GamesIndie RPGs playbook
Outpost plans a long-run campaign for your RPG: devlogs that build a following, a demo that shows the combat and choices, Steam's RPG fests, and the communities where RPG fans actually compare notes.
01 · DISCOVERY
RPG players research. They read and watch long devlogs, browse Steam by subgenre (turn-based, party-based, CRPG, JRPG-style), and ask in communities like r/rpg_gamers, r/JRPG and RPG Codex for recommendations. Steam runs RPG-specific themed fests, and long-form streamers and YouTubers who play whole campaigns can carry a game for weeks.
Discovery through a devlog, fest or recommendation thread, then a close read of the Steam page for combat system, party, length and choices, a demo, a wishlist, and often a wait for reviews before buying. Players are wary of scope promises, so honest descriptions earn trust.
02 · CHANNELS
Ranked 5 (essential) to 1 (optional) by the research for this industry.
RPG fans enjoy reading and watching how systems, classes and story are built. Devlogs on YouTube, Steam events and your site build a following and search traffic over the long development cycle.
Valve runs RPG-themed fests that put matching games on a promoted page; Coming Soon games and demos can join.
r/rpg_gamers, r/JRPG, RPG Codex and, for RPG Maker games, the RPG Maker forums are where players ask for recommendations. Each has its own rules for developers.
Creators who play an RPG over many episodes give it sustained exposure; a demo or preview build lets them start early.
GOG curates submissions and has a long association with classic-style RPGs; worth a pitch if the game fits.
BUSINESS MODEL · LIVE
The same channel can be a strong fit for a paid game and a poor one for a free one. Each line below is a rule or rating from Outpost's knowledge base, with its source; your own plan is built from your answers.
Steam Curator Connect sends up to 5 copies to each of up to 100 curators as licences, which is a lever for paid games; how it applies to free-to-play titles was not verified.
Premium games are Steam's core model: discounts of 20% or more can trigger wishlist emails, discounts run 10-95% (launch discount max 40%) with 30-day cooldowns, and seasonal sales are exempt from the between-discount cooldown.
Steam's four seasonal sales are discount events that all games are invited to join with a discount, so they reward priced games; free-to-play titles have no base price to discount and are generally excluded from curated deal spotlights.
Free-to-play and Early Access games may enter Steam Next Fest if unreleased, with a public demo, a public store page, and only one Next Fest per title ever.
Steam does not accept applications with advertising-based business models, so an ads-funded game must remove ads or monetize differently for its Steam build.
GOG's release FAQ asks developers to flag online gambling or elements like loot boxes, adult sexual content, realistic violence, in-game links to external stores and blockchain for team review, and says GOG cannot give feedback on early-stage games, recommending submission when a game is final or already released elsewhere.
Steam does not accept blockchain games that issue or allow exchange of cryptocurrencies or NFTs.
Free-to-play games on Steam are generally not eligible for curated discount spotlights (Daily Deals, Midweek and Weekend deals), and in-game content discounts are run from the developer's own backend.
Steamworks' onboarding rules, microtransaction, free-to-play and Inventory docs set no specific odds-disclosure rule for paid random items, so Steam loot boxes are governed by regional law, rating boards and the Steam Inventory drop system.
GOG asks for the release build ideally at least 3-5 days before launch; offline installers are generated automatically from the Master branch (from the QA release candidate for day-one).
GOG requires games to be DRM-free and playable offline without the GOG GALAXY client, and single-player must work without any game client (including Steam).
GOG builds shouldn't contain any mentions or links to other stores.
Steam enforces a 30-day waiting period between paying the Steam Direct fee and being able to release, and identity, tax and bank paperwork takes 15-30 days.
Read from Outpost's knowledge base on Nov 8, 2026; every line links its source.
03 · YOUR FIRST MONTH
A sample month. Your own plan is built from your audit, stage and goal, and paid options only ever appear as optional boosts.
Week 1 · days 1–7
Week 2 · days 8–14
Week 3 · days 15–21
Week 4 · days 22–30
DEADLINES · LIVE
Read from Outpost's knowledge base when this page loads. Expected dates follow the organiser's usual pattern and are labelled until the organiser confirms them.
04 · WHERE TO BE LISTED
Costs are as published by each destination when the research was reviewed; check before you pay for anything.
partner.steamgames.com
Valve's RPG-themed fests put matching games on a promoted page.
Free to opt in
partner.steamgames.com
Demo window where RPG players sample games before wishlisting.
Free (needs an existing Steam app)
partner.steamgames.com
Reach curators who specialise in RPGs.
gog.com
Curated store with a strong classic-RPG audience.
Revenue share; curated
igdb.com
Feeds Twitch categories for streamers playing your RPG.
rpgcodex.net
Long-running CRPG community and news site; blunt but influential with its audience.
forums.rpgmakerweb.com
For RPG Maker games, a community with areas for projects in development.
reddit.com
Large RPG player community with a separate rule for developer posts.
PC STORES · LIVE
For PC games already on Steam: what Epic offers and asks, from Epic's own pages where they could be read.
Epic Games Store developers keep 100% of the first US$1M net revenue per product per calendar year (resetting each 1 January from 2026, applied automatically), then 88/12.
Epic First Run is an opt-in 6-month Epic-exclusive window paying 100% net revenue; it is open only to new games not previously released on another third-party PC store, and afterwards the standard 100%-of-first-US$1M then 88/12 terms apply.
Epic lets games use their own or a third-party payment solution for in-app purchases, keeping up to 100% of that revenue.
