Devlog #3: Celebrating 40K+ Wishlists in one month
On December 4th, we announced Modulus at the OTK Winter Expo. Today, about one month later, we want to share some key numbers from our first month on Steam, explore a few theories, and make some predictions for the future.
🎁 Let’s start with the best Holiday gift we could have asked for: we ended up in the top wishlisted upcoming games on Steam. We’ve comfortably surpassed the 40K wishlist mark. Alongside this, we’ve gained approximately 2,600 followers, giving us a follower-to-wishlist ratio of 16x. This is significantly higher than the 2024 average of 13.3x, and even more so when you consider that deeper, strategic games like Modulus typically have lower ratios.
That said, a higher ratio doesn’t always mean better sales conversion; in some cases, it’s the opposite. We’ll have to wait and see how it plays out. For now, here’s our wishlist growth graph, with annotations for each peak. 📈
[h2]📢 Announcement Itself[/h2]
Our announcement at the OTK Winter Expo (1) didn’t deliver the numbers we had anticipated based on historical trends. It seems December shows across the board struggled to convert well for (indie) developers this year. The absence of a front-page Steam event, which used to significantly boost visibility, certainly played a role. Additionally, the oversaturation of showcases, the sheer volume of games being announced, and the dominance of AAA titles during December created a challenging environment for our reveal to stand out right away.
😔 This was, quite frankly, a bit of a disappointment, but it turned out to be too soon to worry, as our trailer saved the day!
[h2]🤔 Why We’re Seeing This Growth[/h2]
For some reason, the YouTube algorithm (2) picked up our announcement trailer and began showcasing it on people’s homepages and "More Like This" lists. While this gave us a significant boost, it’s certainly not the whole story. Let’s dive into the other key factors behind our growth.
[h3]🏗 Right Genre[/h3]
We chose the factory automation genre because we genuinely love playing these games, even though they’re notoriously hard to make. From the beginning, we knew we had the right idea (more on that below). Market research also revealed that this genre remains a "small blue spot" in the "red ocean" of the games market. More importantly, players are hungry for new titles and open to exploring different approaches within this space.
[h3]🎯 Right Hook[/h3]
Our unique concept, a zen-like automation game where players can dive into operators to build 3D modules, turning them into modular "Lego-like" blocks for constructing buildings, seems to have struck a chord with players.
[h3]🎨 Art Style[/h3]
In a genre where the focus is understandably on gameplay, the visual aesthetics of similar titles often take a backseat. We saw an opportunity to stand out by creating an art style that’s both functional and visually appealing. Our use of voxel shapes aligns seamlessly with the modular design mechanics, while low-poly assets bring life to organic elements like plants and rocks. 🌱 The result is a bright, natural atmosphere set in an inviting environment. A fresh take that seems to resonate with players who are used to more industrial or utilitarian visuals in the genre.
[h3]🚀 Trailer[/h3]
A few days after our announcement, the YouTube algorithm gave our trailer a massive boost. On our channel alone, the trailer has around 110K views, while platforms like IGN (47K views) and GameTrailers (318K views) brought the total to almost 500K views. The majority of comments have been overwhelmingly positive, which is incredibly encouraging.
https://youtu.be/hxOY0Kn4Snk
[h3]🎥 Devlog Success[/h3]
This one caught us off guard. We created a video devlog (3) primarily to reassure players on our Steam page that the game wasn’t abandoned. To our surprise, the devlog performed really well, with 24K views and an impressive conversion rate from viewers to subscribers. Much higher than the trailer itself. Devlogs are now something we’re actively exploring further.
https://youtu.be/rDOBOQNDy_w
[h3]🎄 Steam Winter Sale[/h3]
Our wishlist and follower numbers spiked significantly between December 23rd and 30th. Looks like a combination of people having more time due to the holidays and the lure of the Winter Sale (4) also made people look into games that aren’t available yet.
[h2]🔮 Looking Ahead[/h2]
Between the devlog peak and the start of the holiday effect, we had a steady base rate of 750 wishlists per day. That’s a strong number, but we expect it to decrease in the coming weeks as trailer interest has started to slowly wane. This means we have our work cut out for us on the marketing side to maintain momentum and keep the numbers growing. 📈
🛠 The team is currently hard at work on the demo. If it’s well-received and players enjoy the gameplay, we’re confident it will have a significant multiplier effect on our total wishlist numbers. More importantly, we’re focused on increasing our daily wishlist base, as sustained growth is key to long-term success.
💡 The second thing we need to start is A/B testing the heck out of our Steam page to improve its conversion rate. Our numbers are good, but there’s plenty of room for improvement. Since testing on Steam is essentially free, it’s a no-brainer to aim for even a 0.2% increase in conversion. In the long run, that kind of improvement will be well worth the effort.
🎮 The last, and probably most important, step is to get the game into the hands of influencers. We’ve already seen significant interest from some well-known players in the factory automation genre, which is very encouraging. However, without a demo, there’s little they can do to showcase the game to their audiences.
[h2]🙌 I Know, I Know...[/h2]
While wishlist numbers aren’t as meaningful as they once were, they remain an important indicator of momentum, interest, and potential. We’re committed to growing them organically, avoiding artificial "gaming of the system." We do, of course, ask for wishlists wherever it’s appropriate, but letting this happen naturally will provide the clearest picture of what’s ahead.
