\n<\/p>\n
Wishlist numbers can directly influence investor or publisher negotiations \u2013 a lifeline for small indie developers, who often have to bootstrap their way.<\/p>\n
Battle Brew Productions, another Singapore-based developer,\u00a0gained\u00a0around 1,000 wishlists over the two-day SGCC for its featured title HellHeart Breaker.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s not locked in sales, they haven’t paid yet, but it’s a very good indicator of how much sales you’re actually going to get \u2026 you can use those numbers also to help secure investors or publishers,\u201d said CEO and creative director Shawn Toh.<\/p>\n
He\u00a0noted\u00a0that strong wishlist performance directly empowers creators to be in a \u201cmuch better position to negotiategood terms\u201d.<\/p>\n
High numbers \u201cmore or less guarantee commercial success \u2013 then you might not even need a publisher or investor,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While conventions provide vital face-to-face feedback, much of a game\u2019s momentum still comes from online platforms.<\/p>\n
Solo developer Zhou Xuanming of aliasBLACK Game Studio saw 100 wishlists at SGCC, but says\u00a0regular\u00a0online visibility has a higher payoff.<\/p>\n
\u201cCoverage from a streamer or a Steam festival could easily (bring in) 10 times the amount of sales, as opposed to even a pretty large convention,\u201d said Mr Zhou.<\/p>\n
He noted that Singapore\u2019s\u00a0small\u00a0market size means developers must aim abroad.<\/p>\n
“Singaporeans make up about 0.9 per cent of my sales. So, it’s a very tiny portion \u2026 we always have to focus on the international stage,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n