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My game has 30 views but nobody is downloading it, I need some help please!

A topic by IndieQuantum created Nov 12, 2023 Views: 1,039 Replies: 22
Viewing posts 1 to 5
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So I released my very first game last week on Monday. Up till now the game has 30 views which is awesome but no downloads. I don't know what I'm doing wrong here. Is it because the price of the game is too high for it's level of quality or is it just not worth it. 

Moderator

It's probably nothing. It takes a lot more views and a lot more time to start getting downloads even for free games. Keep at it!

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You should upload a free demo and a quick video of some gameplay so people know what they are buying.  I personally wouldn't risk $2 on a game that I haven't seen a video of or played a demo of.  Bonus points if the demo is playable in the browser on the game page, so you don't have to even download it.

I am also attempting to get my puzzle game some more attention, after over 130 views and no downloads, and only 4 downloads of the demo.  I'm up for making a bundle with you, too - with just about anyone reading this!

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This.

I cannot fathom why some new dev thinks people will spend money on something they do not know. This is itch and not curated steam. On steam I know stuff has gone through several processes to weed out the junk. How would I know that on itch? How would I know if I would like the game. 

Having a demo or public version is prudent.

Yes, but there is no need to be rude to the guy.  It's their first game - how are they supposed to know everything?

No rudeness was intended. I regularly see first time publishers with no demo and a price tag, wondering why no one buys. But people do not start as a developer. They usually play games first. It just baffles me, how those new developers seem to forget their previous player experience.

To put it in other words, I wonder how many dollar games they previously purchased as a player. Games that they had no previous knowledge and there was no demo available. From an unknown developer. If the answer is "zero", there you have the reason for my apparant rudeness.

If the answer would be "lots", it would be understandable to publish it similar to the demo-less games they purchased.

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Sorry, whenever I see someone start a comment or post with "This ^^^" or the like, I always read it with attitude, and that colored the rest of the post for me - that was my bad.  Have a nice day, fellow internet commenter.

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Oh. And I always thought, it meant, that someone wholeheartedly agrees with something. A bit similar like saying "dito". Or maybe "same", "I agree" or probably "well said". Best fitting might be the old "hear, hear".

If there is any attitude would depend on the thing "this-ed". Maybe people often like to use that type of thread slang to refer to negative remarks. If so, I failed to realize it. 

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Eh, who knows.  You learn something new every day (or get even more confused about something every day).  I assumed what it meant, and you know what they say about assuming! :)

Also, try putting it on sale and posting it here:  https://www.reddit.com/r/GameDeals/

No joke, I got over 15,000 "views" on my post to that subreddit (which I assume includes just scrolling past it) before they took it down for spam (even though it didn't break their rules).  Still, of those 15,000 views, only 130 people actually followed the link to my itch.io page, so it is really luck of the draw.  You can find all sorts of places like that to post your game, just as long as they don't have a "no self-promotion" rule.  I think r/letsplay also has a feature where you can offer free keys to let's-players so they can play your game on their channel (just be aware that this is also hit or miss, since a let's-player usually makes their living by following trendier, more well-known games).

I hope this helps!

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Yo thank you AllenMLewis17,  anything will help. I have considered posting on reddit and will most likely do it (even if I get random downvotes). 

Regarding making a bundle, how does this work? I am totally fine in collaborating with you but since this is my first time doing this, how does this work?

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I will set it up and you just have to agree to it - if you don't like how I set it up for whatever reason, message me and  we can discuss.   I've never actually gotten anyone to bundle with me, but I know how.  I will make it so that the profit is distributed fairly proportionate to the base price.

allenmlewis17@gmail.com

And if you'd prefer to set it up yourself, you can go to the top right of the window where it says your username, click the dropdown arrow, find and click "Sales & Bundles", then click "Co-Op Bundles" and it is self-explanatory from there.

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Ok then, you can set up the bundle.

I set it up, but I don't know where you should go to check it.  I assume you check in the same place I just said you would make a bundle, but I'm not sure.  There is no share button.  I would assume you'd get a notification, but...?

Oh, and it needs some input from you, which you can see when you figure out how to view it.

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I did not receive anything from itch, so I found this on the Co-Op Bundles section: Once the page is created you'll have to get each participant to approve it by having them head to the page of the bundle. You'll have to send each of them a link, they will not be notified by itch.io. So it looks like you have the link of the bundle.

Ah, here you go!  I just need you to let me know what to put in the description area for your game, and if you have a better title.

https://itch.io/b/2149/retro-brain-teasing-adventures

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Ok, for the bundle title I could only come up with "Retro Challenges: Puzzles & Jumps" or "Retro Mindscape: Jump, Solve, Conquer!", you can choose between the two on which sounds better or don't use any of them. 

For the description area of my game, put:

  • Plunge into the mysterious depths as you seek the buried escape pod beneath the planet's surface
  • Hand crafted levels and boss chases
  • Controller support

Lovely, got it

It has been edited

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Awesome! I guess I'll accept the request of the bundle then.

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Hey, dude! We did it! We sold our first copy of our bundle! WOOHOO!  :D

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Yea I saw! Thanks for all your help! :) 

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