Make Accessibility a Selling Point: Storefronts, Tags, and Discovery

In this episode of IndieGameBusiness, we’re joined by Alex Sulman, Creative Director at Sulman Creative Ltd, to talk about something players can recognize almost instantly, even if they can’t explain it: game feel.What makes controlling one game immediately satisfying while another feels awkward within seconds? Alex breaks down what game feel actually is, the different components that create it, and some of the most common mistakes that make otherwise promising games feel bad to play.We’ll explore what separates bad game feel from great game feel, how movement, controls, responsiveness, feedback, animation, and other details shape the player experience, and why all of this has such a massive impact on a player’s first impression.For indie developers, those opening moments matter. If your game doesn’t feel right immediately, players may never stick around long enough to discover everything else you built.If you want your game to make a better first impression and simply feel better to play, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.Follow Alex Sulman:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexsulman/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pelicanpeculiar/Dev to Dev Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/devto.devpodcast/#IndieGameBusiness #GameDev #GameDesign #GameFeel #IndieDev

In this episode of IndieGameBusiness, we’re joined by Mart Gervacio, Founder of Tadhana, to tackle one of the biggest headaches in publishing: release management.Finishing your game is only part of getting it into players’ hands. Mart breaks down what release management actually involves, why it becomes so complicated, and the critical mistakes that can turn a launch into a disaster.We’ll discuss delays, releasing too early, pricing and promotional decisions, managing store assets, and what happens when you add multiple platforms into the equation. Mart also explains how requirements can differ across Steam, consoles, and other platforms, and why every additional release creates new layers of complexity.We’ll also look at what major publishers do differently, what smaller studios can realistically adopt from those processes, and whether indies should consider launching on Steam first before tackling consoles.If your game is approaching release, this conversation will help you understand everything that needs to happen between “the game is finished” and actually getting it successfully launched.Follow Mart Gervacio:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martgervacio/#IndieGameBusiness #IndieDev #GamePublishing #GameLaunch #ReleaseManagement

Apparently retirement wasn’t enough to keep Larry Kuperman away from Jay Powell.Larry “Nightdive” Kuperman, former VP of Business Development at Nightdive Studios, is back on IndieGameBusiness for another Fireside Chat with Jay, and the two of them are up to their usual shenanigans.There’s no telling exactly where this conversation is going to go. Expect stories from the games industry, lessons from Larry’s career, thoughts on what’s happening in games right now, probably a few opinions, and whatever else happens when you put Jay and Larry together live.Larry may be retired, but he definitely hasn’t run out of things to say.Come hang out, bring your questions, and join Jay and Larry for what should be a fun, unpredictable conversation.Follow Larry “Nightdive” Kuperman:Bluesky: @larrynightdive.bsky.socialX: https://x.com/LarryNightDiveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/larry.kupermanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrykuperman/#IndieGameBusiness #FiresideChat #Nightdive #GameIndustry #GameDev

In this episode of IndieGameBusiness, we’re joined by Benjamin Carcich, Founder of Valarin, Inc., to challenge the game industry’s obsession with process and productivity.Your team can have meetings, tickets, sprints, reports, and a perfectly organized production pipeline, but does all of that activity actually create value?Benjamin breaks down the difference between producing “stuff” and producing value, how studios accidentally incentivize the wrong behaviors, and why processes that were designed to help teams can eventually become obstacles themselves.We’ll explore why teams continue following processes without understanding why they exist, how traditional training can reinforce dysfunctional production habits, and the question leaders should be asking about every process inside their studio.We’ll also dive into leadership in game development and how studio leaders can create environments focused on outcomes rather than simply keeping everyone busy.If your team constantly feels busy but your game never seems to move forward fast enough, this conversation may change how you think about productivity.Follow Benjamin Carcich:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carcich/#IndieGameBusiness #GameDevelopment #GameProduction #IndieDev #StudioLeadership

