Game Development

How to Successfully Market Your Browser-Based IO Games via Game Portals

Congratulations on completing the development of your browser-based IO game! However, marketing your game to reach a wider audience is just as crucial as perfecting its gameplay. Posting your game on a game portal can provide instant exposure and valuable feedback from potential players, and is a great addition to any traditional marketing methods you employ.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of publishing your game on three top browser gaming platforms, including Poki, CrazyGames, and iogames.space. Additionally, we’ll explore other promising game portals that can help distribute your game and expand your audience.

Firstly, we’ll cover the essentials of game portal submission, including tips to make your game stand out. Next, we’ll delve into our featured platforms, providing you with a step-by-step guide on how to post your game on each one. Finally, we’ll introduce several other popular portals that are worth considering for distributing your IO game.

By following this guide, you can ensure that your hard work pays off by showcasing your game to millions of players around the globe. Let’s get started and discover all the fantastic opportunities available by using game portals to publish your game. Best of luck!

Choosing the Right Game Portals for Marketing

There are numerous advantages to using game portals for marketing your games, including:

  • Exposure: Posting your io game on a game portal lets you tap into an existing audience of gamers who are always on the lookout for new and exciting titles. This reduces the need for extensive marketing efforts on your own and increases visibility.
  • Immediate Feedback: With an active gaming community, you’ll receive instant feedback on your game. This can help you make necessary adjustments and improve the gameplay experience, resulting in a more polished end product.
  • Easy Access for All Devices: Browser-based games don’t require downloads, making it straightforward for players to start playing immediately even with lower end devices. By marketing your game on portals, you can easily find players who love browser games.
  • SEO Benefits: Most game portals have a high domain authority, which can increase the visibility of your game on search engines. Having your game featured on these portals can improve your game’s discoverability and reach.

By utilizing game portals for your marketing strategy, you’ll be able to tap into a passionate and engaged audience of gamers, while also receiving valuable feedback and improving your game’s reach.

Prepare Your Marketing Strategy

When you’re ready to market your game, it’s crucial to make your game stand out from the crowd. Here are some tips to help you achieve that:

  1. Unique Gameplay: Ensure your game offers a unique experience or twist that separates it from the crowd. Whether it’s an innovative mechanic, engaging storyline, or distinctive art style, uniqueness can be a significant factor in attracting players.
  2. Polished Presentation: First impressions matter. A polished, high-quality game icon and engaging screenshots or trailers can draw players in. Make sure these elements accurately represent your game and highlight its best features.
  3. Optimized Game Description: Your game’s description should be compelling, concise, and informative. Include key selling points and gameplay mechanics that your game has to capture attention. Use keywords strategically for better SEO, but avoid keyword stuffing.
  4. Frequent Updates: Regular updates signal to players that you’re actively improving the game. These can include new features, bug fixes, or additional content. Updates not only keep your game fresh but also show commitment to the player experience.
  5. Engage with Your Community: Interact with your players through in-game chat like that in Moddio, forums, or social media. Listen to their feedback and show that you value their input. A responsive and engaged developer can foster a loyal player base.
  6. Request Reviews and Ratings: Encourage your players to leave reviews and ratings. Positive reviews can improve your game’s ranking on game portals, making it more visible to potential players.

By incorporating these strategies, you can enhance your game’s visibility, attract a larger audience, and ensure your game stands out in the bustling game portal environment

How to Publish Your Game on Key Platforms:

Poki:
Poki is one of the leading io gaming portals. They carefully curate the games on their site, prioritizing fun gameplay mechanics and beautiful art.

  • Visit the Poki Developer Program form: Link
  • Fill out the form with information about yourself and your game, including the title, a link to your game, the engine it was built on, and information about your game such as a description, file size and mobile compatibility. Provide as much detail as possible to increase your game’s visibility.
  • After submitting the form, the Poki team will review your submission. The review process length can vary.
  • If your game is approved, it will be published on the Poki platform. You may receive an email notification when this happens.

CrazyGames:

CrazyGames is one of the top browser gaming portals. They have thousands of games on their site and a large audience that loves playing their games.

