The Pros and Cons of Releasing a Game on the MY.GAMES Store — Watt Studio, Creators of One Day More

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Given the restrictions faced by users of Steam and other foreign digital distribution platforms, Russian developers are increasingly turning to local services. Currently, one of the attractive alternatives is the VK Play platform, which offers a variety of opportunities for developers and gamers. VK Play provides access to a wide range of games, as well as convenient tools for publishing and promoting content. This makes it an important element in the digital distribution ecosystem in Russia.

Brief information about the topic.

For a successful game release on the service, a number of conditions must be met. First of all, it is important to ensure high-quality game content, which includes graphics, sound, and gameplay. It is also necessary to have a clear and attractive concept that will appeal to the target audience.

The next step is optimizing the game for various platforms, which will ensure its availability to a wide audience. An equally important aspect is a marketing strategy that will help attract attention to the game and increase its visibility in the market.

In addition, it is worth considering legal aspects, such as copyrights and licenses, to avoid potential legal issues. Finally, it is necessary to prepare user support to ensure a positive experience for players and promptly resolve any issues that arise.

Compliance with all these conditions significantly increases the chances of a successful game launch on the service.

• the presence of a legal entity;
• the availability of rights to the game;
• the content must not violate the laws of the country in which it will be distributed;
• the existence of a stable build;
• localization for a key region (otherwise, the number of impressions in the store will decrease).

The platform commission is 5%. This percentage is applied to all transactions, ensuring the stability and reliability of the service. Thus, users can be assured of the transparency of financial transactions and a high level of service.

A quick reference is a concise information on a specific topic that allows you to quickly familiarize yourself with the key aspects. It is important that such a reference is clear and concise, while retaining all the necessary details. It can include key facts, definitions, statistics, and other relevant data that will help the reader better understand the subject of discussion. A quick reference is often used in scientific articles, reports, and online resources, providing access to important information in a convenient format. Proper formatting and structuring of such a reference helps improve indexing in search engines, increasing content visibility and facilitating its discovery.

Successful game release on the service requires several requirements. First, it's crucial to ensure the game meets the platform's technical requirements, including compatibility with the required devices and operating systems. Second, it's essential to provide high-quality content, including graphics, sound, and gameplay that promotes a positive user experience. It's also essential to test the game for bugs and errors to ensure its stable operation. Equally important is a marketing strategy that will help attract the target audience and increase the game's visibility on the service. Compliance with these conditions will increase the chances of a successful launch and the popularity of your game among users.

• the presence of a legal entity;
• possession of rights to the game;
• the content must not violate the laws of the country in which it will be distributed;
• the existence of a stable build;
• localization for a key region (otherwise, the number of impressions in the store will decrease).

The platform commission is 5%. This is the percentage that is withheld from each transaction carried out on our platform. This commission size allows us to maintain a high quality of service and ensure the smooth operation of the system. We strive to provide users with the best conditions for trading and cooperation, which makes our platform attractive to all market participants.

The platform offers a variety of free-to-play games, including shooters, MMORPGs, and browser-based projects. In recent months, there has been growth in the paid games segment thanks to releases from indie developers. Here you'll find both old and new games, among which the adventure platformer One Day More, released on May 16th, stands out. This game brings fresh ideas and interesting gameplay, making it attractive to users seeking quality content.

We reached out to Polina Berezina, Product Manager at Watt Studio, the studio behind One Day More, to find out how successful the app's placement on the VK store has been. Polina shared the team's opinion on the impact of such placement on the visibility and popularity of the project, as well as its effectiveness in attracting the target audience.

The Product Manager at Watt Studio is responsible for the strategic management of products, including their Development, implementation, and optimization. The primary responsibility is to analyze customer and market needs to create competitive solutions. This specialist collaborates with the development, design, and marketing teams to ensure successful product launches and the achievement of business goals. An important aspect of the job is monitoring product performance and making necessary adjustments based on user feedback and analytical data. The product manager plays a key role in shaping the product strategy, which allows Watt Studio to remain a leader in its field.

We began considering VK Play for the release of One Day More after the situation with international digital distribution services became more challenging. This move was driven by a desire to adapt to new market conditions and utilize local platforms that provide reliable access to our game for a wide audience. VK Play provides an excellent opportunity for developers seeking to successfully launch projects in the changing digital landscape.

Every developer strives to place their game on the largest international gaming marketplace, which is Steam today. Our team also shared this goal. We viewed the VK Play launch as merely an additional audience acquisition channel that could support our main release on Steam.