Epic requires multiplayer games sold on other PC stores to support crossplay with them, and products added to its publishing tools after 9 March 2023 to enable Epic achievements if they offer achievements on other PC stores.
Listing on Epic Games Store is paid. $100 per product plus local taxes; not refundable but recouped after $1,000 on EGS. Developer keeps 100% of the first $1M net revenue per product per year (resets every Jan 1 from 2026), then 88/12, applied automatically to Epic-processed payments. A separate opt-in 'Epic First Run' gives 100% for a 6-month exclusive. Free alternative: itch.io or the Microsoft Store PC path (free)
05 · SEARCH DEMAND
Primary search
how to market an rpg
Below the provider’s reporting threshold: real demand, too small to report.
DataForSEO Google Ads, US/en, Oct 2026: primary keyword below reporting threshold. Related: 'indie rpg' 1900/mo, 'indie rpg games' 1900/mo.
Comparing: show why you
Comparing: show why you
Learning: answer with guides
Learning: answer with guides
06 · AVOID
A page that opens with a history of the world hides what players will actually do. Put the combat and choices first; lore can follow.
If the demo ends before the first real fight or choice, players can't judge the system they are buying into.
RPG players remember hour counts and feature lists from devlogs. Overpromising in public creates disappointed reviews later.
Valve's RPG fests are narrow (party-based, auto-battler, turn-based). Check the theme against your game; a poor fit wastes the slot.
Communities like r/rpg_gamers have specific developer rules. Promotional drive-by posts get removed; useful devlogs and honest answers get discussed.
07 · WHAT OUTPOST DOES
Rewrites your Steam page copy for subgenre clarity, combat-first copy and honest length and difficulty info
Plans and publishes a devlog series on your site and prepares Steam event versions for you to post, with a receipt for each
Tracks which RPG-themed Steam fests fit your game and their registration windows
Finds long-playthrough YouTube creators and drafts personal pitches for you to send
Publishes 'games like' and player-question pages that build search traffic over months
Monitors AI-assistant answers for 'best indie RPGs' style queries and reports when your game appears
Every action Outpost takes gets a receipt: the live URL, a timestamp and what it drove, or “nothing yet”.See how receipts work
08 · QUESTIONS
Valve's RPG fests are themed narrowly and change each year, such as Party-Based RPG Fest and Auto-Battler RPG Fest in 2026. Check the current calendar and its eligibility notes; if none fit, Next Fest and seasonal sales are the main windows.
They build a following over a long development cycle and give communities something to discuss. They work best when they show systems and decisions, not just progress updates.
If your game is a CRPG or classic-style RPG, its audience is engaged and influential, but expect blunt feedback. Show up as a developer who listens, not as an advertiser.
Long enough to reach real combat and a meaningful choice. Some teams make a standalone slice rather than the opening hours.
If your game fits its classic-RPG audience, yes. GOG curates submissions, so pitch with a demo and a clear description.
RPG marketing runs across the whole development period. Devlogs and search traffic compound over months; fests and creator coverage give spikes on top.
Often yes, as a second store once your Steam page is working, if your game meets Epic's rules: Epic Games Store developers keep 100% of the first US$1M net revenue per product per calendar year (resetting each 1 January from 2026, applied automatically), then 88/12. Epic First Run is an opt-in 6-month Epic-exclusive window paying 100% net revenue; it is open only to new games not previously released on another third-party PC store, and afterwards the standard 100%-of-first-US$1M then 88/12 terms apply. Epic lets games use their own or a third-party payment solution for in-app purchases, keeping up to 100% of that revenue. Epic requires multiplayer games sold on other PC stores to support crossplay with them, and products added to its publishing tools after 9 March 2023 to enable Epic achievements if they offer achievements on other PC stores. Listing on Epic Games Store is paid. $100 per product plus local taxes; not refundable but recouped after $1,000 on EGS. Developer keeps 100% of the first $1M net revenue per product per year (resets every Jan 1 from 2026), then 88/12, applied automatically to Epic-processed payments. A separate opt-in 'Epic First Run' gives 100% for a 6-month exclusive. Free alternative: itch.io or the Microsoft Store PC path (free) Epic First Run is irreversible for its six months, so Outpost asks you to confirm it before planning it.
10 · EVIDENCE
Every fact on this page comes from one of these sources.
Auto-Battler RPG Fest Nov 16 to 23, 2026; themed fests welcome Coming Soon titles and demos and are promoted on the homepage; dates listed on the page: Next Fest Oct 19-26, 2026; Steam Scream V Fest Oct 26 - Nov 2, 2026; Auto-Battler RPG Fest Nov 16-23, 2026; Winter Sale Dec 17, 2026 - Jan 4, 2027; Desktop Companion Fest Jan 14-18, 2027; Shop Keeper Fest Jan 25 - Feb 1, 2027; Couch Co-Op Fest Feb 8-15, 2027; Next Fest Feb 22 - Mar 1, 2027; Real-Time Strategy Fest May 10-17, 2027; Next Fest Jun 14-21, 2027; Summer Sale Jun 24 - Jul 8, 2027 (checked Oct 20, 2026)
Valve has run RPG-themed fests such as a Turn-based RPG Fest in earlier years
Self-promotion removed for most content, with developers handled under a separate rule
Curated PC store
Party-Based RPG Fest Sep 14 to 21, 2026 and Auto-Battler RPG Fest Nov 16 to 23, 2026 on Valve's calendar
Last reviewed . Search volume: DataForSEO Google Ads, US/en, Oct 2026: primary keyword below reporting threshold. Related: 'indie rpg' 1900/mo, 'indie rpg games' 1900/mo.
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