Why Kickstarter is a must-have for an indie studio

What the talk is about

Pylyp Zybkovets, creative director and co-founder of Caligari Games, explains why Kickstarter is valuable for indie teams not only as funding but as a soft-launch tool. Using the campaign for the game Overland, he shares results: a little over a month, about 122% of the goal, 654 backers and a boost in wishlists. His main point is that the most valuable asset is the community, which gives feedback, helps with translation and testing, and shows who your audience is and where to find it. Kickstarter also attracts media and publishers, and backers' keys on release day can help a game in Steam. He gives practical tips: a DRM-free demo, a clear page title, targeted ads, GIFs, regular updates and add-ons, and realistic goals. Useful for indie studios preparing a first release.