A game always remains an important product that requires implementation, regardless of external circumstances. During the crisis, we quickly adapted to the new conditions, changing our strategy and focusing on domestic platforms. This provides us with a unique opportunity to introduce our adventure to Russian players and strengthen our ties with the local audience.

Game developers are actively looking for opportunities to enter foreign markets. In particular, they create legal entities in other countries and use intermediaries to register accounts to avoid sanctions. However, you chose a different approach—releasing your game on the VK Play platform. What factors influenced this decision?

After analyzing the market and distribution options, we concluded that VK Play is currently the largest gaming platform in Russia. The platform is actively developing and attracting new users. Previously, the store predominantly featured F2P games, primarily MMORPGs. However, VK Play is now actively expanding its product range, including single-player indie games. This circumstance influenced our decision, as it indicates the potential for player growth over time. In turn, this creates conditions for increased demand for our game.

One of the key advantages of the platform is its low commission rate, only 5% of sales. This aspect is especially important for indie developers, as a small percentage of royalties helps quickly recoup development costs and allows for a faster transition to profitability. Low commissions create a more favorable environment for launching and developing projects, making the platform attractive to aspiring and independent game developers.

I have experience interacting with representatives of various platforms. During these interactions, I actively used various communication channels, such as email, chats, and phone calls. My approach was to clearly and concisely present questions and suggestions, which facilitated quick responses and effective resolution of any issues that arose. I always strived for constructive dialogue, which allowed me to build trusting relationships with platform representatives and ensure high-quality service. This experience helped me better understand their processes and expectations, and also provided the opportunity to make suggestions for improving interactions.

VK Play stands out from other platforms thanks to its high level of interaction with developers. This has been a significant advantage for us. During my work, I had many questions regarding the functionality of the developer account and the process of publishing a game on the platform. All our inquiries were answered promptly and thoroughly, making our work much easier.

VK Play surpasses foreign platforms in terms of developer support. While technical support on foreign services can go unanswered for weeks, VK Play employees actively engage with developers, demonstrating an interest in new games and the development of their platform. This creates a positive impression and trust in the service.

When registering a game on a platform such as Steam, Startup fees may be required. These fees vary by platform and may include various fees, such as publishing or licensing. Before registering, it is recommended that you carefully read the terms of each platform to understand any potential financial obligations. Proper preparation and understanding of all the nuances will help avoid unexpected costs and simplify the process of publishing your game.

In our situation, there is no practice of charging additional fees, and I hope they will not be introduced. I believe this undermines the core idea of ​​interaction between the platform, developers, and players. However, based on the experience of large international stores, it can be seen that at a certain point such a measure becomes necessary. The quality of content on the platform must remain high, even as the number of games grows. The optimal solution to this problem may be small fees, which provide distributors with confidence that developers are responsible for the quality of their products. This will help maintain a high content standard and ensure better interaction between all market participants.

The platform offers special terms for indie developers, which may vary depending on the project's chosen monetization system. These terms may include reduced commissions, access to marketing resources, and community support. Developers can choose from various monetization models, such as game sales, subscriptions, or in-game purchases, which affects the terms of cooperation. Thus, indie developers have the opportunity to tailor their projects to the most favorable terms based on their needs and monetization strategies.

Based on our experience, we can say that the offer agreement is standard for all games and is very professionally drafted. Our lawyers carefully reviewed it, and no clauses that could raise concerns were identified. The agreement does not contain any mention of special terms for projects of other formats. This confirms the high quality and reliability of the proposed terms.

There are several types of these agreements, but during the development of the page for One Day More, we were not presented with alternative options.

Some platforms strictly monitor the quality of content. For example, indie games undergo rigorous moderation on the Epic Games Store. The selection criteria on VK Play are also relevant. It is important to understand whether there is internal testing to verify the functionality of game builds before they are released to users.

VK pays attention to the quality of content on its platform. During the registration process, developers fill out legal and payment information, after which the description and promotional materials are evaluated. A key step is uploading distributions, including the build and in-game content. All the necessary instructions for filling out forms are available in the developer's account. If questions arise, it is recommended to contact support for assistance.

After filling out all the required fields and carefully checking each item, the developer should gather their strength and click the "Publish" button. Next, the platform team begins the wait for the marketing materials and game build to be reviewed and approved. This process can take approximately five business days, which can create tension, especially if the release is scheduled for a specific date.

