Why Indie Marketing Fails (Small Budgets Can Work) | Jon Hanson

In this episode of The Gaming Playbook, I sit down with Jon Hanson, founder of Skill Tree Marketing and former EA & Warner Bros. publishing exec, who left the AAA grind to help indie and AA studios thrive. Jon shares the unfiltered truth about indie game marketing: why most devs misunderstand it, how to validate your game without wasting years, and what it really takes to cut through the noise with limited budgets.

Expect deep dives into: The biggest misconceptions about indie game marketing. Why 30 to 50% of your budget should go to marketing (and how to use it wisely). How to validate your game early with market research & paid UA. Case study: saving a VR game with better store optimisation & ads. Steam wishlists: what they really mean and how to grow them effectively. Using Reddit, Discord & Facebook groups to reach players authentically. Why storytelling and community trust beat polished “corporate” marketing. Building a lean, sustainable business in a tough games market.

Whether you’re an indie dev, a marketing lead, or a founder aiming to launch your first game, this episode is a brutally honest masterclass on how to market smarter, avoid costly mistakes, and turn your game into a business that lasts.