[Ep569] Game Devs Talk About Steam Tags For an Hour

[Ep569] Game Devs Talk About Steam Tags For an Hour

Author: Butterscotch Shenanigans April 22, 2026 Duration: 1:03:11
Game Dev Podcast | Coffee with Butterscotch
GamesGames & HobbiesArtsComedyCultureHobbiesPhilosophySocietySociety & CultureTechnology

In episode 569 of 'Coffee with Butterscotch,' the brothers dig into how Steam tags actually drive discoverability for indie games, and what tools like GameDiscover.co reveal about whether the right players are finding your game. The conversation turns on a deceptively simple question: not what your game is, but who it's actually for.

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00:00 Cold Open
00:36 Introduction and Welcome
01:58 Understanding Steam Tags and Discoverability
04:55 The Importance of Accurate Tagging
07:58 Identifying Target Audiences
10:43 Navigating Game Genres and Expectations
13:54 The Challenge of Marketing Complex Games
16:59 Using Data to Inform Tagging Strategies
23:45 Defining Game Genres and Tags
25:58 Balancing Primary and Secondary Game Features
29:19 The Complexity of Game Genres
31:33 The Evolution of Game Genres and Language
34:12 Platform-Specific Audience Differences
38:09 Refining Game Tags for Better Audience Reach
45:46 The Challenge of Game Development and Audience Understanding
50:57 Adjusting Game Pricing and Expectations
57:33 The Role of Randomness in Success

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Pull up a chair and pour something warm. Each week, the folks behind the award-winning indie studio Butterscotch Shenanigans-the creators of Crashlands-sit down to untangle the messy, rewarding, and often absurd reality of making games. Coffee with Butterscotch feels less like a formal broadcast and more like eavesdropping on a freewheeling conversation between friends who’ve been in the trenches. You’ll hear them dissect the nuts and bolts of development, from art pipelines to bug-squashing, but the discussion rarely stays in the technical lane. It veers into the philosophy of creativity, the rollercoaster of running a small business, and the strange habits that fuel productivity. The tone is unfiltered and genuinely funny, because the hosts don’t separate the work from the life surrounding it. This podcast digs into how to solve problems, ship your projects, and keep your sanity while doing it, all served with a heavy dose of camaraderie and self-deprecating humor. It’s a weekly dose of insight and laughter for anyone curious about the stories behind the screen, whether you're a seasoned developer, an aspiring creator, or just someone who enjoys peeking behind the curtain of how things are made.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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