You need to put this on the Nintendo Switch
Show HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on Steam
131–140 of 379 posts
Re: Show HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on Steam
#132Earlier quoted context omitted.
Appreciate the thought but that's a full time job. I have to conserve whatever energy I have to actually work on the game. (Seriously, I think a lot of devs distract themselves with this stuff. Just make your damn game.)
That type of content is extremely useful for younger developers and the publicity probably has other benefits, but it's not for everyone.
If you’re looking for this type of content, have you heard of the making of Prince of Persia [1]?
Re: Show HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on Steam
#133[deleted]
Re: Show HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on Steam
#134Congratulations! The game looks amazing—its quality is truly impressive. I'm currently feeling burned out. I have an app idea and a prototype that I believe could turn into a viable project to support myself. However, I don't have the courage to quit my job—I’m afraid of the anxiety that comes with paying rent and insurance without a steady paycheck. I do have some savings to sustain me for a while, but I'm unsure if…
btw this was the moodboard I put together for the artist -- https://www.canva.com/design/DAF1ZIStuTY/j66Hl6xPyMNU6cfRsw2... imho even if you can't make art, it's good to have inspirations for a coherent vision that hopefully you'll be able to articulate to someone!
Adventure Time! No wonder the art style feels familiar and lovable.
Re: Show HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on Steam
#135Not to get too personal, but how did working on a video game affect your personal life? If you worked from home, do you have a wife/kids? Was anyone upset or disappointed you were working on a game and not getting another job at a big tech company? I don’t mean to be critical, but I’ve always faced pushback working on startups/side projects, and I’m wondering how that was for you?
The most pushback you get while building it if there is no money coming in. They see you working a lot, being stressed, but still struggling financially, so from their side it's hard to see the benefit of doing it.
Re: Show HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on Steam
#136Congratulations! I saw Yahtzee playing this a few weeks ago — seems like a fun time. The market is notoriously saturated right now, any wisdom on how you broke through with marketing/outreach? (Or was that entirely on the publisher?)
I crunched myself to get the game out by the end of 2024 before the saturation I knew was coming took place. I think the simple premise, watchability, humor, and presentation of the game helped it stand out.
My advice: Have a super solid hook, that's marketing. Everything else is promotion and is far less effective.
Re: Show HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on Steam
#137Not to get too personal, but how did working on a video game affect your personal life? If you worked from home, do you have a wife/kids? Was anyone upset or disappointed you were working on a game and not getting another job at a big tech company? I don’t mean to be critical, but I’ve always faced pushback working on startups/side projects, and I’m wondering how that was for you?
Sounds like you need a better partner
Re: Show HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on Steam
#138Incredible work, Brian! I'm in awe of what you've done in such a short amount of time. I started an indie game company (still working on our first title) and had a few related questions if that's OK? 1) If you didn't need a salary or marketing help, would you still have signed a publishing deal? My sense is most of the publisher value lies in getting paid before the game launches, and with marketing around launch, bu…
> My sense is most of the publisher value lies in getting paid before the game launches, and with marketing around launch, but curious if those are wrong assumptions?
Don't publishers pay you a cut AFTER sales start coming in?
Re: Show HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on Steam
#139Congratulations! The game looks amazing—its quality is truly impressive. I'm currently feeling burned out. I have an app idea and a prototype that I believe could turn into a viable project to support myself. However, I don't have the courage to quit my job—I’m afraid of the anxiety that comes with paying rent and insurance without a steady paycheck. I do have some savings to sustain me for a while, but I'm unsure if…
Have you considered switching careers rather than quiting. I took a two year break from tech and did English teaching. The pay was low but it sustained me with my savings and I had tons of mental energy to work on my side projects. Any job that's easy to clock in and clock out, where the work gets done on the same day, no deadlines. Can do wonders for your mental energy. When I returned to tech I had a pretty impress…
Thank you so much for the suggestion. I’ve thought about it, but I don’t feel like I have any strong skills outside of coding. I can draw decently as an amateur, but not at a professional level.
I genuinely love coding and often do it in my spare time. My burnout isn’t caused by coding itself but rather by poor management and working on assignments that feel meaningless.
Re: Show HN: I got laid off from Meta and created a minor hit on Steam
#140Out of curiosity, what kind of margins do you get when you sell a game on Steam? Like, what percentage of a sale ends up in your bank account (pre-taxes). Also, how do Steam sales affect that? Congrats on making a game to completion, and doubly so for making something that gets fairly popular. Making a real game has been on my bucket list for about as long as I've known how to program, and I haven't completely given…
Steam takes 30% and the publisher ( https://rawfury.com/developer-resources/ ) takes 50%, so the dev should end up with 35% of revenue (which then needs to be taxed etc.).
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