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Episode Name:
How Listening to Players Drives Successful Games
Episode Description:
“Great games are built on collaboration, but it’s not just between developers and partners, but with players themselves. Between insights and feedback, there’s lots we can learn from players as long as we keep an open mind and a clear vision. However, getting that information or learning how to leverage it can be difficult.
So today, we’re going to explore how one publisher uses player insights to help inform everything from creative decisions, communication strategies and other approaches to ensure that games get the results needed to resonate with their audience.”
Q?Box Round Answers
Biggest gaming pet peeve?
I absolutely can’t stand walls of text in non-narrative games or games that aren’t designed to handle them well. In my opinion, it’s a big mistake, when someone sends us a demo, and I have to wade through dialogues, descriptions, intros, and explanations in the first few minutes, especially when the game is something like a tactical roguelite or an action RPG.
What’s one habit you have that has contributed to your success?
Diving into raw data. When I’m recruiting, I personally review every CV that comes in. When we launch a game, I read every review, watch streams and YouTube videos, and, of course, dig directly into every dashboard to analyze sales and performance data. Combined with my quick math skills and strong memory, this habit allows me to draw conclusions and connect the dots efficiently. It’s been invaluable not just for operational work and business development, but also during my past career in the corporate world.
What game are you playing now?
Balatro, Nba 2k24
PROMOTIONS
Want a Steam key? It’s easy! Just send an email with “IGM Podcast” in the subject line to jakub.radkowski@prettysoon.games or publishing@prettysoon.games
TIPS and ADVICE
We covered quite a bit today. Could you list 3 suggestions or tips you would recommend to indie devs based on our discussion?
- Demand honesty. Be direct with publishers, players, and fellow developers about expecting honesty from them. This is especially crucial when pitching your game to publishers. The worst-case scenario is walking away with a false belief that they’re genuinely interested when they’re not.
- For new founders: experience over advice, doing over strategizing. Try as many things as possible yourself. Talk to as many publishers as you can. Publish content wherever you can. Collect feedback from every source available. The earlier and the more you do this, the better.
- It might sound obvious, but don’t let a commercial failure define you – whether as a creator or, even worse, as a person. It’s completely normal for great games not to sell well. It’s also normal for things not to work out despite your best efforts.
RESOURCES and LINKS
How to get in touch with Jakub Radkowski
Website: https://www.prettysoon.games/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakub-radkowski-00074355/
https://bsky.app/profile/prettysoongames.bsky.social
Twitter: @prettysoongames
OTHER SOURCES:
E-mail: jakub.radkowski@prettysoon.games