posts
A practical indie game failure case study on Yogventures, covering influencer-backed crowdfunding, inexperienced production, licensing expectations, sandbox scope, and accountability after cancellation.
A practical long-form product case study on Phasmophobia, covering solo-to-studio growth, streamer legibility, proximity voice, evidence loops, co-op fear, early access updates, console expansion, and why a rough ghost-hunting product became huge.
A practical product case study on Kenshi, covering long solo-led development, harsh sandbox positioning, player-authored goals, faction systems, Steam long tail, sequel pressure, and why Lo-Fi Games turned opacity into part of the fantasy.
A practical indie game failure case study on Limit Theory, covering solo development burnout, procedural scope, Kickstarter pressure, engine work, and the danger of being the only bottleneck.
A practical product case study on Lethal Company, covering solo development, co-op horror, proximity voice, quota pressure, streamer readability, update cadence, and why Zeekerss created a social product rather than only a monster game.
A practical long-form product case study on Prison Architect, covering alpha funding, readable simulation, moral framing, failure cascades, regime design, contraband systems, modding, Paradox acquisition, and the lessons behind Introversion's management hit.
A practical indie game failure case study on Woolfe: The Red Hood Diaries, covering Kickstarter scope growth, commercial underperformance, physical rewards, cash flow, and studio bankruptcy.
A practical long-form product case study on Subnautica, covering early access worldbuilding, non-gun survival, fear gradients, biome design, vehicles, base building, narrative restraint, and why underwater exploration became a durable product.
A practical product case study on Hades, covering Early Access, repeatable narrative, combat readability, character retention, premium polish, platform timing, and why Supergiant made roguelike repetition emotionally productive.
A practical indie game failure case study on Ant Simulator, covering partner risk, crowdfunding trust, LLC structure, money controls, and why creative teams still need boring governance.
A practical long-form product case study on Kerbal Space Program, covering physics literacy, early access, mod culture, failure loops, creator education, NASA-adjacent credibility, and why a hard simulation became a beloved indie sandbox.
A practical indie game failure case study on The Stomping Land, covering Early Access trust, Kickstarter expectations, team communication, survival-game scope, and the cost of going quiet.
A practical product case study on Terraria, covering sandbox positioning, content compounding, platform reach, update trust, community expectations, and how Re-Logic kept a small 2D game commercially alive for more than a decade.
A practical product case study on RimWorld, covering story-generator positioning, AI storytellers, Early Access, modding, DLC, premium pricing, console expansion, and why Ludeon built a durable colony-sim product.
A practical indie game success case study on Celeste, covering game jam prototyping, movement feel, difficulty design, narrative alignment, team focus, and how small mechanics became a complete game.
A practical product case study on The Stanley Parable, covering mod-to-commercial transition, narrator-driven design, choice illusion, demo strategy, Steam Greenlight, Ultra Deluxe expansion, and the lessons behind Galactic Cafe's narrative hit.
A practical product case study on Dead Cells, covering combat feel, Early Access, content cadence, platform expansion, studio structure, DLC strategy, and the product risks of ending a beloved live-supported game.
A practical product case study on Hyper Light Drifter, covering Kickstarter scope, wordless narrative, combat feel, health-inspired worldbuilding, visual identity, delay risk, and the product lessons behind Heart Machine's debut.
A practical indie game failure-and-recovery case study on No Man's Sky, covering hype, communication debt, missing expectations, post-launch repair, and the discipline required to rebuild trust.
A practical product case study on Don't Starve, covering beta learning, survival pacing, seasonal pressure, art direction, spoilage, community feedback, expansion strategy, and how Klei built a durable survival product.