Christine Parkhill, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Just Slots, writes for Casinobeats, providing insight into some of the key details and takeaways from the journey of developing a new game.
The legendary singer Elvis Costello once said, “You get your whole life to write your first album.” In the world of game development, the same can be said about your first release. Just like in music, sports, or many other pursuits, making your professional debut is a monumental moment filled with joy and pride. However, alongside the excitement, there are inevitably challenges that accompany this process. For some reason, this aspect is sometimes overlooked when discussing the topic.
Like it or not, once you’re on the path to releasing your first game, there’s nowhere to hide from these pressures. These challenges must be confronted to ensure you deliver a product that meets the high standards you’ve always aspired to. While this is a natural part of the process and not something to be too concerned about, I believe more attention should be devoted to it, especially as the industry continues to grow. In this article, I intend to explore this further and shed light on what they don’t tell you about launching your first game.
The high demands of achieving quality
When you first begin developing plans for a game, your ideas often take the form of broad strokes. As you approach the launch, this perspective quickly dissipates, and the precision required to achieve high-quality results comes sharply into focus. This is particularly true when it comes to the design and visual identity of your game. While having an idea of your overarching look and feel is essential, turning this vision into reality by launch day demands a level of meticulousness that many might not anticipate.
If you’re overseeing the project, achieving this level of detail without coming across as ‘over-analytical’ or ‘nitpicky’ can be challenging. It might be tempting to greenlight design choices you’re not entirely satisfied with, just to avoid disrupting the process or upsetting your team. However, these seemingly minor compromises can accumulate and, before you know it, the vision you had at the start of the process may be lost. The little details make a big difference, particularly in the world of game development. Don’t overlook them.
The same applies to game design. In today’s ultra-competitive marketplace, it has never been more important to develop games that truly capture people’s attention and foster player loyalty. Just like the visual identity of your title, being precise in your design thinking is crucial, as it can have a significant impact on how your game is received once it’s launched. As the launch date approaches and the pressure intensifies, it can be tempting to overlook these details, but doing so will only come back to haunt you in the long run.
Test, test and test
It’s probably not breaking news that testing games before they go live is essential, but it would be remiss of me not to emphasise just how crucial this step is. Until you’re building a game for release, it’s hard to fully grasp the importance of this part of the process. A multi-pronged approach will deliver the best results—engaging in beta testing, stress testing, and gathering as much user feedback as possible to guide your development and make necessary changes ahead of time.
When you’ve invested significant time and effort into a game, it can be challenging to take feedback on board, especially if it’s less than positive. My advice is to grin and bear it—it’s far better to receive critical opinions before the release of your game than after it. Not every comment needs to be acted upon, but if you’re consistently hearing the same feedback then it’s time to respond. The worst thing you can do is bury your head in the sand and ignore it, especially when it’s coming from potential players of your title. Also, things are going to go wrong. What’s important when things don’t go to plan is how the team reacts, picks itself up and finds solutions.
The game is not just one element of the launch
Perhaps the most underdiscussed aspect of a game launch is that its success can be influenced by factors beyond just the game’s quality. If you’re a hands-on developer, it’s easy to get bogged down in the technical and creative details, but it’s crucial to step back and focus on the bigger picture too. Effective distribution, marketing and timing of your release can significantly impact the success of your game and must be carefully considered in your launch strategy to garner the best results. Having a successful launch truly depends on the entire team coming together.
These aren’t always skills that a games studio in a startup phase would have internally, so my advice would be to strongly consider bringing in external experts to navigate that process effectively. Whether it’s partnering with a marketing agency or a public relations firm, investing in working with real experts in their field can generate major returns. Establishing a strong distribution approach is less straightforward, but if you’re actively networking with peers in the sector then you are far more likely to naturally connect with a partner who can meet your needs.
Enjoy the process
Amidst all the pressures that come with releasing your first game, it’s easy to feel a bit overwhelmed. This is a natural part of the process, but don’t let it consume you. Launching your first game is truly a once-in-a-lifetime moment and, in years to come, you’ll likely look back on it fondly, regardless of the outcome. So, remember to enjoy the experience as much as you can. If all goes to plan, you’ll have a great game that people love to play and, if not, you’ll have gained valuable lessons to guide you next time around.
That’s something I really tried to keep in mind in the run-up to the launch of our company, Just Slots’ first title, Sugar Heaven. It was a rollercoaster ride, but one I wouldn’t change, as I’ve come out the other side far more experienced and knowledgeable. Now, as me and my team look forward to expanding our catalogue in the months ahead.
