While discussing sales potential on itch.io with a fellow dev, we were talking how much easier it is to sell on Steam.
Released on itch.io yesterday for $1. No sales yet, although I didn't even market it, so that's expected. While talking to Heatwave's dev (screenshots further below), we compared the Itch.io playerbase against the one from Steam.
Wizard Slime
Top down shooter, single player, $1.
https://joys.itch.io/wizard-slime
Heatwave
Top down action shooter, online coop for 1-4 players, $0.
https://lilsumngames.itch.io/heatwave
I suggested he got his game on Steam because it's awesome and it would certainly sell a fair bit.
The playerbase difference
How could it not sell? If games like Brutal Runner sell some copies, how could our games not sell? On itch.io, everything is constantly compared to the free-to-play alternatives. On Steam, however, some players even auto-buy the $1 dollar games because why not. On itch.io tho it's like "omfg that costs 1 dollar!?"
But that's just because the playerbase on steam is huge. That's the real reason. Big spenders are mostly on Steam, not on itch.io, so we can't simply throw blame around like that. There is a lot value on itch, though. Not for the cash itself, but for the promotion and marketing which are truly important on their own.
These guys are important to the growth of #gaming and steemit itself
