Machine Party

Too many 'compulsion loops' in PC games?

Vertical video has emerged as a critical driver for game discovery, fundamentally altering how developers approach marketing and audience acquisition.

• Influencers are currently the primary source of traffic for Steam games, particularly for strategy, tactics, and roguelike titles, making them essential partners for developers.
• Vertical video has surpassed horizontal video in internet consumption, necessitating that developers consider how their game visuals appear when cropped for platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
• Technical performance on mid-level PC hardware is critical for launch success, as evidenced by the negative reception of the Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls open beta due to poor optimization.