FirstLook Team

The FirstLook team writes about playtesting, community building, creator marketing, and indie game growth. FirstLook is the player relationship platform used by 1,500+ studios.

Posts (54)

  1. How to get more Steam wishlists

    By FirstLook Team

    A practical process for growing Steam wishlists before launch: know your baseline, fix your store page, pick a few channels, run a weekly plan, and measure honestly.

    Growth6 min read

  2. How to get streamers to play your game

    By FirstLook Team

    A repeatable creator outreach process for game studios: decide if you're ready, find the right streamers, pitch them well, track it, and turn wins into a program. Includes a free outreach kit.

    Creators6 min read

  3. Indie game marketing tools by task and budget

    By FirstLook Team

    The indie game marketing tools that actually matter, organised by the job to be done, with honest notes on when a free spreadsheet beats paid software.

    Growth5 min read

  4. Steam Next Fest marketing and preparation guide

    By FirstLook Team

    How to prepare for and run a Steam Next Fest that actually converts: the demo, the store page, creator outreach, tracking, and reading the results honestly.

    Growth5 min read

  5. Steam UTM tracking for game marketing campaigns

    By FirstLook Team

    How to tag your Steam campaign links, read Steam's UTM report, and tell which creator or channel actually drove wishlists, with a free campaign tracker template.

    Growth5 min read

  10. The Indie Dev's Guide to Gamescom 2026

    By FirstLook Team

    Everything indie devs need to know about Gamescom 2026: dates, ticket types, indie showcases still accepting submissions, and how to get real value out of the week in Cologne.

    Growth12 min read

  11. Signals of Success (Part 5): X and Instagram

    By FirstLook Team

    How public chatter on X and Instagram acts as an early market signal, and the three metrics studios should track to turn social discussion into a real launch predictor.

    Growth4 min read

  18. How many Steam reviews does your game need at launch?

    By FirstLook Team

    How many Steam reviews does your game need at launch? 10 unlocks your visible score, but velocity and community are what really drive launch-week visibility. A practical breakdown of the thresholds, the myth of the 'algorithm trigger', and how to earn those reviews on purpose.

    Playtesting6 min read

  19. What publishers actually look for in a playtest

    By FirstLook Team

    What publishers really want from your playtest data: retention curves, sample quality, sentiment with context, and the wishlist intent that closes deals. A practical guide for studios pitching publishers.

    Playtesting5 min read

  20. How MIMESIS launched 1M+ copies on a publishing-light timeline

    By FirstLook Team

    How ReLU Games, KRAFTON's internal label, launched MIMESIS to 1M+ copies and 91% Very Positive on Steam using FirstLook to validate demand, run multi-region playtests, distribute Steam keys, and stand up Discord, all in weeks.

    Studio Stories1 min read

  21. How to build a game community from scratch

    By FirstLook Team

    A practical guide to building a loyal game community before your game ships, anchored in Discord, fueled by playtests, converted into Steam wishlists.

    Community Management5 min read

  22. Player.gg x Summer Game Fest 2026

    By FirstLook Team

    Player.gg is an Official Player Destination for Summer Game Fest 2026. Every featured game gets a page where players discover, wishlist, follow, and apply for playtests.

    Product2 min read

  23. Meet FirstLook Agent: an AI sidekick for your player data

    By FirstLook Team

    Meet FirstLook Agent, an AI sidekick built into the FirstLook player relationship platform. Use plain-English prompts to re-engage players, draft announcements, and act on community signals across every channel.

    Product3 min read

  24. Signals of Success (Part 4): Media and Press Coverage

    By FirstLook Team

    How media and press coverage acts as a market barometer for indie games, and the four metrics studios should track to turn editorial pickup into an actionable launch signal.

    Creators4 min read

  26. What Is a Player CRM? Guide for Game Studios

    By FirstLook Team

    Learn what a player CRM is, why game studios need one, and how to use it to build retention, grow your community, and increase long-term revenue.

    Product12 min read

  27. How to Get Players for Your Game

    By FirstLook Team

    The pillar guide to marketing an indie game: define your audience, set stage-right goals, ready your store page, pick channels, build a launch plan, and read the results. Free launch planner included.

    Growth7 min read

  28. 12 Game Funds Investing in Indie Games

    By FirstLook Team

    A list of 12 Game Funds investing in Indie Games, updated for 2026 with the newest indie-focused funds.

    Funding & Publishing4 min read

  39. 50+ Indie Game Publishers That Fund Independent Games

    By FirstLook Team

    Find indie game publishers offering $250K-$1M+ in funding. Complete directory with investment levels, contact info, and tips for choosing the right partner.

    Funding & Publishing12 min read

  42. 10 Best Playtest Tools for Game Studios

    By FirstLook Team

    Discover the 10 best playtest tools for unified feedback, secure onboarding, and cross-platform analytics. Compare features to find your perfect fit.

    Playtesting7 min read