Candid Bay Productions

The game is built.
Now people need to find it.

Platform distribution, marketing strategy, ROI projections, and the case for launching now — not later.

Prepared April 2, 2026  ·  Studio Raine for Candid Bay Productions

The Gap Proof It Works Every Platform Why Now ROI Projections Marketing Plan Influencer Strategy AI Positioning Rollout Investment What Success Looks Like Next Steps
Where Things Stand

You've invested $15,000 into a product no one can find yet.

The game is developed. The promo site is live. The trailer exists. These are assets that most indie developers spend 6-12 months trying to get to. You're already past that.

But right now, the only people who've seen any of it are people you've personally sent the link to. Without distribution and active marketing, that's where it stays — a $15K project sitting in a folder.

$15K
Invested So Far
800M+
Players on Target Platforms
0
Currently Reached
You have a completed game, a professional website, and promotional videos. These are marketing assets. They were built to sell the game to an audience. Without the marketing to put them in front of that audience, they're decoration.
It's Already Working for Others

Games using AI-assisted art are earning millions.

Steam games that disclose AI-generated content have grossed a combined $660 million in revenue. That's not a hypothetical — that's tracked, estimated revenue from real games with real players who didn't care about the pipeline. They cared about the game.

Here are real games, on real storefronts, that disclosed AI-assisted content and earned significant revenue:

Supermarket Simulator

Simulation · Steam · AI-generated cover art disclosed

Players flagged the cover art as AI-generated. The developer confirmed it. The community discussed it for a week. Then 32,000+ people left positive reviews and kept playing. 92% positive rating.

View on Steam →
$79M+
Est. Gross Revenue

Bellwright

Survival RPG · Steam · AI content disclosed

Open-world survival game that disclosed AI-generated content. Surpassed 1 million units sold during Early Access alone. 200,000 copies in the first month.

View on Steam →
1M+
Units Sold

Infection Free Zone

Strategy · Steam · AI-generated portraits flagged by community

Players noticed AI-generated character portraits. Community discussed it. The game kept selling. Estimated $7M+ in revenue during Early Access.

View on Steam →
$7M+
Est. Revenue

The Long Drive

Driving / Survival · Steam · AI content disclosed

Solo developer. AI content disclosed. Between 1-2 million owners on Steam. The game is a vibe — and that's what sold it.

View on Steam →
$14-32M
Est. Gross Revenue
The pattern is clear. In every case, the AI art conversation lasted a few days. The revenue lasted years. 170 AI-disclosed games on Steam have earned six figures or more. 33 have crossed $1 million. 12 have hit eight figures. The audience cares about the game, not the tools.

Revenue estimates via Totally Human Media, Gamalytic, and Steam Revenue Calculator.

Distribution

Every platform. What it takes to publish.

Platform What's Required to Publish
itch.io Free account. Upload Windows/Mac/Linux builds. Add screenshots, description, tags. Can go live today.
Steam $100 one-time fee. Steamworks account + tax paperwork (W-9). Store page: capsule art, screenshots, description, tags, content rating. AI content disclosure checkbox. 2-4 week review. Coming Soon page can go up immediately.
Google Play (Android) $25 one-time fee. Google Play Console account. Privacy policy URL. Content rating via IARC (free). 20 closed testers for 14 days before public release. Ren'Py builds Android natively — needs touch UI testing.
Apple App Store (iOS) $99/year Apple Developer Program. Requires Mac + Xcode. Ren'Py iOS builds need more QA than Android. Privacy policy, content rating, Apple review process. Best pursued after Android proves demand.
DLsite Free account via English creator portal. Upload builds + store page. Content review. Revenue share model. VN-dedicated marketplace — AI-assisted art is common and normalized here.
Game Jolt Free account. Upload same builds as itch.io. Add description + tags. 20-minute setup. Smaller but engaged indie community.
VNDB Free listing. Not a storefront — a visual novel database. Where dedicated VN players discover new titles. Links to your storefronts. Essential for discoverability in the VN community.
Amazon Appstore Free account. Same Android APK as Google Play. Small audience, but zero additional build work.
Samsung Galaxy Store Free account. Same Android APK. Zero additional build work. Incremental reach on Samsung devices.
Total cost to be listed on every viable platform: under $250. The game is already built. The builds are ready. What's missing is the work of setting up each storefront, optimizing each listing, and driving traffic to them. That's the marketing.
Timing

Why marketing starts now — not after "more development."

The biggest mistake indie developers make is finishing the game and then thinking about marketing. The data on this is unambiguous:

Valve's Own Data

Developers who posted a "Coming Soon" page 6+ months before launch had 300% more sales than those who posted 30 days before. Every week without a Steam page is wishlists you're not collecting.

First Week = Everything

Steam's algorithm heavily weights the first 3-5 days of sales data to determine long-term visibility. If you launch with no audience, the algorithm buries you. You get one shot at a strong first week.

7,000 Wishlists Minimum

Industry analyst Chris Zukowski's research shows you need at least 7,000 wishlists before launch for a viable Steam release. Even highly anticipated games only accumulate ~300 wishlists per day. You need months of runway.

