Money is a sensitive topic. The weight of managing it is real, but there is no avoiding it. Especially when your game’s success depends on how well you spend it. Unless you’re Batman, if so, you don’t need to worry at all.
Most indie developers don’t lose on Steam because they underspent, they lose because they spent without a clear plan. And that is a problem worth fixing before launch, before you finish everything.
Why budgeting can catch developers off guard
Development costs are easy to track. Software licences, asset commissions, sound design, etc. Why? Because they are tangible. Marketing is different. We would say it can get quite hectic which makes things hard to quantify.
But by the time most indie devs think seriously about their game marketing budget, it would be around a few weeks—if not months—before their launch which leaves you with a tiny runway. Paid media needs time to optimise. PR outreach needs to be timed to key milestones. Influencers need time to feel your game.
A budget decided at the last minute is a budget that cannot do its job properly.
How much do indie developers typically spend?
There is no single or “right” answer, but the benchmark is allocating between 20% and 30% of your total development budget toward marketing. For a game that cost £50,000 to develop, that puts the marketing budget somewhere between £10,000 and £15,000. However, genre, platform, target audience, and timing all affect how far that budget will stretch and where it should go.
Let’s use a horror title for example. If they have a niche PC audience, they would need a very different spend strategy when compared to a cosy game. Our tool actually has different genres to click from, and once selected, you can choose which phase you are in development to have a direct answer from our tool. It’s quite nifty, check it out here.
Where should your budget go?
The regular assumption is to evenly distribute the budget. That isn’t wrong, but allow me to add and say that the budget should be allocated deliberately. Kinda lost? Don’t worry, we would love to discuss more and clarify things. Just hit us up with an email and book a free consultation.
Anyways, know that paid media tends to absorb the largest share, especially during months close to launch. PR and influencer is second to that and should be budgeted early, as relationships and coverage take time to build a genuine connection. Steam page assets, trailers, and creative production are often underbudgeted despite being the first thing a potential player sees.
Community management, social content, and post-launch campaigns round out a well-structured budget. The developers who see the strongest returns are the ones who planned their spend across the full launch timeline, not just launch week.
Not sure where to start?
Knowing the principles is one thing. Knowing what they mean for your specific game is another. That is exactly why we built the TGM Marketing Budget Estimator—a free tool that gives indie developers a clear, personalised starting point for planning their game marketing budget based on their game type, platform, and goals.
Or! You can book a call and let us handle the confusing bits. Don’t worry, we will thoroughly explain things to you as we work together.
