How to promote game software?

[lx90007]

I have produced a game and it didn't sale well. I submitted it to huge number of download sites, including windows software download site and MAC OS download sites, and then sended press release by softpressrelease.com. What else should I do to promote my game?

[ChrisP]

What's the game? The best way to market it may well depend on the target audience.

Keep in mind that marketing isn't the only factor influencing sales (though from the sound of it you could be doing a lot more marketing). Maybe there's a different problem you've overlooked.

[Polycount Productions]

Take a look at how other games promoted (http://www.gameproducer.net/category/sales-statistics/). For example, Gish made $121K sales (http://www.gameproducer.net/2007/05/09/sales-stats-gish-121000-sales/) and used various ways to reach that point. They made patches to their game, used press releases (here's one distribution service (http://www.gamerelease.net)) among other things to make those sales.

There are lots of promotion ideas that you can find from these boards for example. Simply make a search about "marketing" or "promote" and you should find plenty of resources.

I would also suggest to take a look at the practical marketing category (http://www.gameproducer.net/category/practical-marketing/) on my blog. There's lots of free stuff that you can use to market & promote your game.

[Spore Man]

Online demo is a great way.

[Nikos Beck]

Which sites? What kinds of sites? Are these sites that promote games? Is there a front page to this site that has promoted you? Have you submitted it to publishers? Portals? A generic FTP that also provides linux utils for download isn't a good place to put a game.

If your game has a particular theme, find social groups that might like it. If it's a FPS, find clans of other FPS games to try it out. If it's a game about knitting, find knitting circles in your area and offer free demo's on CD at one of their meetings. Real-life distribution might be frustrating, but it offers feedback that an anonymous download site never will.