90% of Sales in 3 Weeks

For single-player games, 90% of total revenue comes in the first 3 weeks. After that, you're waiting for sale events. The launch window is the revenue window — and it's determined by the marketing that came before it.

The game you've already paid $15,000 to build will generate the most revenue in its first 3 weeks on Steam. The size of that revenue is determined almost entirely by the marketing that happens in the months before launch. Waiting means launching to an empty room. Starting now means launching to an audience that's been anticipating it.

Sources: Game World Observer / Zukowski, Game Developer, GameDiscoverCo

The Math

Realistic ROI for The Solarium.

These projections use real industry conversion rates and are deliberately conservative. They assume The Solarium is a free-to-play visual novel with optional paid content (supporter pack, premium chapter, or modest price point like $2.99-$4.99).

Wishlist Conversion

15-20%

Of wishlists convert to sales/downloads in the first week. Industry median for games with 10K+ wishlists.

Content Marketing

$0

TikTok, Reels, YouTube creator outreach, Discord, and Steam's Coming Soon page cost nothing but time and expertise.

Platform Listing Costs

~$225

$100 Steam + $25 Google Play + $99 iOS (later). itch.io, DLsite, Game Jolt, VNDB are free.

Steam VN Median (Top 25%)

$20-50K

Lifetime revenue for visual novels in the top 25% on Steam. Top 10% hit $50K+. Marketing is what separates these tiers.

Conservative 12-month projection

Assuming a $2.99-$4.99 price point on Steam (or free with a $4.99 supporter/premium pack), active marketing for 3 months pre-launch, and continued content marketing post-launch:

Revenue Source Conservative Estimate
Steam (wishlists → sales + long tail) $5,000 - $20,000
itch.io (direct sales + tips) $500 - $2,000
Google Play (downloads + optional IAP) $1,000 - $5,000
DLsite + other storefronts $500 - $2,000
Total (12-month, conservative) $7,000 - $29,000
The $15,000 already invested built the product. A few thousand more — invested in the marketing that puts it in front of people — is what turns a completed project into a revenue-generating product. Without it, the ROI on the $15K is zero. With it, the path to recouping the full investment and generating ongoing revenue is real and data-backed. The marketing doesn't cost you money — it activates the money you've already spent.
The Plan

How people find The Solarium.

Primary Channels

Supporting Channels

Creator Partnerships

Influencer strategy.

One YouTube creator with the right audience can generate more wishlists in a single video than months of social media posts. The visual novel space has dedicated creators at every tier — and the smaller ones are the most cost-effective.

Micro Creators

1,000 – 10,000 subscribers

Highest engagement rates. Audiences trust their recommendations. They're actively looking for new games to cover. A free key and a genuine pitch is often enough — many will cover it for free. Paid placements are low-risk.

$50–$300per video / post

Small Creators

10,000 – 50,000 subscribers

The sweet spot for indie VNs. These creators have built niche, loyal audiences who specifically watch for visual novel and indie game content. A single video here reaches thousands of exactly the right people. Best ROI tier.

$200–$800per video / post

Mid-Tier Creators

50,000 – 200,000 subscribers

One pickup at this level can generate thousands of wishlists and trigger the Steam algorithm to start recommending the game organically. This is where a single video can fundamentally change the trajectory of a launch.

$500–$2,000per video / post

Large Creators

100,000+ subscribers

High cost, high ceiling. A feature from a large gaming creator can put an unknown indie game on the map overnight. Typically pursued after the game has early traction and reviews to point to.

$2,000–$10K+per video / post

Example Creators — Relevant to The Solarium

  • BijuuMike — 3.4M+ subs. Gaming creator with a dedicated channel for VNs and Japanese-style games. One video = massive exposure.
    Large Tier
  • Northernlion — 1.3M+ subs. Indie game mainstay. His "Let's Look At" series has launched dozens of indie games into visibility. Gaming-adjacent, not VN-specific, but massive reach.
    Large Tier
  • Joey The Anime Man — 3.3M+ subs. Japanese culture and anime content. Has covered VNs extensively. His audience overlaps directly with The Solarium's target demographic.
    Large Tier
  • Red Bard — 240K+ subs. Visual novel-focused commentary and reviews. Dedicated VN audience. Mid-tier cost, high-intent viewership.
    Mid Tier
  • OtakuDaiKun — 90K+ subs. Visual novel reviews and recommendations. Niche, engaged, exactly the right audience.
    Mid Tier
The strategy: Start with 10-15 micro creators (many will cover for free with just a key). Use early traction and reviews to pitch small and mid-tier creators. Large creators are the stretch goal once the game has proven it resonates. You don't need all of them — you need the right two or three.
Positioning

The AI art conversation is smaller than it looks online.

1 in 5 games released on Steam in 2025 disclosed AI-generated content. That's nearly 8,000 titles. The number grew 700% year-over-year. This is the new normal — not an exception.

