Hello everyone. I want to share a story of failure, and ultimately, a unique kind of success. A year and a half ago, in January 2024, as a JavaScript developer, I embarked on a personal quest: to build my dream browser MMORPG. In just ten days, I created an entire world from scratch, wearing multiple hats:
Storyteller and Dialoguist: I crafted an engaging narrative.
Full-stack Developer: I coded everything using Node.js, React, and MongoDB.
Artist: I designed and created all the game's graphics.
UI/UX Designer: I built a custom UI kit, including buttons, windows, and animations.
Game Mechanic Designer: I developed a combat system, quests, and localization features.
The result was a beautiful, vibrant game. But that was only the beginning; the real challenge was marketing.
A Quiet Launch
I had no marketing experience. My first attempt was sharing the link in a small Telegram chat of about 100 people. Ten clicked, played briefly, and then left. That was the extent of it.
Undeterred, I edited a video in February 2024 and uploaded it to YouTube. The initial 450 views in two days gave me hope, but it quickly fizzled out. Over a year and a half, that video only reached 555 views, and subsequent videos performed even worse (276 and 47 views).
I bought a domain, hosted the game, and waited. After 18 months, the total player count stood at just 30. While some might see this as minimal, I see it as a significant achievement: thirty real people chose to spend their time in the world I lovingly built alone.
A True Win
What truly mattered was seeing that three players completed my game entirely, spending 2-3 hours immersed in my world. They communicated in the game chat, visited daily, and one even sent me a detailed email with feedback and suggestions. This was invaluable.
I learned that while promotion is important, staying true to your initial passion is paramount. My biggest reward wasn't high statistics, but the genuine engagement of the few players I managed to reach.
My advice? Pursue what you love, pour your heart into it, and even if only a few appreciate your work, the joy you derive will be profound. I'll share more about the game's creation in future articles—subscribe to learn more!
I'd be delighted for you to explore my world. You can play here: https://jobless.jsvar.com
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