Since you're likely an unknown team without a marketing budget, and you're competing in a market of about 10,000 new releases on Steam annually, you'll need a grassroots long-term approach to win people over to play your game, let alone pay for it.
Before all that, the game itself has to be good enough too or there will be no point in marketing/presenting it. I'll go into some detail what makes a "good game". Don't worry, its not as hard to stand out from the crowd as it might feel at first.
The short version:
A good game is whatever properly fulfills a fundamental human need in a person in a better way than other games on the same platform have done so far.
Even if the game looks primitive audiovisually or is coded poorly, but it actually delivers on fulfilling that need in a way that feels compelling and satisfying, then you've succeeded in creating something that is a worthy game.
Even if something like it already exists, as long as it's varied in some way content-wise, theme-wise, or mechanics-wise instead of mostly being a lame reskin of it, you've created something valuable.
(See the longer version later on in this page for expanded details)
Don't expect marketing to be a one-time event that happens during v1.0 release; marketing is supposed to start as early as you have something playable/satisfying to some degree, even if its an alpha prototype full of placeholders and missing features.
You'd continue working on the project gradually towards v1.0 - which is a simple game with clear arc that can be played from start to end properly, even if its lightweight in the content department or slim with features. The point is to continue expanding it after v1.0 and releasing content and feature updates, raising the version number towards v1.5, v2.0, v3.0 and so on, making a marketing push before ("coming soon!"), during ("out now!") and after ("new stuff info!") each notable game update.
That's the 'active marketing' side of it anyway. The other equally important side is 'passive marketing' which basically amounts to having your project just listed properly in various lists, portals, communities, hubs, forums, and collections. People browse the internet and will stumble upon the game this way by themselves as they look for things that interest them. Having a dedicated website for the project with good Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in its metadata is also a good bonus.
Beyond major milestone active marketing, its also good to supplement with automated social media marketing, posting 1 new great branded screenshot of the game on social media platforms or certain image gallery sites that accept them. These images should include the game's title and a link to the storepage in the description or even on the image itself as a QR code.
The idea is to continue marketing the game in these various ways virtually forever as long as the game remains valuable. If new places open up, go set up an entry for your game there too, if some event involving the community happens, you can use that as a marketing event too.
This guide focuses primarily on the shareware approach (free minimal version + paid full version), but it's important to understand that this is just one of many viable business models available to you. Before diving into marketing tactics, your team should carefully consider which monetization approach best fits your game, development capacity, and long-term goals.
The main index includes comprehensive information about various business models including premium upfront purchases, episodic releases, free-to-play with cosmetics, early access, and more. Each model has different implications for how you market, when revenue arrives, and how sustainable development becomes. Review all your options first - the marketing principles in this guide apply broadly, but your business model choice will shape the specifics of your implementation.
That said, for unknown teams with zero marketing budget, the shareware model discussed here offers particular advantages: it maximizes reach through free access while creating a natural conversion funnel to paid content. But make an informed decision rather than defaulting to it.
Before investing time in marketing, you need to understand what actually makes a game "good enough" to be worth presenting to the world. The answer is simpler than you might think, and has nothing to do with AAA production values or revolutionary innovation.
All human activities - including playing games - are attempts to satisfy fundamental human needs. These needs (as defined in frameworks like Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg) include things like autonomy, competence, stimulation, connection, meaning, relaxation, and creative expression, among many others.
Every game exists because it fulfills one or more of these needs in some way. A puzzle game might satisfy needs for stimulation and competence. A story-driven RPG might fulfill needs for meaning, connection, and escapism. An action game might meet needs for challenge, adrenaline, and empowerment. Meanwhile, multiplayer games may meet social needs. And so on.
A "good game" is simply one that fulfills its target needs in a compelling and satisfying way - ideally better than existing alternatives, or at least differently enough to feel fresh.
Here's the liberating truth: your game doesn't need cutting-edge graphics, flawless code, or massive scope. What matters is whether it delivers on its promise to fulfill specific needs effectively.
If your game looks primitive but scratches an itch that nothing else does quite right - maybe it has a particular gameplay flow, a specific tone, or a mechanical twist that feels satisfying - then it's worth making and marketing. If your game is similar to others but offers meaningful variation in content, theme, or mechanics (not just a shallow reskin), then it has value.
