Tips For A Starting An Indie Video Game Studio – Part 1

This screen capture from Greebles was stolen from Fractal Fox Game Studio.
This screen capture from Greebles was stolen from Fractal Fox Game Studio.
This screen capture from Greebles was stolen from Fractal Fox Game Studio.

You have an awesome game idea, now it is time to turn your idea into a business.

You need the obvious components to launch a indie video game studio.
   An artist that can interpret your ideas.
   A programmer.
   A designer.
   A music composer.
   A publicist.
   Money

And the one thing that all businesses need.

Location, Location, Location

Let me tell you a story and about how much location matters. Several years ago a company researched an area for a new restaurant. It was an awesome restaurant, but the expected customers never showed up. Before the awesome restaurant was built, potential customers had to drive several miles to eat out. Why weren’t they coming to the new, awesome, closer restaurant? The company did everything right….almost.

This was a family restaurant and the one thing that the researchers didn’t check was surrounding businesses. LOL There was a strip club next to the family restaurant. It was a vile place with drug dealers in the parking lot nightly. There was a fight at the club. It spilled into the parking lot. The fight became a free-for-all that left puddles of blood and over 20 people in jail.

Recap: Good idea, excellent food, reasonable prices.

The problem was rather simple. The community they intended to serve was on the other side of the Sacramento river and there was no bridge.

Here is the point. When my son graduated with a degree in video game design, I spoke with one of his teachers. My question was, “Should he get a master’s degree”. He said, “No.” His answer surprised me.

He said that my son should develop video games that could be played on Facebook. I was confused and my son; insulted.

Turns out his teacher was saying Location! Location! Location!

When you joined a game, Facebook would invite all of your friends. It was automatic and would spread exponentially. If you were starting your own indie video game studio it was free adverting!

Phone apps are great, but your app is hidden away, buried within thousands of similar apps. Your friend might try it, love it and never think to invite his friends to join him playing.

When you start your indie video game studio, if you have a lot of money to advertise and drive people to your game then you can select where you want to publish.

If you don’t have much money to launch your indie video game consider other platforms. If you can launch on more than one platform your advertising will allow you to find more potential players.

Ask questions and good luck.

Tips For Starting An Indie Game Studio Part: II Defining Your Customer Base

Video Game Release: Mutant Duck Invasion is Quackening Nov 12th!

 

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