Rob Carroll is back on IndieGameBusiness, but this time the conversation is very different.When Rob joined us previously, Roll Craft was building the studio and preparing for what came next. Now they’ve actually gone through the fundraising process, and Rob is coming back to talk about what really happened.VCs. Angel investors. Kickstarter. WeFunder. Community funding. They all offer different paths to getting your game funded, but choosing how to raise the money is only the beginning.What happens once your raise actually goes live?Rob joins us to talk about the realities of fundraising, from preparing your company and choosing the right funding approach to the constant work required once the campaign starts. Updates, emails, AMAs, webinars, community engagement, and keeping momentum alive all become part of the job.We’ll also get into what surprised him, what worked, what didn’t, the negatives developers should be prepared for, and the things he wishes more studio founders understood before starting a raise.If you’re thinking about raising money for your game or studio, this is a chance to hear from someone who just went through it.Follow Rob Carroll and Roll Craft:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rcarroll23/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rollcraft.gamesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rollcraft_adventure/#IndieGameBusiness #GameFunding #IndieDev #GameBusiness #RollCraft

Join Raven Law for “Learning by Landmines: Pitfalls & Strategies for Publishing” Publishing a game is full of unexpected challenges, especially when you're launching across multiple platforms. Drawing from firsthand experience shipping titles on a variety of storefronts, Raven shares the common obstacles that can derail a release, from changing platform requirements to last-minute surprises and competing priorities. This session offers practical lessons to help you anticipate problems, avoid costly mistakes, and navigate the publishing process with greater confidence.Live September 30th, 10am - 11am Eastern | YouTube - Twitch - LinkedIn#FYP #VirtualConference #IndieGameDev #IndieGames #GamesIndustry

Join Tara Voelker for “Make Accessibility a Selling Point: Storefronts, Tags, and Discovery” Players need to know if they can play your game before they buy it. Tara breaks down how Xbox, PlayStation, Steam, and the iOS App Store handle accessibility information, what players actually see, and how accurate feature details can support discovery and purchase decisions. You’ll also get a practical checklist for testing, tagging, and communicating your game’s accessibility across storefronts.Live September 30th, 11am - 12pm Eastern | YouTube - Twitch - LinkedIn#FYP #VirtualConference #IndieGameDev #IndieGames #GamesIndustry

Join Michael Brown for “Nobody Owes Your Game Attention – Why Good Games Still Fail” A great game isn’t enough if no one knows it exists. Michael explores why quality alone doesn’t guarantee success, covering market fit, positioning, launch timing, and store page conversion. Learn why building demand before release is essential and how thoughtful planning can give your game a better chance of standing out in a crowded marketplace.Live September 30th, 12pm - 1pm Eastern | YouTube - Twitch - LinkedIn#FYP #VirtualConference #IndieGameDev #IndieGames #GamesIndustry

Join Larry Kuperman and Grover Wimberly IV for “Your Game Needs to Be Everywhere: Distribution Channels” Releasing on a single storefront is no longer the right strategy for many games. Larry and Grover explore how developers can approach today's expanding distribution landscape, from Steam, Epic, and GOG to consoles and handheld platforms. Learn how to evaluate your options, manage the added complexity of multi-platform releases, and build a distribution strategy that reaches more players without overwhelming your team.Live September 30th, 1pm - 2pm Eastern | YouTube - Twitch - LinkedIn#FYP #VirtualConference #IndieGameDev #IndieGames #GamesIndustry

Join Alessandro Biollo, Nate Ahearn, and John Nguyen from Xsolla for “Multi Storefront Publishing” Publishing across multiple storefronts can open the door to more players, but it also brings new challenges around distribution, operations, and strategy. This roundtable discussion will explore the realities of multi storefront publishing, with industry perspectives on how teams can approach different platforms, manage the added complexity, and make smarter decisions about where and how to release their games.Live September 30th, 2pm - 3pm Eastern | YouTube - Twitch - LinkedIn#FYP #VirtualConference #IndieGameDev #IndieGames #GamesIndustry