We just finished up an outline launch task list for our soon-to-be-announced iPad debut title – this post contains that list, effectively a draft iOS marketing plan. It’s pretty generic, so we figured it might be useful to everyone else out there.
We’ll be revisiting this over the coming weeks – if you’ve got input, questions or whatever let us know – we’ll update this post and report back as we fill out the gaps.
Where are we at right now?
Right now – July 28th – we’ve got a mostly-finished game, a name and this list.
This is our first _proper_ release on the App Store – we’ve put a few things out there before, but this is the first time we’re doing a launch proper. We don’t expect everything to magically go in our favor – but we do know that if we do everything we can this time round we can only make positive iterations from there on out (we’ll have other stuff launching this year as well).
Required Assets (things we’ve got to make):
1. The game itself (full/paid version) – see list below of new/related features
2. Additional SKUs/version (lite/ad supported etc) – TBD
3. Various videos (launch trailer, full trailer, gameplay footage etc)
4. App assets (app description, screenshots, icon, press release/launch text etc)
5. Game website
- Cross-site stuff with this site
- Leaderboard integration with OpenFeint stuff
- (post v1) level/map sharing
Things we need to decide:
6. Decide on launch price
7. Decide on free version (lite or ad supported)
- (lite) launch date
- (lite) what features
- (ad supported) launch date – presuming same as full version at this point
- (ad supported) ad location / integration
- (ad supported) future feature set – will it get all post-v1 features?
8. Confirm app name
- Current use (revisit this since originally deciding on name)
- Trademarks in relevant regions (at least US & UK)
9. Game website URL (dedicated domain or sub-site to this one)
Features required in app (that relate directly to this list)
A good chunk of these are specific to the game we’re launching – though all are specifically launch/promotion related so completely relevant to other games, just need some adaptation.
10. News and updates pull RSS feed for front page with optional links (to other parts of app; to external URLs)
11. Separate feed (or filter for full/free apps) such that in-app cross-promo news items make sense
12. Finish “challenge” levels design – including having 4-8+ weeks worth of challenges
13. Figure out challenges integration for OpenFeint (if possible) and pushing of leaderboards to game website
14. Decide on final stats and analytics (just Flurry or our own stuff as well)
15. Decide on & implement final version of level sharing – particularly external services and iOS protocol handlers for twitter, facebook, google+ etc
Other things to think about / research
16. Do we need to think about readying App Store promo / feature assets in case we get one?
Launch schedule critical path
Fill gaps, estimate time scales and update/re-sequence this launch sequence list:
17. Announce game
- 36peas blog
- Dedicated game site
- TA forum post (initial launch post) + announcement trailer
- Media host locations (youtube, vimeo)
- Offer limited number of public beta test spots
18. Release full trailer
19. Announce to iOS press
20. Distribute promo versions
21. Submit for approval
22. (update, resubmit, required)
23. Announce launch date (decide on best day of week)
24. Release v1 (at promo price)
25. End promo period
26. Announce v1.1 features
27. Launch v1.1 + promo price
Launch activities (not on critical path)
Plan and prepare for other launch-related activities (that are not on above critical path:
28. Solicit media requests for promo material
29. Identify “target” list of game biz people, iOS people, developers, media etc and do direct notifications where known or relationship exists
30. Cross-posting elsewhere of dev- or launch-related contents (inc #idevblogaday, The Cocoa Mag)
31. Speaking engagements and other public events (360idev – we’ll be speaking there and at iOS Dev UK)
32. Identify other timely launch-time events (game jams?)
33. Complete schedule of development content (blog posts etc) related to the game’s development
34. Get in touch with Mike Berg to update last year’s 360idev game jam site – this title is based on a prototype that originated in Austin 2011. Also give Jon Wilker a shout to encourage a mention – timing should be close to this year’s game jam
35. Identify and schedule other promo opportunities and offers – are “freeappaday” promos still worthwhile?
36. Release soundtrack via iTunes & some form of (free?) direct download
Post v1 features
37. Sort out development time scale such that we know when a v1.1 is released (presuming point releases – 1.1, 1.2 etc are feature-full, others 1.0.1 etc will be fix releases)
38. Decide on known likely post-v1 features (multiplayer, map editor + sharing)
Post v1 activities
39. Update this plan with an ongoing retrospective analysis / results
40. Release gameplay stats
41. Release commercial stats
42. Announce next version
43. Release next version
44. Identify competitions, summits etc -- anything applicable to enter title into
Your input wanted
Did we miss something? Is there an area you'd like us to expand on? Let us know in the comments -- we'll update this as we go.
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Updates
28th July -- Added #44 -- re competitions and summits
Friday, November 25, 2011 at 2:19PM