A Game Launch Is Not the End of the Story:
Many indie developers assume that a game’s fate is decided during launch week. If sales are slow or wishlists do not convert, the common belief is that the game is finished. Developers move on to the next project, leaving the original game behind.
The experience of Jo from JoGameDev tells a very different story.
During an episode of the IndieGameBusiness podcast hosted by Dan Long, Jo explained how his game Spellmasons found new life years after release. The game launched modestly, experienced slow sales, and appeared to settle into a quiet existence on Steam. Then something unexpected happened. Through deliberate marketing efforts, social media storytelling, and an understanding of how discovery works, the game experienced a surge in attention that dramatically increased sales.
The lesson is clear. A launch is only the beginning. If a game is good and developers are willing to learn how to reach players, interest can grow long after release.
This article explores the strategies Jo used to turn an aging indie title into a success and what other developers can learn from his experience.
The Early Days of Spellmasons:
Spellmasons began as a passion project inspired by tactical strategy games and spell combination mechanics. Development lasted years and the game launched with limited marketing preparation.
Jo started building Spellmasons roughly five years before the marketing breakthrough that changed its trajectory. His inspiration came from two games he loved. One was Into the Breach, a tactical strategy title built around small grid based battles. The other was Magicka, known for its chaotic spell combinations.
Jo wanted to combine those ideas into a tactical game where spells could interact in creative ways. The concept grew rapidly during development. What started as a small grid based prototype expanded into a larger physics driven system with complex spell interactions.
Development lasted two years while Jo worked a full time job. Most of the work happened during evenings and weekends. As the project neared completion, he decided to leave his job temporarily to finish the game and push it toward release.
However, marketing started very late.
Jo began promoting Spellmasons only about three months before launch. This limited the time available to build a following or gather wishlists. The game eventually launched with around ten to twelve thousand wishlists, helped by coverage from content creators such as Retromation and Splattercat Gaming.
Even with that support, launch week was stressful. Bugs appeared due to the complexity of the custom game engine and multiplayer systems. Jo spent long days releasing patches while trying to stabilize the game.
Despite the rocky start, players saw potential in the design and reviews remained positive. That early goodwill would later become extremely important.
The Long Quiet Period After Launch:
For several years Spellmasons continued receiving updates, but sales were modest and development returned to a part time effort.
After the initial release period, Spellmasons entered a phase familiar to many indie developers. The game generated occasional bursts of sales during discounts, but overall revenue was not enough to support full time development.
Jo returned to traditional work while continuing to update the game during spare time. For a while he released updates every month, slowly expanding the game with new content.
The player community remained active but small. Feedback from players helped identify bugs and inspired new features. The Discord server allowed direct conversations with players who cared deeply about the game.
Still, the broader gaming audience had not discovered Spellmasons.
Many developers might consider this stage the end of the road. Instead, Jo decided to examine the situation more carefully.
Identifying the Weakest Link:
A major shift occurred when Jo analyzed where his time was going and realized marketing had received almost no attention.
Jo asked himself a critical question.
Where could his effort create the biggest impact?
Up to that point, nearly all of his time had been spent improving the game itself. While improvements were valuable, they were unlikely to convince completely new players to discover the game. If people did not know Spellmasons existed, additional gameplay features would not change that.
The real weakness was exposure.
Jo realized that even a small improvement in marketing effort could dramatically increase visibility because the game had received so little promotion previously.
This realization changed everything.
The Short Form Content Experiment:
A challenge from a marketing focused friend led Jo to begin producing short videos daily. These videos eventually became the main driver of discovery.
In October of the year before Spellmasons experienced its sales surge, Jo accepted a challenge from a friend who worked in marketing.
The challenge was simple but demanding. Create short videos every day until Christmas.
Jo negotiated slightly and committed to producing five short videos per day across platforms such as TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram.
The workload was intense. Early videos were rough and attracted little attention. Editing even a forty second clip could take six hours while Jo learned the process.
But something important happened during this period. Jo began studying storytelling.
Instead of posting random gameplay clips, he started presenting small narratives about development decisions, character changes, or interesting gameplay interactions. These short stories gave viewers a reason to watch until the end.
Eventually several videos began gaining traction. Then one went viral on TikTok. Soon after, videos began spreading on Instagram and YouTube as well.
That sudden visibility created a chain reaction.
How Viral Content Triggered Steam Visibility:
Increased traffic from social media generated new sales which attracted attention from the Steam algorithm.
The viral videos did not only produce views. They generated real sales.
Steam pays close attention to revenue trends. When a game begins earning more money in a short period of time, the platform often increases visibility through store promotions.
After the social media spike, Jo received an unexpected message from Steam offering a Daily Deal promotion on the store homepage.
