E98: Why Most Game Launches Flop (And How to Avoid It)

Is there a way to predict whether a game will hit or flop? In this episode, Ben is joined by Colan Neese, who has spent a lot of time looking at how audiences relate to products at companies like Twitch and Nielsen. Colan's work at Mind Game Data is focused on "puzzling through the problem of anticipating which games are likely to take off at launch and which seem to be headed nowhere".

The conversation challenges the conventional wisdom about what drives a successful launch, revealing why our data-driven approaches have been too narrow to anticipate success.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

🎮 Why launching at the wrong time can sink your game

👥 How building a community early can make or break you

🔊 The truth about player attention (it’s not just about genres or loud voices online)

📅 When to move your launch date, despite the cost

🕵️‍♂️ And how to spot if your game is actually gaining traction without outside help

Learn more about Colan Neese:

Connect with Colan on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/colanneese/ and subscribe to his newsletters:

• Mind Game Patch Notes: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/mindgame-patch-notes-7336099537939255300/

• LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7336099537939255300/

The Game Dev Leadership Accelerator is live. A successful game begins with leaders who catalyze success instead of wasting everyone’s time. This conversation is a great example of the mindset we teach at Building Better Games at focusing on what matters, not what distracts. Are you ready to level up your leadership? Book a call with us now!: https://calendly.com/bcarcichcoaching/15-minute-one-on-one

Connect with us:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carcich

• Website: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BuildingBetterGames

#GameDev #GameIndustry #DataAnalytics #MarketingStrategy #Leadership