The bar isn't "be revolutionary." The bar is "meet needs in a way that feels worthwhile to someone." That's achievable.
Worth noting: not all attempts to meet needs are successful. As NVC recognizes, the strategies we choose to meet our needs can sometimes be clumsy, misguided, or even counterproductive. The same applies to game design.
You might intend your game to provide relaxing escapism, but if it's frustratingly difficult or confusing, it fails to meet that need. You might aim for social connection through multiplayer, but toxic design choices could drive people apart instead of together. Being honest about whether your game actually delivers what it promises is crucial.
Before marketing your game, ask: "Does this actually fulfill the needs I'm claiming it fulfills? Does it feel good to play in the way I intended?" If the answer is yes - even if it's rough around the edges - you have something worth presenting. If the answer is no, more development is needed before marketing makes sense.
With 10,000+ games releasing on Steam annually, the question isn't "how do I make the best game ever?" but rather "how do I make something that fulfills specific needs better or differently than what's already out there?"
Find the overlap between what you can realistically create and what needs are being under-served or served in ways that leave room for alternative approaches. Then execute on that specific niche with care and attention. That's how unknown teams compete: by serving smaller audiences extremely well, not by trying to please everyone.
Your first priority is getting eyes on the project early. Don't wait for perfection - as soon as you have something minimally playable and even slightly fun to interact with, release it publicly. This achieves multiple goals: attracting volunteer testers, gathering feedback, generating word-of-mouth, and establishing your presence on the internet where people can discover you.
Platforms to target for early free releases:
Don't worry if your game is placeholder-heavy, visually rough, or missing features. The bar is "can I interact with this and feel something enjoyable?" not "is this release-ready?" Early adopters understand alpha builds and will forgive rough edges if the core experience shows promise.
As development progresses, write regular update posts documenting progress and releasing new builds. Continue this pattern through alpha and beta phases up to version 1.0 - at which point you'll transition to your chosen monetization model (shareware, premium, or whichever model you selected).
Key insight: These early releases aren't just development milestones - they're the foundation of your passive marketing presence. Every platform you're listed on becomes a permanent discovery point for potential players.
The shareware model works by creating two versions of your game: the Min Game (free, minimalistic version) and the Max Game (paid, enhanced version). Both are complete, standalone experiences that can be played from start to finish - this is critical. The Min Game is not a demo, not a trial with time limits, not a locked-down version with nag screens. It's a genuinely good, slim game that stands on its own merits.
The Min Game accomplishes three things simultaneously: it removes all risk for players to try your game, it builds trust by delivering real value for free, and it creates natural demand for the Max Game. When players finish the Min Game and enjoyed it, they're already invested in your world and mechanics. The Max Game becomes an obvious next step - more of what they already love, now with expanded content, deeper systems, and proper metagame features.
This creates a "pull" effect rather than "push" marketing. You're not begging people to buy something unknown - you're offering more to people who already know they want it. The Min Game is your marketing budget, converted into playable form.
Min Game: Complete but lightweight. Full gameplay loop, satisfying progression, clear beginning and end. Might be shorter, have fewer characters/levels/features, or lack metagame systems like New Game+, challenge modes, or customization. But what's there is polished and fun.
Max Game: Everything from Min Game plus substantial expansions. More content, deeper systems, bonus modes, quality-of-life features, extended storylines, or additional mechanics. Players who loved the Min Game will recognize it as "the full vision" of what they sampled.
Everywhere the Min Game appears, include gentle, non-intrusive promotion: "If you enjoyed this, check out our other games: [Link to Developer Page]"
This messaging should appear in:
Keep it simple and respectful - the game quality does the selling, not aggressive upselling. Players who want more will follow that link naturally.
Your marketing efforts split into three distinct channels, each serving a different purpose. All three work together to create sustainable, long-term visibility for your game.
Active marketing happens around major milestones and updates - your alpha release, beta launch, v1.0 release, and significant content updates (v1.5, v2.0, etc.). These are coordinated efforts to generate buzz and attention.
What this looks like:
These pushes happen in waves: before ("coming soon!"), during ("out now!"), and shortly after ("new features spotlight!") each major release. They're time-intensive but infrequent - maybe 3-4 major pushes per year depending on your development pace.
