This is second of ten essays contained within the second issue of the Adult Analysis Anthology, an experimental collection of longform writing that seeks to expand the breadth of critical discourse around adult games and adult game culture. I will be re-publishing the web versions of all essays from the first two issues of the anthology to this blog over the course of the next few months, but if you’d like to support the creation of more high-quality writing about adult games the full anthology is available for purchase on Itch! Anthology logo by Pillow!
Written By: raginghadron
Time and time again while browsing adult games, I see store page after store page with bad marketing copy; bad enough that it actually obstructs the process of deciding whether or not to buy or try a game. This sucks from the perspective of a consumer, and it’s also gotta suck from the perspective of a developer.
It doesn’t have to be this way. I’ve seen indie developers talk about struggling with marketing, and I can totally understand how it can seem difficult from the outside, but it isn’t something that’s out of reach, even for an indie developer with no budget.
I used to work as an editor for marketing copy; I wouldn’t go so far as to call myself a marketing expert, but pointing out flaws in marketing copy (and suggesting ways to fix them) was part of my job.
In this article, I want to use that experience to help you market your adult game. This isn’t about advertising or social media campaigns, but about the fundamental way you describe your game to potential buyers. Specifically, I’m going to focus on what goes on a game’s store page, but this information should generalize well to any other forms of marketing you choose to do.
Continue reading “Don’t Play Coy: Marketing Advice For Adult Game Devs”