Launch guide
How to launch an indie game on Steam
By Launch Tavern. Published . Short notes for mobile and console at the end.
A good launch is mostly preparation you can do months before release day: a store page that explains your game in seconds, tags that put it in front of the right players, and a short list of people who actually cover games like yours. Here is the plan we use, step by step, with links to the official documentation so you can check every rule yourself.
1. Put your Coming Soon page up early
Your Steam store page is where wishlists happen, and wishlists only start once the page is public. Valve requires new products to have a Coming Soon page up for at least two weeks before release, and recommends publishing it as soon as you are ready to talk publicly about your game (Steamworks: Coming Soon). The same page notes that there does not appear to be a strong downside to having a store page up long before release, as long as the game does not change a lot in the meantime.
Two practical details that catch people out:
- Budget time for review. Valve reviews your store page before it can go live. Review typically takes 3 to 5 business days, and Valve asks you to submit at least 7 business days before you want the page public (Steamworks: Review Process).
- Pay the Steam Direct fee early. Each new app needs a $100 USD app credit, which is recoupable once the product reaches $1,000 in adjusted gross revenue (Steamworks: Steam Direct Fee). It is a small step, but it gates everything else.
Going public early also turns on your Community Hub, so you have a place to post announcements and a home for player discussion before launch.
2. Write store copy that explains the loop
Most indie store pages describe a mood. Players decide on mechanics. Before you write anything, try to finish this sentence: "You play as ___, you spend most of your time ___, and it is different because ___." If you cannot, your short description will not do it either.
- Short description: lead with what the player does, then the hook. Save lore for the long description.
- Long description: a short opening paragraph, then a scannable list of features. Use animated GIFs or section headers if they help, but keep each claim concrete.
- Only describe what ships. Valve's review checks that the page only shows features and content that will be available at launch, that screenshots show actual gameplay rather than concept art or marketing text, and that capsule images include a readable title or logo (Steamworks: Review Process).
Check the current capsule and screenshot sizes in the Steamworks graphical assets documentation before you commission art. They change from time to time, and resizing a finished capsule rarely looks as good as designing for the right shape.
3. Treat tags as targeting, not decoration
Tags decide which browse pages, recommendations and "More Like This" shelves your game can appear in. According to Valve, a game needs at least 5 tags before launch, up to 20 are recommended, and only the top 20 are visible and used for visibility (Steamworks: Steam Tags).
The same documentation makes three points worth acting on:
- Order matters. Your top 5 tags are used to describe your game, and some store filters prioritize the first 15, so sort by relevance.
- Specific beats generic. Some recommendation algorithms weigh less common tags more heavily. "Action" tells Steam very little; a specific sub-genre tells it a lot.
- Study your neighbors. Look at the tags on three games you would honestly compare yours to. If your tag profile overlaps with theirs, you are more likely to appear next to them.
Remove tags that are wrong, even if they are popular. A horror game tagged as family friendly reaches players who will bounce, and that does not help anyone.
4. Plan a demo around Steam Next Fest
Steam Next Fest is a multi-day event where players try demos of upcoming games. The rules are simple but strict: your base game store page must be public, you need a publicly playable demo by the start of the fest, the game must not release before the fest ends, and each game can take part in only one Next Fest (Steamworks: Steam Next Fest). That last rule is the important one: choose your edition on purpose.
Valve's own Next Fest tips are worth reading in full. A few we always pass on:
- Release the demo in time for the press preview, when Valve shares the participant list with press outlets ahead of the event.
- Put a feedback link on the demo's main menu, and say on screen if and when the demo will be turned off.
- Add the demo button to your base game's store page so players can find it.
- Practice live streaming on your store page a few times before the event.
5. Build a small, accurate outreach list
Emailing 500 addresses scraped from an old spreadsheet is a good way to spend a weekend and hear nothing back. A list of 20 to 30 creators and sites who covered your genre recently is far more useful. For each one, write down a link to a recent video or article that shows why they are a fit. That link is the first line of your pitch.
Keep the pitch short:
- A subject line that says what the game is, for example "Cozy farming roguelike, demo out now".
- One sentence on why you are writing to them.
- Two or three sentences on the game, a trailer link, the release date and a Steam key or demo link.
- A press kit link with logos, capsule art, screenshots and a fact sheet.
Send pitches a few weeks before launch so creators have time to schedule coverage, then one polite follow-up. Nobody owes you coverage, and a respectful pitch keeps the door open for your next game.
6. Prepare launch week before launch week
Launch day is busy, so the work you can do in advance should be done in advance:
- Social posts: draft 5 to 7 posts covering the announcement, a gameplay clip, a behind-the-scenes moment, a thank-you, and a reminder later in the week.
- Trailer: show the core loop in the first few seconds. Players decide fast, and a long logo sequence wastes the moment you have their attention.
- Release checklist: build review passed, price set, review copies sent, day-one patch notes written, store page assets final, community hub announcement drafted.
- Release on time. When you press release, Steam emails the people who have your game on their wishlist (Steamworks: Coming Soon). Make sure the store page those players land on is the best version of it.
Your build also goes through review before release. Valve checks that the game starts properly on the operating systems you list and that features on the store page are in the build, and asks you to plan for at least 7 business days (Steamworks: Review Process).
7. Do not forget itch.io
itch.io is a good home for demos, jam versions and early builds, and many players discover games there before they ever wishlist on Steam. The itch.io creator documentation covers setting up a project page. Reuse your Steam copy as a starting point, but write tags for itch.io's own audience rather than copying them across.
Launching on mobile and console
The same principles apply everywhere: explain the loop quickly, show real gameplay, and target the right players. The details differ by store.
App Store
Your app name and subtitle are each limited to 30 characters, keywords to 100 characters, and promotional text (170 characters) can be updated at any time without submitting a new version (Apple: Creating your product page). Apple also advises against stuffing keywords into your description and against using competitor names in keywords.
Google Play
The short description has an 80 character limit and is the first text people see on your listing. Google recommends describing what makes your game unique and avoiding words like "Best" or "#1" and calls to action like "download now" (Play Console Help: preview assets). The same page covers feature graphic, screenshot and preview video requirements.
Switch, PlayStation and Xbox
Console stores require developer approval before you can ship, so start the paperwork early: the Nintendo Developer Portal, ID@Xbox and PlayStation Partners. Each platform has its own submission and certification process, and the details are shared with approved developers, so plan your console launch date only after you know the timeline.
A simple timeline
- As soon as you can show it: store page live, tags set, trailer up.
- Months before launch: demo ready, Next Fest edition chosen, outreach list built.
- Three to four weeks before: pitches sent, build submitted for review, press kit final.
- Launch week: posts scheduled, keys sent, you answering players.