itch.io
An open marketplace where indie developers publish and sell games.
Where itch.io comes up3 episodes and tests
GCreator of Game Maker's Toolkit, game designer and video essayist testThe History of Every Video Game Genre
Gcreator of Game Maker's Toolkit testThe one thing you need to finish your game (Developing 11)
Gcreator of Game Maker's Toolkit, making his first game testThe stuff no one tells you about game development (Developing 7)itch.io works as a low-friction home for indie games: it asks only for bank details to publish, where Steam checks you are a legitimate business. That openness shows in scale, with over 100,000 games tagged horror in 2022. Developers also use it for free demos and comment-based feedback. Lesson: low barriers attract experimentation and fast iteration.
- 1Release free demoMind Over Magnet, PC and Mac
- 2Players commentFeedback left in itch.io comments
- 3Fix each complaintControls, visual language, magnet focus
- 4Ship Demo 2.0Gathers more itch.io feedback
From Mark Brown on Mind Over Magnet
What was said about itch.io
Over 100,000 itch.io games are tagged horror. Horror became the top genre in Mark Brown's dataset in 2022, with over 100,000 itch.io games tagged horror. He ties this to indie developers rebuilding horror without combat.
Indie developers removed combat, inventory and death from survival horror and found the game got scarier. Steam shows the same shift, with over 30,000 games tagged horror versus 7,000 tagged survival horror.
itch.io only asks for bank details to publish a game. Publishing on itch.io needs only bank details. Steam, by comparison, checks that you are a legitimate business.
Mark Brown raises this while talking about finishing and shipping his own game, Mind Over Magnet.
Developers use itch.io to host free demos and gather feedback. Mark Brown released the Mind Over Magnet demo free on itch.io for PC and Mac. Players leave feedback in the comments there, and it guides what he builds next.
Feedback on the first demo said the character felt crummy to control, the visual language was inconsistent, and the game didn't feel built around the magnet. Demo 2.0 targets each complaint, with more feedback collected from itch.io.
The History of Every Video Game Genre
Over 100,000 games are tagged horror on itch.io, reflecting the indie reinvention of horror without combat.
Over 100,000 itch.io games are tagged horror. Horror became the top genre in Mark Brown's dataset in 2022, with over 100,000 itch.io games tagged horror. He ties this to indie developers rebuilding horror without combat.
Indie developers removed combat, inventory and death from survival horror and found the game got scarier. Steam shows the same shift, with over 30,000 games tagged horror versus 7,000 tagged survival horror.
The one thing you need to finish your game (Developing 11)
It only needs bank details to publish, unlike Steam, which checks that you are a legitimate business.
itch.io only asks for bank details to publish a game. Publishing on itch.io needs only bank details. Steam, by comparison, checks that you are a legitimate business.
Mark Brown raises this while talking about finishing and shipping his own game, Mind Over Magnet.
The stuff no one tells you about game development (Developing 7)
The new Mind Over Magnet demo is free on itch.io for PC and Mac. Feedback goes in the comments there and will guide what Mark builds next.
Developers use itch.io to host free demos and gather feedback. Mark Brown released the Mind Over Magnet demo free on itch.io for PC and Mac. Players leave feedback in the comments there, and it guides what he builds next.
Feedback on the first demo said the character felt crummy to control, the visual language was inconsistent, and the game didn't feel built around the magnet. Demo 2.0 targets each complaint, with more feedback collected from itch.io.
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