Currently, the platform lacks the ability to create a page without uploading a game build. Adding this feature would significantly simplify the moderation process, allowing it to be completed in several stages. This would improve the user experience and enhance the quality of content on the platform.

The developer dashboard is an essential tool for web development and programming professionals. Its usability directly impacts developer productivity. It's important that the interface is intuitive, and access to the necessary resources and tools is quick and easy. A well-organized dashboard allows developers to focus on their tasks, minimizing the time spent searching for information or setting up the environment. It's also worth noting that high-quality documentation and user support significantly improve the usability of the developer dashboard. Thus, the convenience of the developer's office plays a key role in increasing the productivity and quality of programmers' work.

The platform has a clear, simple, and accessible interface, making it more intuitive than Steam. However, as with any system, errors can occur. For example, we encountered an issue where the correct localized versions of texts did not load immediately. Furthermore, to replace an image, it was necessary to first delete the old one, then click the "Save" button, refresh the page, and only then upload the new file.

Minor shortcomings were fully compensated for by the rapid response of technical support staff, who provided assistance in resolving all issues that arose in near real time. The platform specialists also assisted in enabling new functionality that was not yet available to users. This approach deserves respect and underscores the desire not only to attract developers to the platform but also to create a truly comfortable working environment for them.

F2P projects on the VK Play platform have significant communities of players. Indie developers can create their own community on this platform using various tools for interacting with the audience. Building an active community requires regular interaction with players, organizing events, and an active social media presence. This will help the developer not only attract attention to their project but also build a loyal audience willing to support an indie game. The right approach to community building can significantly increase player engagement and contribute to the project's success.

There's currently a great opportunity for developers. One Day More is a paid game with an active community. Developers can publish news and contest announcements in multiple languages ​​directly from their dashboard. All the necessary tools are located in one section, significantly simplifying the process and saving time.

Your game is currently available at a 58% discount and will remain at this reduced price until July 16th. The game normally retails for 1,200 rubles. The high price may be off-putting to the average player, given the game's format and genre. Is this your personal assessment of the product's value, or is this a price requirement set by the platform?

VK Play does not participate in the pricing and discount systems for games, as this is entirely up to the developers. Specifically, the game One Day More has a standard price, which corresponds to the price in foreign currencies. This price was determined by our studio based on an analysis of pricing policies in the indie game segment. We strive to offer competitive terms that align with market trends.

After July 16, we will analyze the statistics and may adjust the discounts for Russian players upward or downward. One of the advantages of our platform is the ability to customize discounts for each region, which allows us to more effectively attract an audience. Currently, there are no changes in discounts for Western players.

There are Are there seasonal, new release, or genre-specific discount arrangements? The issue of discounts in the context of different periods and product types is relevant for many shoppers. Many companies and stores offer seasonal discounts that can vary depending on the time of year, such as sales for holidays or special events. Discounts on new releases are also possible to draw attention to fresh products. Genre-specific discounts can also be part of marketing strategies, where certain product categories, such as films, games, or books, are offered at reduced prices to stimulate interest. It's important to stay informed about such offers to take advantage of the opportunity to save on purchases.

Currently, VK Play does not offer special promotions dedicated to specific game genres. However, it is confident that such events will appear in the future. Organizing a discount system will be an important step in attracting a wider audience to shopping. Given the growing number of indie games on the platform, holding a themed festival for independent developers could significantly contribute to the development of this segment.

One Day More's VK Play page shows that this game has become a flagship among indie projects from Russian developers. It's important to understand how actively the service participates in marketing initiatives and supports the promotion of indie games on its platform. VK Play demonstrates significant efforts in creating conditions for the successful promotion of unique games, which contributes to the development of the indie sector in Russia. This attention to indie developers creates opportunities for their growth and audience engagement, which, in turn, strengthens the platform's position in the video game market.

Being first is always nice, but it's not always easy. VK Play's audience, accustomed to free games, is not always eager to switch to original indie games. We were able to feature our game on the platform's main page, and this process is taking place in two stages. The first stage occurs at the time of release, and the second, most active, is scheduled for mid-June. Therefore, we aim to first warm up the audience's interest and then engage them with targeted advertising focused on active platform users. This will help us effectively increase visibility and interest in our indie game.

Promotion can be a useful tool for attracting attention to your product or service, but its effectiveness depends on many factors. Advertising on other platforms, such as social media, search engines, or specialized sites, can provide a more targeted audience and better interaction with potential customers. It is important to keep in mind that each platform has its own characteristics and target audience. For maximum effectiveness, it is recommended to combine various promotion methods, including promotions and advertising campaigns on other platforms. This integrated approach allows for increased reach and a higher likelihood of successful conversion.

