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Faelco on 04 December 2018
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BasilZero said:
Faelco said:

The issue is that Steam has way too many games releasing all the time, without control, and it is impossible for most games to be visible and to sell more than maybe a hundred of copies. Too much crap for that. So a lot of small developers end up in danger because their games can't sell, and the quality of the games have nothing to do with it. 

 

If you have told me that, 15 years ago - I would have believed you.

 

But we're living in a age of social media - Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Twitch, etc - make this moot.

 

Its not that there's too many games overshadowing indie titles, its that there's too many GOOD games overshadowing them.

 

When you consider a niche Japanese title that barely sells compared to AAA western studios on consoles doing better than PC indies on the same platform, I think being overshadowed should be the least of their worries.

 

It's not even about being overshadowed. It's that Steam listings are a complete mess filled with a lot of crap, so your chances of finding a game without looking specifically for it are almost zero. Sure, they can talk on social media, but how many "Try this great indie game" ads on social media can you see everyday?

Niche Japanese titles have a loyal audience following them closely, assuring at least a minimum level of sales, good enough to be profitable. But if you release your own indie game on Steam, it will get completely buried and forgotten in just a few hours, and you can consider yourself lucky if you get 100 sales.