‘Tis the season for… Scraping up those rotting pumpkins on your doorstep and wrapping your head around your festive video game marketing strategy. 

Marketing indie games can be overwhelming; then you add in the pressures of the holiday season and now you’re just a reindeer in headlights!

So Cake or Death has a festive guide that will help you get your video game into the hands of all the little good girls and boys (and hopefully the naughty ones too). 

Here’s to a surge in players and not having your steam sales drier than the Griswold’s turkey.

Calendar & Content Calendar

Scrambling for success is never a good strategy, especially during the holidays. Establish a schedule to make sure you hit all the critical deadlines. Whether it’s setting time aside to create content or reaching out to game editors, give yourself a chance to execute a successful holiday campaign.

We won’t judge you if you write your social posts after a couple of strong egg nogs; just remember to edit/post when sober! 

Add Festive Content

The Christmas sweater is a tried and true holiday tradition! Adding limited-time holiday-themed content is a great way to attract new and existing players. Create new skins, maps, events, levels, achievements, or toss in a couple of easter eggs and invite players to join the festivities. 
Create trailers/videos, share on social media, and send out newsletters to create buzz about your game.

The Holiday Special with Streamers

Who doesn’t love a festive special (and we don’t mean from Swiss Chalet, but we wouldn’t turn it down if you offered)? 

Join forces with influencers and content creators to create a holiday-themed stream. To incentivize viewers, get into the giving spirit with limited-time offers or exclusive giveaways during the stream

Submit to gift guides

There’s a gift guide for EVERYONE! Check out who’s covering gift guides for gamers, tech lovers, or if your game covers a specific niche–Ex. Developed a gardening sim? Look out for gardening-specific gift guides. 

Large magazine outlets will have crafted their list months ago, but online versions will have some wiggle room to sneak in, and content creators are just starting to post their holiday must-haves.

Giveaways & Contests

Did you know that heightened engagement translates into a willingness to purchase? The holiday season is the perfect time for developers to capitalize on this! So running a holiday-themed contest is a great way to engage players (and potential players). Create quirky contests and prizes (in-game or not) to get people excited about your game.

Demos! Demos! Demos!

Trailers and screenshots can only do so much. A playable demo is an essential tool for getting gamers to spend their hard-earned dollars. Many people up their hours on their consoles during the holidays, so this is a golden opportunity to entice them to try your game.

Multiplayer & Couch Co-op mode

Whose family doesn’t play games during the holidays? 

From Monopoly meltdowns to gathering everyone to watch Grandpa play Beat Saber, there is always some element of gaming going on. This is a great time to market your game’s couch co-Op mode (or add it).  And what about those who are trying to hide from their families? Remote gameplay offers the perfect escape from nagging parents, siblings, and that weird aunt.

holiday discounts & Bundles

Bring on the holiday sales! Black Friday kicks off the shopping season and by creating enticing discounts and bundles, you’re positioning your game as the perfect gift (or a sneaky holiday indulgence).

This can include merch, special edition items, sale price, and even partnering with other devs to bundle your games for an even better gift!

Now go forth and spread that holiday cheer… and news about your indie game!