The indie game landscape is flourishing, with more high-quality titles than ever before.  However, this abundance presents a significant challenge: discoverability.  As GamesRadar+ reports, for every indie gem that achieves breakout success, countless others go unnoticed.

At GDC 2025, game marketing researcher Chris Zukowski addressed this pressing issue, emphasizing the critical role of demos in an indie game's marketing strategy.  He argues that developers must offer playable experiences to combat the low visibility plaguing the indie scene.

Zukowski explains, “A fundamental truth in interactive media is the need to let players experience the product firsthand.  Reading about a game or watching a trailer simply doesn't compare to actually playing it. Demos are the most effective solution for low visibility.  Valve understands this, and indie developers need to as well.”

To illustrate his point, Zukowski cited the example of 'Parcel Simulator.'  “While not particularly groundbreaking in terms of gameplay,” he notes, “'Parcel Simulator' saw a dramatic increase in wishlist additions after releasing a demo.  The developer shared that after two years on Steam with only 7,000 wishlist entries, launching a demo boosted that number to 17,000 in just one week – more than doubling the total accumulated over two years.”

Zukowski highlights the cascading benefits of demos.  “Demos increase visibility, attracting content creators, and opening doors to festivals, word-of-mouth marketing, and even algorithmic boosts on platforms like Steam.  These benefits are intrinsically linked to the availability of a demo.”  He further stresses the urgency of releasing a playable demo: “The longer you wait, the longer you remain invisible.  Social media posts alone won't cut it. True visibility comes with a playable experience.”