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I wish investors seemed that logical, but with a few exceptions, they all seem to be chasing the same thing - whatever thing was the last hit.

I genuinely couldn't tell if you were talking about peak-level design or about the bag company peak design

If they were just going elsewhere that'd be fine, it'd resettle the market at a more sustainable level. They're not: they're taking safe bets on safe games, making sure there's still a lot of money to compete against, most everything with money is safe and uninteresting to audiences.

Sorry I've been talking about Levelling The Playing Field a lot, but I think this is the most positive impact I can making right now. Undercutting expensive poorly-made course programs by grifters, and allowing people to avoid having to pay expensive consultants for basic answers to basic questions.

2. On the courses end, the new Marketing 101 course had its first completion! Marketing 101 was likely the most complicated and easily out-dated course to make - it required a lot of abstraction and care to make. Available at €40 (or all 8 courses for €280!) courses.ramiismail.com/courses/mark...

Levelling the Playing Field - Courses by Rami IsmailPractical, focused courses for indie game developers. Business, marketing, budgeting, production, pitching and more - by Rami Ismail.courses.ramiismail.com

You're falling into the same trap: this is a risk-investment business. There's no "sure path" to a return that exceeds just investing elsewhere. The industry can yield incredible returns for investors, but rarely, if ever, for playing it safe and chasing trends. The hits are always new.

hooooly garlic

What if you are a little guy and it's your birthday though.

Live tomorrow at exactly 14:00 CEST via your mail if you're a paid subscriber, or if you become a paid subscriber after you can find it at ltpf.ramiismail.com

Levelling The Playing FieldLTPF is Rami Ismail's recurring advice column on the development, design, and business of making games.ltpf.ramiismail.com

Developers aren't entitled, but investors should be acting in their own economic interest and it's long-clear that "do the safe bet" does not work in media. Everything truly big - even something like the Marvel Cinematic Universe started because they took a few swings on B-class superhero movies.

"It has worked for nobody, but it will absolutely work for us".

By the time all is said and done, the majority of cool projects never go anywhere - safe bets often land nowhere, but the few times something courageous and weird makes it through funding (and we can agree or disagree on the merits, etc. etc.) it can become the biggest thing that launches.

Just to be clear, my position is that FUNDING is too cowardly, not developers. I don't think that comes quite through in the article, though - so fair response!

oh no

Basically, the program is doing incredibly well, and while I'm nervous about how each course will be received, I'm incredibly happy with how things are going so far. Still very proud of the five-star reviews the Games Business 101 course has received so far.

Finally, I'm happy to say I've closed some referral and discount deals with a number of organisations and accelerators - and I've sold a few "seat deals" for incubators around the world, where they just bulk buy the seats for their cohort. Another way to reach and help more devs.

Another thing I'm proud to say is that the Levelling The Playing Field affiliate program is starting to see more use: you can get discounts on courses by recommending a course to a friend. They get 10% off, you get a 5 euro credit for any future purchase or gift. A nice way to support devs, too.

Marketing 101 is the most complex class out of the eight topics launching with Levelling The Playing Field - it's an existential topic that changes rapidly, and teaching "today's flavour" is a losing battle. Instead, it covers overarching marketing concepts, then links to contemporary information.

Inshallah

Oh, that's weird. Let me see if I messed that up, should be a simple change.