Promoting a game solely on one platform is not an effective solution. A comprehensive approach is required, including engaging users from social media, as well as collaborating with streamers and bloggers. All of these channels together provide the necessary traffic, which contributes to successful game sales. To achieve maximum results, it is important to use a variety of promotion methods and actively engage with the target audience.

Promoting a game abroad requires a special approach and strategy. Success depends on understanding the cultural characteristics and preferences of the target audience in each country. It's important to adapt marketing materials to local languages ​​and consider local trends. Using digital platforms such as social media and gaming forums will help increase the game's visibility. It's also worth considering collaborating with local influencers and bloggers to attract attention to the product. Effective promotion requires ongoing market analysis and adapting the strategy based on the results.

We are currently focused on the Russian audience and are planning an international release with a large-scale marketing campaign in early 2023. As this date approaches, we will share information about our selected promotional channels. It is already safe to say that advertising activity will increase severalfold, which will allow us to significantly expand our reach and attract new users.

VK Play may offer temporary exclusivity for the game. This allows developers to gain additional benefits, such as increased visibility and a larger audience. Temporary exclusivity can be a strategic move for attracting users and generating interest in the game. This approach can also strengthen the collaboration between developers and the platform, providing support for promotion and marketing.

Formally, the platform does not set strict conditions, but currently, access to our game is possible exclusively through VK Play. This decision was made to test the capabilities of both our team and the rapidly developing Russian service.

We are interested in the possibility of working with other Russian platforms. This allows us to expand our range of solutions and tailor our approaches to customer needs. Researching domestic platforms opens up new horizons and helps improve service quality. We are ready to consider various options to offer our clients the most effective and relevant solutions on the market.

We hadn't previously focused on this topic, but after the recent release, several Russian services, including 4Game, contacted us. We are currently in active negotiations. If the negotiations are successful, the number of platforms for distributing One Day More could increase significantly this year. We strive to expand our market presence and provide players with more opportunities to access our product.

One Day More was released very recently, and it's difficult to make final conclusions and forecasts. However, can you share your experience working with VK Play at this stage?

Experience interacting with the platform and its employees has been a significant advantage. Their active support at every stage of development has proven extremely helpful for the initial release. If the service continues to pursue this strategy, we can expect a dramatic increase in the number of original games within a year.

In the future, we'd like to see more events and opportunities on VK Play to engage the target audience with projects like One Day More. Currently, it's hard to imagine World of Warships fans being drawn to an original indie game about a girl's quest to achieve her dream. Successfully promoting indie games requires creating engaging events that engage players and broaden their horizons. This will not only help increase sales but also foster a community around unique gaming ideas.

The results of the second stage of the VK Play advertising campaign are already generating interest, and we look forward to their publication.

Indie developers looking to sell their games through VK Play should consider several important aspects. First, you need to create unique and engaging content that will make your game stand out from similar projects. This includes high-quality graphics, an engaging storyline, and thoughtful gameplay.

Second, it's important to optimize your game description and keywords for search engines. This will help increase your project's visibility and attract more users. Use relevant keywords that potential players might enter into search engines.

It's also worth actively engaging with the player community. Create pages on social media, share development news, and collect feedback. This will help build a loyal audience and increase interest in your project.

Also, don't forget about marketing strategies. Consider running promotions, contests, and other events that could attract attention to your game.

Finally, carefully study the VK Play platform to understand its features and requirements. This will help you optimally tailor your game to user needs and increase your chances of success.

Be prepared for the fact that you won't have ready-made wishlists at the beginning, and the launch of sales will only be the starting point. After the game's release, you will need to put significant effort into attracting attention to your project and receiving positive reviews. Effective promotion strategies and active audience engagement will help your project stand out from the competition and achieve success.

Attracting and retaining a loyal audience becomes an important task after the product's release. This approach may seem unconventional, but given the responsiveness of the platform's staff and its active development, positive results will not be long in coming. Effective user engagement strategies and continuous service improvement will help build a strong, loyal customer base.

As a parting word for indie developers, I want to emphasize that the path to achieving goals is always filled with exciting adventures. This path requires perseverance, creativity, and a willingness to embrace new challenges. Every stage of development is an opportunity for growth and self-improvement. Don't be afraid to experiment and share your ideas with the world. Your efforts and passion for creating unique projects will definitely lead to success.

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