1. The document provides guidance on creating an effective marketing plan by drawing parallels to level design in games. It stresses setting clear objectives and tracking key performance indicators. 2. An effective plan is true to the core of the product - its premise, unique selling points, and brand stories. These should be distilled into a simple and clear structure. 3. Contingencies must be built into the plan to allow for changes, as not everything will go exactly as intended. The overall goals and funneling of efforts should still be possible even if certain elements do not work out. The plan must be adaptable to risks and failures.

1. REALITY-PROOF PLANNING
HOW TO PREPARE TO SURVIVE ON THE MARKET
15-16 MAY 2023
11 bit studios S.A.
Digital Dragons
Patryk Grzeszczuk

2. MKTG!
UNDERSTOOD AS CONVINCING
PEOPLE THEY WANT WHAT YOU
HAVE AND SHOULD PAY YOU FOR IT.

3. MARKETING PLANNING
IS LIKE LEVEL DESIGN.

4. You create a (communication) space
that should spark interest, encourage exploration,
& ultimately lead towards a specific objective,
fulfilling which should be gratifying for participant.

5. And just like with your levels, here people
won’t always do things the way you want them to.
And that’s fine. As long as wherever they go,
they can find something worthwhile.

6. THERE’S NO ULTIMATE
PATH. APOLOGIES.
(THERE ARE SOME COORDINATES
TO FOLLOW, THOUGH, SO HANG TIGHT!)

7. GOOD PLAN
IS PURPOSEFUL.
1

9. I WANT TO SELL MY GAME!
HOW MANY COPIES?
HOW QUICKLY?
FOR WHAT PRICE?
WHO’S GONNA BUY?
WHAT’S THE CONVERSION RATIO?
HOW MANY SHOULD I REACH?
THROUGH WHICH CHANNELS?
HOW MANY SHOULD RESPOND?
WHAT’S THE RESPONSE I AM HOPING FOR?

10. AIM HIGH.
KEEP YOUR FEET
ON THE GROUND.

11. GOOD PLAN IS
(ALSO) TRACKABLE.
1.5

12. 11101001011101010100101010
10101100100101010101011101
00101010101010111101001011
1010101001NUMBERS!!0100
10101011001001010101010111
0001010101010101111010010
11101010100101010101011001
0010101011001010101100101

13. PRE-RELEASE
INDICATORS
wishlists
preorders
traffic
--
steam community
engagement + coverage
wishlists
preorders
day/week1 performance
product reception
mid/long-term sales
wishlists (+conv.)
GRAND
GOAL
POST-RELEASE
INDICATORS

14. PLAN YOUR STUFF
MEMENTO STYLE

15. TAKEAWAYS:
SET YOUR OBJECTIVES AND KPIs.
TRACK THINGS AS YOU GO.
ADJUST WHEN NEEDED.
1.x

16. GOOD PLAN IS
TRUE TO ITS SOURCE.
2

17. A premise of a certain experience.
A set of elements and features that clearly
and unambiguously define said premise.
BRAND

18. USP+RTBs
CORE FEATS.
BRAND STORIES.

19. MOONLIGHTER
2018

20. ROGUELITE H&S/SHOPKEEPING SIM
A STORY OF FULFILLING DREAMS

21. HAVING ALL THAT YOU CAN FINALLY GO BIG!
OPEN WORLD, BABY!
RIGHT?

22. HELL
NO!

23. GOOD PLAN
IS CLEAR & SIMPLE.
3

25. THOMAS WAS ALONE
2012

26. TAKEAWAYS:
UNDERSTAND YOUR PREMISE.
CONVERT IT INTO A STRUCTURE.
KEEP YOUR WORK CLEAN & SIMPLE.
2+3

27. GOOD PLAN
IS SURPRISING*.
(*but only for the outsiders)
4

28. CRAFT COMES FIRST.
THEN THE ARTISTRY.

29. GOOD PLAN
IS MODULAR.
5

30. BECAUSE LIFE HAPPENS.

31. BECAUSE
not everything is gonna be feasible
and the rest has to still work without it.
not everything is gonna be seen / exp’d
by your players who should still be
interested, educated and provided
with an opportunity to buy your game.
not everything will work as intended
or make an impact you were hoping for.

32. KEEP ON
SAILING!

33. TAKEAWAYS:
PRIORITIZE & TEST THE CLARITY (QUALITY>QUANTITY)
SHARE AND DISCUSS OPENLY
KILL YOUR DARLINGS
4+5

34. GOOD PLAN ACCOUNTS
FOR RISKS (& FAILURES)
6

36. ‘Insanity is doing
the same thing
over and over
and expecting
different results.’

38. RULES
FOLLOW BREAK*
(WHEN SITUATION CALLS FOR IT).

39. THE GOOD
THE BAD
THE UGLY.

40. GOOD PLAN
IS ENABLING.
7

41. YOUR
MOVE
AND
THEN?

42. GOOD PLAN
IS FUNNELING.
8

44. LEARN
PLAY
CHALLENGE
SURPRISE
Dan Taylor @ GDC 2013
TEASE
PITCH
EDUCATE
SELL
Every marketer ever

45. a
PLAYS LIKE
A WALKING SIM

46. a
FEELS LIKE
A SOULSLIKE

47. TAKEAWAYS:
DO NOT SHY FROM TRYING NEW THINGS
ACCOUNT FOR VARIOUS OUTCOMES
FUNNEL TOWARDS YOUR GOAL
6-8

48. GOOD PLAN
IS RELEVANT.
9

49. EVENTS
ON/OFFLINE
PAX/GDC/GAMESCOM/TGS/BITSUMMIT
STEAM EVENTS/ONLINE SHOWS
RELEASE
CALENDAR
CAMPAIGNS OF THE BIG BOYS AND
YOUR DIRECT COMPETITORS
GRASSROOTS
INITIATIVES
PRESS TOURS
DEDICATED PARTNERSHIPS
(POP)CULTURAL
ZEITGEIST
PRODUCTS/EVENTS/HAPPENINGS
RELATING TO YOUR GAME’S ESSENCE
YOUR PLAN
GOALS
STRUCTURE
CONTENT

50. GOOD PLAN
CAN BE STOLEN.
(kmh… adapted)
10

52. !
BOSS LVL: EVERYTHING
EVERYWHERE ALL AT 1.

53. LVL 1
SET YOUR
GOALS & KPIs
LVL 2
FROM GAME
TO STRUCTURE
LVL 3
PLAN IN LINE
WITH PRODUCT
PRINCIPLES
LVL 4 LVL 5
NEW
GAME+
SEARCH FOR
RELEVANCE
ENABLE
ENABLE
ENABLE
NEVER STOP
NEVER STOPPING.

54. THANK YOU!
@akawist