  • Visit the Crazy Games Developer Portal: Link
  • Create an account if you don’t already have one. This involves providing an email address and creating a password.
  • Once you’ve signed in, click on “Submit a game” at the top of the screen. Provide the title for your game and the category that it falls under. You can also provide tags for your game which improve categorization and discoverability. Include a description and information on controls. For the Game Type, select IFrame and you can add a link to your game. Make sure to include your cover art.
  • After submitting your game, the CrazyGames team will review it. If it’s approved, it will be published on the platform.

iogames.space

Iogames.space is another gaming portal that has a large audience that loves browser games that are free to play. They try to give exposure to IO games that often go unnoticed.

  • Navigate to the IOGames Developer’s Page: Link
  • Create an account if you don’t already have one. This involves providing an email address and creating a password.
  • Once you’ve signed in, click on “Submit A New Game” on the left sidebar.
  • You will need to provide image thumbnails of your game as well as a video thumbnail of gameplay. Provide information about your game including the title, description, and select the categories that it falls under. Make sure you include the iogames.space widget and a link back to iogames.space in your game
  • After submitting your game, the iogames.space team will review it. It may take a few days to be approved and then published on the platform.

Remember, each platform has its own specific requirements or steps for submitting a game, so it’s important to read any provided instructions or guidelines carefully.

Also note: Remember to read and understand the terms and conditions of each portal before submitting your game to avoid potential issues.

Top Browser Gaming Platforms

Below, we’ve included a list of several of the top browser gaming platforms:

Game Portal Link Ease of Submission (1-5) Audience Size (1-5) Overall Rating (🔥 to ❄️)
Poki Link 5 5 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Crazy Games Link 5 5 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
IOGames Link 5 5 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Gamasutra Link 4 3 🔥🔥🔥
IndieDB Link 4 4 🔥🔥🔥
Itch.io Link 4 5 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Game Jolt Link 4 4 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Kongregate Link 3 4 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Newgrounds Link 4 4 🔥🔥🔥
Armor Games Link 3 4 🔥🔥🔥🔥

 

In this table:

  • “Ease of Submission” refers to how easy it is to publish a game on the platform, including the submission process, the user interface, and the availability of support or resources.
  • “Audience Size” refers to the estimated size of the platform’s user base, which can affect the potential reach of a game.

There are many gaming portals out there already and many more being added every day. You may even find some portals that are specific for different countries. For example, here is one list of some popular portals.

Game portals have proven to be a successful launchpad for many popular games. They provide exposure, immediate feedback, and an engaged audience, which can be instrumental in a game’s success. Here are a few examples of games that have leveraged these platforms effectively to gain popularity and improve their gameplay.

  • Slither.io: This game was already a fun game and utilized several game portals, including CrazyGames, to expand its audience reach. The game quickly gained popularity due to its simple yet addictive gameplay. The exposure from these game portals helped Slither.io become one of the most popular IO games.
  • Agar.io: This is one of the most popular io games out there. It has gained such a large audience that it has multiple sites dedicated to it, including several websites that use proxies to help players access the game if the agar.io website is blocked. This is a great way to access audiences that may not usually be able to play your game.
  • Kingdom Rush: This popular tower defense game was initially released in 2011 on the gaming portal Armor Games before it was later made available on mobile platforms. The exposure and positive feedback from the Armor Games community helped the developers improve the game and eventually led to its success on other platforms.
  • Cookie Clicker: This game was one of the first ‘idle’ games and gained a lot of its initial popularity from being launched on 4chan. Following that, it expanded its audience by hosting on portals like Kongregate. The feedback from players helped the developer refine the game mechanics and it has since become a staple of the genre.

These are classic browser games that show how game portals can be a powerful tool for gaining exposure, receiving player feedback, and growing your player base.

In Conclusion

Game portals can serve as a highly efficient tool to market your browser-based IO games. With their ready player base and the potential for immediate feedback, you can effectively fine-tune your game and increase its visibility with your audience and the gaming community. Start exploring these portals and set your game up for success!