that the tone of your game matters and streaming platforms such as YouTube and Twitch can help market your game.
Exploring Steam Sales Figures
The third talk was about exploring steam sales figures by the former game journalist who now heads indie publisher No More Robots, Mike Rose. Rose highlights that nowadays, consumers are willing to pay more for games and have taken a fancy toward early access titles.
Developing Realistic Sales Expectations
The fourth and final talk was about developing realistic sales expectations by the veteran indie game developer Jake Birkett. Birkett advises against spending long periods developing games. He states that it's better to release games in shorter periods to better the odds of generating steady revenue.
Other Talks
Unfortunately, due to time constraints and the length of the videos, I will be watching the other talks on my own time.
Challenge Activity - Lean Canvas (LeanStack.com)
Date: 11th October 2022
Figure 3: Alien Infiltration: IV (PC) - Lean Canvas (LeanStack.com)
Although late, I have now managed to complete my lean canvas (see figure 3) for 'Alien Infiltration: IV' via LeanStack.com. Currently, the lean canvas targets a Steam PC release using Kickstarter and other revenue streams to generate income. I am thinking about updating the lean canvas and adding additional platforms for releases, such as Xbox and PlayStation. However, this would involve more extensive research, and I was so intrigued by the campaign for Ultimate Chicken Horse (2016) that I felt compelled to replicate it.
Team Charter (Miro)
Figure 4: Katsu Team Charter (Miro)
Last week I created a team charter for Team Katsu (see figure 4) using Miro. After filling out the 'Purpose' and 'Values & Agreements' sections, I kindly asked my peers to contribute their part for 'Roles & People'. The team charter serves as a catalyst in the transition from storming to norming. It is a document used to define and outline your team's overall objectives, resources, and constraints.
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