An audio version can be found here 👇
Usually when you read an article these days for the specific reason of finding an answer for something, it will have you scroll all the way through waffle and finally lead you to why you clicked, right at the end. If you're lucky that answer will be useful and not a generic jumble of words with no real guidance. So instead of making you scroll I'll just make you read that paragraph above and give you the quick answer.
✨If an event has a Steam store placement then it is worth your time and will help boost your games.✨
If an event does not then no one but you can determine its value in terms of networking or having direct human interaction with your game to help with playtesting and gauging general interest.
I'm going to focus this time on how to determine the value of participating in an event when your goal is purely KPI based - you want wishlists and followers to increase.
Times are tough at the moment, as much as they have ever been, but money needs an extra careful rethink when it comes to distributing it in a way that maximises value and ROI.
Events charge a chunky amount for you to have space for setting up your game. Then you have to factor in whether that price includes equipment. Are you getting access to WIFI? Do you have to bring your own chairs, monitors or is that an additional cost? Then you have to pay separately for branded materials, banners and merchandise. People will be needed and unfortunately they need transport, a place to sleep and snacks. Maybe even water if they're fussy.
In order for events to justify their cost in these post-lockdown days they need to offer a means of expanding the reach and engagement opportunities for your game.
That's where Steam comes into it. Also I'm sorry if I made you come all this way and you're focused on mobile or wanting this answer to be tailored to non-PC platforms. It makes the whole intro hypocritical, please forgive me.
This image has a purpose in the next paragraph I swear
Steam is not just a place where people can buy your games, it's a hungry little goblin that needs feeding and the more you feed it the better your chances are of having increased wishlist numbers (which translate to sales but the numbers there are a whole different barrel of capybaras). How you feed it is an entirely different post but also one that can be broken down into points that don't eat your time. One way is the topic we're on about here.
If you leave Steam hungry then sure it might just roam the land, find food by itself and then share the nutrients with you....this analogy is getting a bit wild now. Let's me reign it back and put it simply.
✨The more you do with Steam, the more Steam will do for your game. ✨
If an event partners with Steam for a front store showcase, it will offer more value towards your games success.
Being at an in person event has its values but that is still an isolated place and you are relying on the hope that foot traffic will be substantial. You're also relying that even if there's a good turn out of people playing your game at this event that they then remember to manually look your game up and wishlist it on Steam. Now the scenario we want is that while all that is going on, the event is partnered with Steam allowing for the entire planet Earth (give or take because I don't know what Steams traffic data is like for Antarctica) to see your game.
It will be part of a promotional section and get exposure that it may not receive on any given day because there are a lot of games out there. What's bigger than a chunky amount...a hefty chonkerific amount.
You will have people playing the game in-sitsu and gleaming many useful insights and having hopefully positive interactions while people who are nowhere near the venue or have an interest in attending events for their own reasons will also be able to check out a demo and easily click buttons allowing them to keep up to date and be poised to purchase upon paunch.
While the point of this post was to condense the question of whether you should join an event purely with the goal of increasing exposure of your game and allowing for a shorter user journey to slapping a wishlist button, it's also here as a hint to event organisers.
You need to make money too, that's understandable but you increase the value of what you're offering game creators and especially indie developers who are not swimming in AAA marketing cash wads, by doing something that in all fairness isn't that tricky. Maybe Steam aren't able to tee up with your event for various reasons but it is more likely that they will be able to pair with you and there's no harm in trying.
Please don't blacklist me from your events because of this not-at-all-spicy hot take.
✨It all leads to more eyes and more clickity clicks which benefits all involved. ✨
Cheers for reading!
Claire