I played 20+ games during the February Steam Next Fest to figure out what makes a great demo (and what ruins one).
Here are 9 key lessons you should know
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#gamedev #indiedev #indiegames
Here are 9 key lessons you should know
Thread 👇🏽🧵
#gamedev #indiedev #indiegames
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Good luck! 🫡
Just my theory
I guess it’s best to only do it if you have some spare time. Kind of like a nice-to-have
Lack of proper game settings was one of the biggest complaints I saw. Players expect at least resolution, fullscreen/windowed, and remappable controls. If your game feels unplayable on their setup, they’ll drop it instantly.
Nothing’s worse than launching a game and getting your ears blown out. If players have to rush to turn the volume down, that’s already a bad experience. Make sure your audio levels are reasonable and start at a comfortable default.
People forget to wishlist, even if they love your game. A well-placed wishlist prompt at the end of the demo, when exiting, or even on the splash screen can make a big difference. Just keep it subtle, no one likes an intrusive pop-up.
This is an easy win. If a player is interested enough to launch your game, there’s a chance they’ll wishlist it. A subtle but visible wishlist button on the main menu ensures they don’t have to go searching for it later.
Next Fest lasts a whole week. If your demo unlocks new levels, challenges, or content daily, players are more likely to return instead of moving on to the next game. This also increases your chances of getting wishlisted.
Some demos I tried crashed within minutes. If a player’s first experience with your game is a crash, they’re not coming back. Test your demo on different setups, check for soft locks, and make sure it’s stable.