Daily Deals appear in a prominent location and reach millions of users. For an indie developer this exposure can be enormous.
Jo prepared carefully for the promotion by releasing a major update that added a new wizard class along with additional spells and mechanics. The update gave returning players a reason to revisit the game while also improving its appeal to new audiences.
The result exceeded expectations. Sales during the promotion were far stronger than previous events.
More importantly, the increased activity changed how Steam treated the game.
Jo described this as reaching what some developers call real Steam. Once the platform sees consistent demand, it continues recommending the game to more players.
Spellmasons had finally reached that stage years after launch.
The Three Pillars of Game Success:
Jo identified three major areas developers must evaluate when trying to grow their audience.
During the podcast conversation Jo explained a framework he uses to evaluate where effort should go. He divides the problem into three categories.
The game itself
The game must be genuinely enjoyable. Validation should come from players who have no personal connection to the developer. Honest feedback from strangers provides the clearest signal.
Presentation
Store page quality matters. Screenshots, trailers, logos, and descriptions must clearly communicate what the game offers. If potential players cannot quickly understand the genre or gameplay, many will leave without investigating further.
Exposure
Even a great game with excellent presentation cannot succeed if people never see it. Marketing, creator coverage, and social media are methods of placing the game in front of potential players.
When one of these areas falls behind the others, it becomes the most important place to focus effort.
For Spellmasons, exposure was the missing piece.
Why Storytelling Works for Game Marketing:
Short videos became effective when Jo shifted from simple clips to stories about development and design.
Many developers assume marketing means repeatedly showing gameplay footage.
Jo found that approach rarely holds attention.
Instead he framed each video as a small story. For example, rather than simply announcing a change to an enemy character, he explained the problem the character created during gameplay and how redesigning the ability improved the experience.
This structure triggers curiosity.
Viewers begin wondering why the change was necessary or how the solution works. That curiosity encourages them to continue watching.
The goal is not tricking viewers into clicking. It is giving them something interesting or entertaining during a short period of time.
Developers have a huge supply of stories because game development constantly involves solving problems, experimenting with mechanics, and adjusting designs based on player feedback.
Learning how to share those moments in an accessible format can turn development progress into compelling content.
The Role of Community During Development:
A small but dedicated community provided critical feedback and motivation throughout development.
The Spellmasons Discord server played an important role during the game’s growth.
While thousands of players joined the server over time, only a small percentage participated regularly. This is typical for most communities. A small group of dedicated fans often drives discussions and feedback.
Those players helped identify bugs, suggested new ideas, and even tested experimental changes. Their enthusiasm also motivated Jo during difficult development periods.
Watching someone stream the game for ten hours during launch week confirmed that the core concept resonated with players.
Direct conversations with fans allowed Jo to understand which features mattered most and which improvements would have the greatest impact.
Community feedback did not replace design decisions, but it provided valuable perspective.
Lessons for Indie Developers:
The Spellmasons story highlights several important lessons about long term success.
First, a game can grow years after release. If the game is enjoyable and continues receiving updates, renewed attention can transform its trajectory.
Second, marketing deserves the same level of dedication as development. Treating it as a secondary task limits a game’s potential audience.
Third, short form video content can reach massive audiences if it communicates clearly and tells a story that holds attention.
Fourth, algorithms respond to results. When social media traffic leads to increased sales, storefronts may amplify that success through additional visibility.
Finally, community interaction provides both technical feedback and emotional support. Developers who stay connected with their players often create stronger games.
Building the Next Project With These Lessons:
Jo is applying these insights to his next game by starting marketing earlier and launching the Steam page as soon as possible.
Jo’s new project titled Some of You May Die is already benefiting from lessons learned during the Spellmasons journey.
The Steam page was created early in development rather than waiting until the game was nearly complete. Even if the page begins with placeholder assets or early screenshots, it allows developers to collect wishlists immediately.
Jo also began producing short form marketing content far earlier in the development process.
Another advantage comes from technical experience. The new game uses systems developed for Spellmasons, allowing faster development because many complex problems were already solved.
Building multiple smaller games can accelerate learning and reduce development risk compared to focusing on a single massive project.
Anecdotes and Reflections:
The story of Spellmasons challenges a common assumption in indie development. A slow launch does not mean failure.
With persistence, thoughtful marketing, and consistent updates, a game can reach players long after release. Visibility often depends less on timing and more on how effectively developers communicate what makes their game interesting.
For indie creators, the message is encouraging.
If players enjoy the experience and developers continue learning how to reach their audience, the opportunity for success remains open long after launch day.
Want more insights like this?:
Join us for our IndieGameBusiness Deep Dive, taking place on May 27th from 9am – 5pm Eastern or hop into the IndieGameBusiness® Discord to connect with Jo and other industry pros.
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