🎉 Here’s to an exciting 2025 for Modulus! Thank you for being part of this journey with us. If you love factory automation games or just enjoy exploring innovative titles, we’d love for you to wishlist Modulus. And don’t forget to join our Discord, not only to follow our development updates but also to share your thoughts and ideas as we shape this game together with our amazing community. 💬🛠
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2779120/Modulus/
🎁 Let’s start with the best Holiday gift we could have asked for: we ended up in the top wishlisted upcoming games on Steam. We’ve comfortably surpassed the 40K wishlist mark. Alongside this, we’ve gained approximately 2,600 followers, giving us a follower-to-wishlist ratio of 16x. This is significantly higher than the 2024 average of 13.3x, and even more so when you consider that deeper, strategic games like Modulus typically have lower ratios.
That said, a higher ratio doesn’t always mean better sales conversion; in some cases, it’s the opposite. We’ll have to wait and see how it plays out. For now, here’s our wishlist growth graph, with annotations for each peak. 📈
[h2]📢 Announcement Itself[/h2]
Our announcement at the OTK Winter Expo (1) didn’t deliver the numbers we had anticipated based on historical trends. It seems December shows across the board struggled to convert well for (indie) developers this year. The absence of a front-page Steam event, which used to significantly boost visibility, certainly played a role. Additionally, the oversaturation of showcases, the sheer volume of games being announced, and the dominance of AAA titles during December created a challenging environment for our reveal to stand out right away.
😔 This was, quite frankly, a bit of a disappointment, but it turned out to be too soon to worry, as our trailer saved the day!
[h2]🤔 Why We’re Seeing This Growth[/h2]
For some reason, the YouTube algorithm (2) picked up our announcement trailer and began showcasing it on people’s homepages and "More Like This" lists. While this gave us a significant boost, it’s certainly not the whole story. Let’s dive into the other key factors behind our growth.
[h3]🏗 Right Genre[/h3]
We chose the factory automation genre because we genuinely love playing these games, even though they’re notoriously hard to make. From the beginning, we knew we had the right idea (more on that below). Market research also revealed that this genre remains a "small blue spot" in the "red ocean" of the games market. More importantly, players are hungry for new titles and open to exploring different approaches within this space.
[h3]🎯 Right Hook[/h3]
Our unique concept, a zen-like automation game where players can dive into operators to build 3D modules, turning them into modular "Lego-like" blocks for constructing buildings, seems to have struck a chord with players.
[h3]🎨 Art Style[/h3]
In a genre where the focus is understandably on gameplay, the visual aesthetics of similar titles often take a backseat. We saw an opportunity to stand out by creating an art style that’s both functional and visually appealing. Our use of voxel shapes aligns seamlessly with the modular design mechanics, while low-poly assets bring life to organic elements like plants and rocks. 🌱 The result is a bright, natural atmosphere set in an inviting environment. A fresh take that seems to resonate with players who are used to more industrial or utilitarian visuals in the genre.
[h3]🚀 Trailer[/h3]
A few days after our announcement, the YouTube algorithm gave our trailer a massive boost. On our channel alone, the trailer has around 110K views, while platforms like IGN (47K views) and GameTrailers (318K views) brought the total to almost 500K views. The majority of comments have been overwhelmingly positive, which is incredibly encouraging.
https://youtu.be/hxOY0Kn4Snk
[h3]🎥 Devlog Success[/h3]
This one caught us off guard. We created a video devlog (3) primarily to reassure players on our Steam page that the game wasn’t abandoned. To our surprise, the devlog performed really well, with 24K views and an impressive conversion rate from viewers to subscribers. Much higher than the trailer itself. Devlogs are now something we’re actively exploring further.
https://youtu.be/rDOBOQNDy_w
[h3]🎄 Steam Winter Sale[/h3]
Our wishlist and follower numbers spiked significantly between December 23rd and 30th. Looks like a combination of people having more time due to the holidays and the lure of the Winter Sale (4) also made people look into games that aren’t available yet.
[h2]🔮 Looking Ahead[/h2]
Between the devlog peak and the start of the holiday effect, we had a steady base rate of 750 wishlists per day. That’s a strong number, but we expect it to decrease in the coming weeks as trailer interest has started to slowly wane. This means we have our work cut out for us on the marketing side to maintain momentum and keep the numbers growing. 📈
🛠 The team is currently hard at work on the demo. If it’s well-received and players enjoy the gameplay, we’re confident it will have a significant multiplier effect on our total wishlist numbers. More importantly, we’re focused on increasing our daily wishlist base, as sustained growth is key to long-term success.
💡 The second thing we need to start is A/B testing the heck out of our Steam page to improve its conversion rate. Our numbers are good, but there’s plenty of room for improvement. Since testing on Steam is essentially free, it’s a no-brainer to aim for even a 0.2% increase in conversion. In the long run, that kind of improvement will be well worth the effort.
🎮 The last, and probably most important, step is to get the game into the hands of influencers. We’ve already seen significant interest from some well-known players in the factory automation genre, which is very encouraging. However, without a demo, there’s little they can do to showcase the game to their audiences.
[h2]🙌 I Know, I Know...[/h2]
While wishlist numbers aren’t as meaningful as they once were, they remain an important indicator of momentum, interest, and potential. We’re committed to growing them organically, avoiding artificial "gaming of the system." We do, of course, ask for wishlists wherever it’s appropriate, but letting this happen naturally will provide the clearest picture of what’s ahead.
🎉 Here’s to an exciting 2025 for Modulus! Thank you for being part of this journey with us. If you love factory automation games or just enjoy exploring innovative titles, we’d love for you to wishlist Modulus. And don’t forget to join our Discord, not only to follow our development updates but also to share your thoughts and ideas as we shape this game together with our amazing community. 💬🛠
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2779120/Modulus/