Indie Game Movement - The podcast about the business and marketing of indie games.

Hosted by Andrew Pappas, Game Marketing Strategist and Consultant

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Episodes

274

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

Andrew Pappas, founder of RenGen Marketing helps take indie devs and their games to a whole new level by discussing business best practices and sharing marketing strategies and tips to better navigate the world of indie game marketing. Regardless if you're an indie dev starting out or a veteran small team, the topic discussions apply to anyone wanting to better understand the online environment and stand out in a saturated market. A marketer since 2011, Andrew has found a passion for applying his knowledge by empowering and educating the indie dev community. Between the years of his experience and interviews with respected industry veterans, you'll learn about online marketing, email marketing, crowdfunding, paid advertising, community development, social media, community outreach, project management, and much more. All episodes are packed with helpful information and actionable steps that can give you the confidence you need when it comes to your business and indie game marketing. Hit subscribe and get ready to become part of the indie game movement.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 11, 2026Episode 4661 hr 29 min

Ep 466 - What Studios Miss By Bringing Music In Too Late with Xiao'an Li

Music does far more than create atmosphere. It can affect your game's marketing, legal rights, creator community, and so much more. Yet many indie developers don't discover these challenges until it's too late. In this episode, we discuss the agreements every developer should understand, common misconceptions around music ownership, and how to make smarter audio decisions that protect your studio before and after launch. Episode Shownotes Link: https://rengenmarketing.com/466

August 4, 2026Episode 46557 min

Ep 465 - Why Players Quit Before They Love Your Game with Matthew White

Whenever someone picks up your game, you hope they'll love it and experience it as intended. But every player brings different abilities, experiences and expectations, which can create barriers developers never anticipated. Today, we explore accessibility as a broader player-centered design philosophy. We'll discuss unintentional gatekeeping, onboarding, the assumptions developers bring into their work and practical ways to make games more approachable without compromising their creative vision. Episode Shownotes Link: https://rengenmarketing.com/465

July 28, 2026Episode 46452 min

Ep 464 - Why Your Audience Comes Before Code with Joni Lappalainen

Many indie games struggle not because they're poorly made, but because they were built without a clear audience in mind. In this episode, we explore why identifying your target players before writing a single line of code shapes better design decisions, tighter production scope, and stronger market positioning while sharing practical ways to validate your audience before investing years into development. Episode Shownotes Link: https://rengenmarketing.com/464

July 21, 20261 hr 4 min

Ep 463 - How Indie Studios Pull off Big Projects with Stephan Schutze

Many indie developers dream big, but bigger ideas often come with bigger risks. So how do small teams create ambitious games without adopting the complexity that slows large studios down? In this episode, we dig into which big-studio practices actually transfer to indie development, how team size shapes production decisions, and what it really takes for a tiny team to pull off something that feels much larger than the crew behind it. Episode Shownotes Link: https://rengenmarketing.com/463

July 14, 2026Episode 4621 hr 21 min

Ep 462 - The Clarity Nobody Tells You to Look For with Joe Henson

Have you ever reached a point where everything looks right on the surface, but something still feels off? Not because anything is broken, but because something fundamental was never fully understood. It's something most of us have felt at some point, whether in our work, our projects, or ourselves. That's exactly why I invited Joe Henson to share his journey and what happened when he finally came face to face with that realization. Because the clarity he found didn't just change one thing. It changed everything. And today, he breaks down what our journey can reveal to us, and how we can use that to unlock our own clarity. Episode Shownotes Link: https://rengenmarketing.com/462

July 7, 2026Episode 46149 min

Ep 461 - How Players Judge You Before They Play with Michael Rea

Players don't evaluate games objectively, they evaluate them through perception. And that perception starts forming long before anyone touches a demo or watches a trailer. So today, we're digging into how player perception is shaped through branding, visual identity, messaging, and studio presentation. We cover why first impressions matter, how trust is built through consistency, and why the way a studio presents itself influences everything from initial discovery to long-term audience loyalty. Episode Shownotes Link: https://rengenmarketing.com/461

June 30, 2026Episode 46036 min

Ep 460 - Guiding Players Without Taking Control with Tomer Cohen

The best designed levels are the ones that quietly guide players and build emotion without ever feeling restrictive. But too often, we feel the need to hand-hold to ensure they can progress, without realizing we're doing more harm than good. In this episode, we explore how level design functions as an invisible layer of communication between developers and players by breaking down the principles that help create experiences that feel intuitive, engaging, and rewarding, without players ever realizing we were always in control. Episode Shownotes Link: https://rengenmarketing.com/460

June 23, 2026Episode 45949 min

Ep 459 - What Players Really Want From Games with Michael Tsarouhas

Game developers spend years trying to make their games fun, but the answer to finding the fun for players may have less to do with mechanics and more about how players actually feel. In this episode, we explore what fulfillment actually means from both the player's and developer's perspective, and how design decisions influence that experience. We'll discuss everything from progression systems to player motivation, and the tradeoffs teams face when balancing business goals with meaningful player experiences. The difference might be smaller than you think, and more impactful than you'd expect. Episode Shownotes Link: https://rengenmarketing.com/459

June 16, 2026Episode 45856 min

Ep 458 - How the Indie Marketing Playbook Is Broken with Buddy Sola

Indie game marketing advice spreads fast but much of it is rooted in conditions that have quietly changed, and in some cases, no longer apply. The problem? Most developers haven't noticed yet. In this episode, we break down why the strategies studios have relied on are losing effectiveness, what's driving that shift, and what a smarter, more adaptive approach looks like for reaching players in today's market. Episode Shownotes Link: https://rengenmarketing.com/458

June 9, 2026Episode 45756 min

Ep 457 - The Audio Mistake Most Studios Don't Know They're Making with François Fripiat

Most teams treat audio exclusively as polish, leaving it until right before launch. The problem is, sound influences player decisions, pacing, and emotional impact well before a single level is finished. Today, we explore why isolating audio creates friction and missed opportunities, and how treating sound as a core layer from the start leads to a stronger, more cohesive player experience. Episode Shownotes Link: https://rengenmarketing.com/457

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Indie Game Movement - The podcast about the business and marketing of indie games.

About the show

Listen to episodes

Ep 466 - What Studios Miss By Bringing Music In Too Late with Xiao'an Li

Ep 465 - Why Players Quit Before They Love Your Game with Matthew White

Ep 464 - Why Your Audience Comes Before Code with Joni Lappalainen

Ep 463 - How Indie Studios Pull off Big Projects with Stephan Schutze

Ep 462 - The Clarity Nobody Tells You to Look For with Joe Henson

Ep 461 - How Players Judge You Before They Play with Michael Rea

Ep 460 - Guiding Players Without Taking Control with Tomer Cohen

Ep 459 - What Players Really Want From Games with Michael Tsarouhas

Ep 458 - How the Indie Marketing Playbook Is Broken with Buddy Sola

Ep 457 - The Audio Mistake Most Studios Don't Know They're Making with François Fripiat

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