Video game development is about more than just creating something entertaining. It’s not just building vast worlds and fleshing out complex characters. There’s an entire side to it that rears its inevitable head as the project comes together behind the scenes. 

Of course, we’re talking about that impossible-to-ignore four-letter word: Marketing.

No matter how high-quality your game is, it needs to be marketed. You need to build an audience, communicate clearly with it, and perfect your messaging. Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook were the go-to outlets for game marketing back in the day. Then TikTok rolled around and, barring a permanent ban, became the spot for indie developers. While these platforms do the trick, there’s one outlet you may not be considering.

Twitch may appear to be a platform where streamers like Ninja and CaseOh can build empires, but there’s still room for your slice of the kingdom. It takes a little creativity, but the opportunity to use Twitch as a marketing tool is there.

What Can Twitch Do For You?

If you’re willing to put in the effort, Twitch can:

• Expand your audience
• Secure more “Wishlists” 
• Develop a dedicated community
• Become a funding source

When to Start Marketing on Twitch

You may think you need a playable build of your game before turning to Twitch. However, that's not the case. You do want to have something to show off, as basic and developing concepts are harder to sell without tangible proof of your dedication. It just doesn't need to be anywhere near ready for release.

We’ll get into some tips on how to use Twitch to market a game that's not playable shortly, but before we get there, let’s discuss when you should start your marketing efforts on Twitch. It should be early in the development process but far enough along that you can show character models, in-game items, or even environments. Anyone can talk about the game they want to make. 

Audiences only want to hear about the games that are being made.

There’s also a matter of timelines. If you share your concept too early, you risk losing interest before you ever have something to show. If you already have parts of a 3D world to showcase, you can more easily keep potential players engaged, even if you’re just making small improvements over time. Again, we’ll talk about how to implement all of this shortly. 

Before that, though, let’s talk about your Twitch profile.

Building Your Twitch Profile

No one wants to hear about a game from RandomGamer1234. Nor will they trust a profile that’s completely empty or features a singular profound quote from some obscure JRPG. Your Twitch profile should embody your personality as a developer and that of the game (or games) you’re working on.

Try to avoid profile names that are completely unassociated with the game or your business. You want it to be memorable and easy to connect to your project. 

If you already have a well-established channel, don't make another. That just means having to rebuild an audience, which is time-consuming. Rather, be transparent with your current followers about changes to the channel’s content as you integrate more from your development. Start to add information about your game and update website/social links as needed. 

None of this is to say you can’t still use your Twitch channel as you used to. In fact, as we talk about content, you’ll realize that you don’t want a one-note channel. 

Using Twitch to Start Building an Audience

Like any social media platform, building an audience on Twitch requires patience. It’s good to use other social media platforms as a launching point, sharing when you’re live and updating followers with a streaming schedule. Go grassroots and tell friends and family, and have them share with people they know who may be interested in an indie game developer.

If you just launch your Twitch and start streaming, you’ll have empty lobbies for months. You’ll likely never build a solid viewerbase, and your game will vanish into obscurity. Some users will dual stream on a secondary platform as a way to entice viewers to join them on Twitch. After all, it has a better setup than, say, TikTok.

What Should You Stream on Twitch

What’s going to get people to stick around and follow your channel is what you’re streaming. The purpose of joining Twitch was to market your game, and that is exactly what you’re going to do. However, it doesn’t hurt to diversify, especially if you’re running low on things to talk about regarding the development process or future milestones. 

So, yes, you can (and should) stream other games to keep your audience engaged. Stick to genre-specific or trending titles that align with your project, just to ensure you’re attracting the right audience. 

The trick, though, is balancing those streams with streams that pertain to your game. It may sound difficult, especially if you don’t have a playable build. That’s where Developer Diaries (or Devlogs) are key. Gamers love to look behind the scenes of game development. It makes them feel like they’re getting an exclusive peak behind the curtain and seeing things no one else will. 

Twitch has a “Software and Game Development” category with over 380,000 followers. It’s a good place to start, or you can chat about your title while playing something else. Always be transparent, though. Properly title a stream as a devlog or diary about your game, so viewers know they should expect a lot of technical talk and less of a focus on the game you’re playing. 

For the most part, initial devlogs will feature stills of your game, maybe animations and environments. 

Using Twitch to Your Advantage

At some point, hopefully sooner rather than later, you’ll have something of your game to show off. When you do, share it. So long as you think it’s ready for the public, let them see it in action. It may not be a final build, but that’s part of the excitement of giving a behind-the-scenes look. Players get to watch the game as it progresses, see how it evolves, and maybe even offer input and constructive feedback.

Twitch also allows you to set up subscriber-only streams if you want to share gameplay snippets only with your most dedicated followers. This option is only available to Twitch affiliates, so you will need to put in the work to build your audience and stream relatively often. The requirements are pretty low, though, and include:

• Have 50 followers
• Stream for 8 hours
• Stream on 7 different days
• Reaching a 3-viewer average

There are other benefits to becoming an affiliate, though. Being able to monetize your streams is a pretty significant one. However, while offering paid subscriptions and accepting Bits are a good way to help fund development, be mindful of what you’re asking of your community. When you get into monetization, you need to consider what else you can do for your audience. Giveaways and other perks are simply good-faith actions as, at the end of the day, you’re still going to ask that they buy your finished game. 

Are You Feeling Intimidated by Twitch?

This may sound like a lot of work. To some degree, it is. Gaming, in particular indie gaming, is a flooded market, and it’s becoming more important to put a decent amount of effort into and get creative with marketing. While there are many ways to market a game, Twitch offers a unique platform that really lets the development process become part of your sales tactics. 

Devlogs and Dev Diaries, sessions where you chat one-on-one with your audience while enjoying a common interest, and allowing supporters the chance to see exclusive content are fantastic tools for elevating the exposure and reach of your finished project.

So, yes, it’s intimidating. That’s why we’re here, though. At Loopr, we have the tools and experience to make turning Twitch into a marketing tool seamless and painless. We’d love to talk more about fine-tuning your digital strategy to maximize interest in your game.