The Writing Is 100% Human

In a visual novel, narrative is everything. The Solarium's story, dialogue, and branching paths are entirely human-written. That's the core product, and it's a genuine differentiator.

Steam Allows It — With Disclosure

You check a box. You disclose. You ship. Games with AI art are approved and sold on Steam every single day. The policy is about transparency, not prohibition.

Mobile + DLsite Don't Care

Google Play and iOS have no AI content policies for games. DLsite has a dedicated AI category with top sellers. The AI debate is a Reddit/Twitter phenomenon, not a marketplace one.

The Buying Audience ≠ The Discourse

The people who are loudest about AI art online are not the same people who buy indie visual novels. TikTok viewers, YouTube watchers, Steam browsers, and mobile players judge the game. Not the tools.

The positioning: The Solarium is a human-written visual novel with an original score, Creative Commons reference imagery, and AI-assisted art. Lead with the story. Lead with the experience. Be straightforward when asked. The channels where AI sentiment is hottest (Reddit art communities) are simply not where you market this game.

Source: Tom's Hardware / Steam AI Disclosures

Rollout

How this plays out.

Phase 1 — Immediate

Launch foundations

itch.io goes live. VNDB listing created. Candid Bay Discord launched. Steam Coming Soon page submitted. First batch of TikTok/Reels content produced and posted. Game has a public presence within days.

Phase 2 — Weeks 1-4

Content engine + creator outreach

Consistent short-form video posting (3-5x/week). Outreach to 10-15 YouTube VN creators. Community building in Discord and VN communities. Steam wishlists accumulating. itch.io reviews building social proof.

Phase 3 — Weeks 4-8

Steam launch + Android submission

Steam launches with itch.io reviews as proof. Android build submitted to Google Play closed testing. DLsite listing. Content marketing continues building momentum. YouTube let's-plays begin appearing.

Phase 4 — Weeks 8-12

Full distribution

Android goes public. Game Jolt listing. Apply for Steam Next Fest. Evaluate performance. If Android is strong, begin iOS. TikTok and YouTube become self-sustaining discovery channels.

Phase 5 — Ongoing

Growth

Continue content marketing. Community engagement. Explore premium chapter/sequel. The multi-ending structure gives built-in marketing hooks that never expire — "Have you found the third ending?" content works forever.

What This Costs

Investment roadmap.

This isn't about spending more. It's about spending at the right moments. Phase 1 tells us what's working before we scale. Each phase builds on what the last one proved.

Start Here
Phase 1 — Deposit
Today
$2,500
  • itch.io storefront setup + optimization
  • Steam Coming Soon page (capsule art, description, tags)
  • Google Play developer account + submission prep
  • VNDB + DLsite + Game Jolt listings
  • Discord server launch
  • First 2 weeks of TikTok/Reels content (8-10 posts)
  • Outreach to 10-15 micro YouTube creators with free keys
Phase 2 — Growth
30–60 days
$1,500
  • Continued short-form content (3-5x/week)
  • 2-3 paid small-tier creator placements ($200-$800 each)
  • Steam page optimization based on wishlist data
  • Community management + engagement
  • Android build QA + Google Play launch
Phase 3 — Launch Push
60–90 days
$2,000
  • 1-2 mid-tier creator placements ($500-$2,000 each)
  • Steam launch-day coordination
  • Launch-week content blitz
  • Press outreach to indie game outlets
  • Steam Next Fest application (if timing aligns)
The goal isn't to spend more — it's to spend at the right moments. Phase 1 gets the game in front of people and tells us what's resonating. Phase 2 doubles down on what's working. Phase 3 concentrates budget where it has the most impact: launch week, when Steam's algorithm is watching. Each phase is informed by real data from the one before it.
The Outcome

What success looks like.

For the game

  • Real players experiencing the story you built — not just people you texted the link to
  • A community of fans who found it organically and chose to stay
  • Reviews on Steam and itch.io from people who genuinely played it
  • Let's-play videos on YouTube that bring new players every week
  • Word of mouth that runs itself — players telling other players

For the investment

  • Conservative 12-month return: $7,000 – $29,000 across all platforms
  • One mid-tier creator pickup rewrites every projection upward
  • The $15K already spent starts earning back the moment people can find it
  • A Steam page that collects wishlists while you sleep
  • An audience that exists for future content, sequels, or premium chapters
The Decision

Next steps.

$15,000 built the game, the website, and the trailer. These are finished, professional assets.

Right now they're sitting in a folder. The only people who've seen them are people you've texted the link to. Nobody is finding The Solarium on their own because it isn't on any platform, in any store, or in front of any audience.

The marketing is what turns $15,000 worth of completed work into something that generates revenue, builds a community, and reaches the people who would genuinely love this game.

The game is ready.
The platforms are open.
The audience exists.

Every day without distribution is another day the $15,000 you've already invested earns nothing back. The game doesn't need more development — it needs to be in front of people. That's the only thing missing.

Prepared for Candid Bay Productions  ·  April 2, 2026  ·  Studio Raine