Passive marketing is about being discoverable by people actively looking. This is the "set it once, works forever" foundation of your marketing strategy. You establish presence across multiple platforms and directories so people browsing for games like yours will stumble upon your listing.
Where to establish presence:
The key is thorough, consistent information: good descriptions, representative screenshots, accurate tags, and links to other presences. Once set up, these listings work for you 24/7 with minimal maintenance - just update them when major versions release.
This is the most important channel for unknown teams. Active marketing gets spikes of attention; passive marketing provides the steady trickle of organic discovery that compounds over time.
The third channel is continuous, automated posting of promotional imagery to maintain ambient visibility. This isn't about big announcements - it's about regularly appearing in feeds and image galleries so your game becomes familiar through repeated exposure.
What to post: High-quality screenshots and GIFs that showcase your game at its best. Each image should be branded (include game title visible in the image) and link to your store page, either in the description or as a QR code on the image itself.
Automation tools:
Posting frequency: Visual content (screenshots/GIFs) can be posted more frequently - 1-2 times per week via PostyBirb to X/BSky. Link posts should be less frequent - once per month or once every 2-3 months to avoid feeling spammy. Mix both approaches for balanced presence.
This creates a "gallery effect" where your game just... exists in the visual landscape of social media. People scrolling through #indiegame hashtags or Bluesky feeds see your content repeatedly, building familiarity even if they don't click immediately.
Before you can execute any of the three marketing channels effectively, you need the foundational materials and presence established. This is setup work that pays dividends forever.
Create a library of reusable marketing assets:
These materials don't need to be perfect or professional. They need to be honest and representative. Players want to see what your game actually looks like and plays like, not a misleading hype reel.
Establish your game's presence across key platforms. The exact list depends on your game, but typically includes:
On each platform, fill out your profile completely, use consistent branding and descriptions, and include links to your other presences. Cross-linking helps people find you wherever they are.
Setting up these presences is front-loaded work, but once established, they require minimal maintenance while providing perpetual discoverability. Think of it as planting seeds across the internet - each platform is another place someone might discover your game months or years from now.
When you do release updates, it takes 15-30 minutes to update all your listings with new screenshots and version info. That's sustainable even for tiny teams working part-time.
Once your foundation is established, marketing becomes a predictable rhythm tied to your development milestones. This keeps your game visible without demanding constant attention.
When you're preparing a significant release, execute a coordinated push across all three channels:
These pushes are intense but short-lived - maybe 2-3 weeks of active effort around each major milestone. Then you return to baseline activity.
Between major releases, your marketing is mostly passive and automated:
This is sustainable because it's low-effort. You're not grinding out content daily - the systems you established keep working while you focus on development.
You don't need to be a social media personality or community manager superhero. For introverted teams, the beauty of this approach is that the game does most of the talking.
Respond to comments and questions when you have energy. Share development updates when you have something interesting to show. Don't force daily engagement if it drains you - consistency over months matters more than intensity over weeks.
Players respect developers who are authentic and communicate openly, even if infrequently. Silence for 2 months followed by a substantial update is better than daily low-effort posts that feel like obligation.
Start with accessible platforms (Itch.io, IndieDB, GameJolt) during early development. These have low barriers to entry, friendly communities, and are perfect for building initial momentum.
Once you've reached v1.0 and have proven your game with an existing community, consider expanding to premium platforms like Steam or GOG. By then you'll have:
This graduated approach reduces risk and ensures you're ready when you invest in broader distribution.
This entire strategy is designed for unknown teams with zero marketing budget who want sustainable, long-term visibility without burning out or becoming social media personalities.
The approach combines three channels working together:
The foundation is "do it once and it works forever" - establish your presence across platforms, set up automation, then mostly maintain rather than constantly create. When you do release updates, execute coordinated pushes, then return to low-effort maintenance mode while you focus on development.
Most importantly, the game does the talking. You don't need to show your face, build a personal brand, or become an influencer. Quality games with consistent presence get discovered organically over time. This is how the best indie games succeed - through genuine quality and strategic visibility, not celebrity marketing or manipulation.
For introverted teams, this approach is sustainable because it respects your energy. Market intentionally around milestones, let automation and passive presence handle the rest, and focus your time on making the game great. That's the real marketing.