How to Market Your Mid-Development Progress Effectively

The “middle part” of game development. It is the time when the initial excitement has faded and the finish line seems impossibly far away. You might remember those days, staring at your half-finished project, wondering how to keep anyone, including yourself, interested.

The Pitfalls of the Middle

Looking back, my past self made classic mistakes in marketing this crucial phase. There was the “radio silence” period, where weeks turned into months with no updates, leading to lost momentum and forgotten promises. Then there was the opposite extreme, the “overwhelming overshare,” where I’d dump every bug fix and minor tweak online, drowning potential players in uninteresting details. Neither approach built genuine anticipation or a strong community. These sporadic efforts were exhausting and ineffective. My game development log felt more like a graveyard of abandoned ideas than a vibrant journey.

From Sporadic to Strategic: A Case Study

Imagine two scenarios for marketing a game called “Chronos Shift,” a time-bending puzzle platformer.

Before: The Sporadic Approach

My past self would work on “Chronos Shift” in isolation for weeks. Suddenly, I’d remember I needed to market it. I would hastily record a shaky devlog, showing a new level that was far from polished, or write a lengthy blog post detailing technical challenges no one cared about. My “game dev journal” was a scattered collection of notes in various files, making it impossible to recall specific milestones or track progress consistently. Social media posts were random bursts, often just “still working on it!” or a blurry screenshot. The engagement was low, and audience growth was stagnant. Potential players saw an inconsistent developer and a project that might never see the light of day. There was no real game development log, just a series of disconnected events.

After: The Structured Approach

Now, I approach “Chronos Shift” marketing with a fundamentally different mindset. I establish small, achievable marketing milestones right alongside development goals. Every week, I dedicate specific time to document my progress. This isn’t about showing off a finished feature; it’s about sharing the journey.

For instance, one week I might focus on a new puzzle mechanic. My “game development log” entries for that week would include:

• Monday: A short tweet showcasing the initial concept art for the puzzle piece.
• Wednesday: A brief video clip (15 seconds) demonstrating the basic functionality of the new mechanic in a prototype environment. I wouldn’t worry about perfect visuals; the focus is on the core idea.
• Friday: A quick blog post or newsletter update detailing the design challenge behind the puzzle and how I approached solving it. I might ask for community feedback on potential variations.

This consistent, low-effort content strategy maintains engagement without demanding massive production time. Each piece builds anticipation, revealing small, digestible insights into the game. My “game dev journal” now serves as a central hub, documenting not just code changes but also marketing ideas, community interactions, and emotional checkpoints. This structured approach helps me track game development progress in a meaningful way.

Building Anticipation and Community Engagement

The key is to shift from “marketing when it’s done” to “marketing as it’s made.”

• Small, Achievable Marketing Milestones: Break down your marketing into tiny, manageable tasks. Instead of “create a trailer,” think “record 10 seconds of gameplay footage this week.” These small wins keep you motivated and provide consistent content.
• Document Everything (Selectively Share): Keep a detailed game dev journal of your entire process. This includes design decisions, coding challenges, art iterations, and even your thoughts and feelings about the project. This deep well of content is invaluable. From this journal, you can select specific, interesting nuggets to share with your audience.
• Focus on the “Why” and the "How": People aren’t just interested in what you’re making, but why you’re making it and how you’re overcoming challenges. Share insights into your design philosophy, the tools you’re using, or a clever solution to a technical problem. This builds a connection with your audience and shows your passion.
• Embrace Imperfection: Your mid-development progress won’t be perfect. Don’t wait for a polished build to share. Show early prototypes, rough animations, or even a whiteboard sketch. Authenticity resonates more than curated perfection.
• Engage, Don’t Just Broadcast: Ask questions, solicit feedback, and respond to comments. Make your community feel like they’re part of the development journey. This fosters loyalty and excitement.
• Consistent Cadence, Flexible Content: Establish a rough schedule for updates (e.g., a tweet every Tuesday, a devlog every two weeks). The type of content can vary (screenshot, GIF, short video, text update), but the consistency of communication is vital.

The Power of a Structured Game Development Log

The transformative element in the “After” scenario for “Chronos Shift” was having a structured way to track game development progress. Without a dedicated game dev journal, it’s incredibly difficult to maintain consistency, recall details for devlogs, or even identify what’s genuinely share-worthy. A comprehensive game development log helps you:

• Identify Shareable Moments: By documenting every step, you’ll naturally uncover interesting tidbits, small victories, and unique challenges that make for compelling content.
• Maintain Consistency: A journaling habit translates directly into a consistent marketing habit. If you’re regularly noting your progress, it’s a small step to turn those notes into public updates.
• Reflect and Improve: Reviewing your past entries allows you to see what resonated with your audience, what development approaches worked, and how to refine your process.
• Never Run Out of Ideas: Your journal becomes an endless source of content inspiration, from technical deep dives to personal anecdotes about the struggles and triumphs of solo development.
• Build Your Narrative: A well-kept game dev journal allows you to weave a cohesive story around your game’s creation, making your marketing efforts feel organic and compelling.

Tracking every step of your journey, from the initial spark to the final polish, makes it easy to see the value in a consistent development process. This detailed record transforms sporadic efforts into a powerful growth engine. If you’re serious about mastering the “middle part” of your game’s development and building a loyal community, consider starting your own structured game development log. It’s the simplest way to track game development progress effectively and ensure your efforts don’t go unnoticed. To start your own journey of consistent, valuable updates, explore how a dedicated tool can simplify this process and help you maintain momentum by visiting our dev journey journal.