How To Market A Game

What it is

How To Market A Game is Chris Zukowski's site about marketing indie games, with a strong focus on Steam. He writes long articles based on data from developers he works with and public launches: how wishlists relate to sales, how to use Steam Next Fest, what makes a good capsule and trailer, how genre affects visibility, and what does and does not work on social media.

The blog is free. He also sells courses and offers consulting; those are optional.

Is it worth reading?

Yes, if you plan to sell a game on Steam. Many developers leave marketing until launch month and find nobody knows the game exists. The articles explain in plain terms why a Coming Soon page, wishlists and festivals matter, and when to start. Its honesty is useful: it discusses games that failed as well as ones that succeeded, and it is clear that some genres are much harder to sell than others.

How it fits the roadmap

Read it in the shipping stage, before you pay for Steam Direct and ideally before you pick your commercial game idea. Genre and hook decisions early on shape what marketing can achieve later.

Time

Articles are 10 to 30 minutes each. Start with the posts on wishlists, store pages and Next Fest.

Free vs paid

The blog is free. Paid products are optional.

Common questions

Is it only about Steam? Mostly. The principles (a clear hook, a good trailer, building interest before launch) apply elsewhere.

Will it make my game sell? No resource can promise that. It helps you avoid common mistakes and set realistic expectations.

What to read first

• Posts on how wishlists relate to launch visibility on Steam.
• Posts on Steam Next Fest and demos.
• Posts on capsule art, screenshots and the short description.
• Posts on choosing a game idea with a clear hook in a genre that has an audience.

Take notes on what applies to your game and ignore advice aimed at much bigger teams.