What download sites to submit to? (Windows)

[ActionSoftGuy]

I've just finished porting my Mac game Midnight Mansion HD over to Windows. I'm well aware of what Mac sites you want to submit to when you're finished with a product (download.com, macupdate.com, macgamefiles.com, etc.) but what sites are good to hit for a Windows product?

I've already submitted to upload.com, and will hit brothersoft.com and tucows.com next. Any others I should be sure to submit to?

[Tobias]

It will most likely not bring you any significant sales, so don't spend too much time on it.

[jcottier]

download.com, macupdate.com, macgamefiles.com, etc.

I am very interested by your etc... I have few Mac games but I am wondering what to do with them... apart from the Mac App Store.

thanks

JC

[ActionSoftGuy]

I am very interested by your etc... I have few Mac games but I am wondering what to do with them... apart from the Mac App Store.
JC

I guess there aren't too many others. Softpedia, Tucows, and Brothersoft are other options, but none of them have brought many downloads.

Back in 2005, when I first released Midnight Mansion, download sites brought *tons* of downloads and traffic. Nowadays, nearly nothing. Is getting on portals the only way to sell anymore?

What should an independent gamer pursue in terms of marketing, other than sending out press releases and hoping to get reviews? Even reviews, once published, last only a short while, then disappear off the front pages. How do you get traffic/exposure after that point?

[ActionSoftGuy]

Tobias, what would you recommend for getting a lot of traffic, if the downloads sites (as I believe you correctly pointed out) don't bring much?

[NighteySenpai]

For Mac, Why Not try GarageGames? I heard they have a good Mac User following. How about try selling on your own site as well? Advertise your game on Tigsource/Forums, here and a couple of other indie sites? Try getting on as many game portals as possible, That's the only way to sell. Brothersoft,softpedia TBH aren't the place where I would visit to buy a game.

[Pacmanwitz]

Focus on app stores:

Mac App Store

Bodega (http://appbodega.com)

Mac Games Arcade (www.macgamesarcade.com)

Steam
(http://store.steampowered.com/browse/mac)

[Jack Norton]

Lol "focus on app stores". Worst advice I've ever heard.

[Applewood]

For you maybe. Works for me and a lot of others. And it's certainly a better option for someone with no marketing skills.

[Jack Norton]

I'm only questioning "focus on appstores" as the best/single reply to the question "how I can sell more on MAC". That's it, and listing Steam is quite funny since you need to be "THE CHOSEN ONE" to get on it (as you well know). Anyway, next year will try to have games on the various iOS/Android appstores too!

[Applewood]

Even I can see that it's not the only way, but saying to someone with no marketing skills/established clientelle that focusing on the appstore is the worst advice imagineable just isn't right.

The other alternative is to put a link to it on your own website, presumably to which nobody visits, so no sales are going to result. The best way to kick off a market presence is surely to get into a market that millions of people already know about. Maybe later you can tempt them away to your own direct sales, but starting out that way is going to require far more time and money and still some luck.

Affiliation will bring in about 70% from other more visible devs, but that's just like going on an appstore too. Only a smaller one.

I agree that "get on Steam" is good advice in a general case, but not to someone trying to make a business plan. Anyone would do well if they get on it, but the gatekeepers seem random enough that you can't build a business around the need for it.

[cliffski]

You really need to have a link in your sig. People who run pc game websites reading this thread have no easy way to quickly check the quality of your game.