u/Arefnue

Hi everyone,

I just released my demo on Steam last week, and honestly, the results felt really disappointing compared to my previous games.

This demo got around 700 total licenses and only 20 unique users on Day 1. My previous game had around 2000 total licenses and 100 unique users on Day 1, so I expected this one to perform better, especially because I genuinely think this game is much stronger overall.

What confuses me is that almost every early metric actually looks better:

• First week wishlist growth is already 100+ WL (previous game had only ~15)
• Store page conversion seems better
• General interest and feedback are stronger

But the demo performance itself completely crushed my motivation. I was hoping this game could eventually reach 1000+ wishlists, and now I’m starting to doubt everything.

Right now I’m trying to contact niche influencers and creators, but results there are also pretty slow.

Has anyone experienced something similar where:

• demo player numbers looked weak,
• but wishlist growth or long-term performance still turned out good?

Or does this usually mean the game has major issues that I’m not seeing?

I’d really appreciate any advice or perspective from other devs. Thank you.

Hey everyone!
I’ve been solo developing a game called HeroInc, and the free demo just released on Steam.

It’s a tactical roguelite autobattler where you start as an ordinary human in a city full of enhanced heroes. At the beginning you’re weak, unknown, and struggling to survive but each run lets you build your character through upgrades, encounters, and risky choices.

The game mixes:

• Tactical autobattler combat
• Zero-to-hero progression
• Roguelike runs
• Character enhancements
• Random events & decisions
• Different build paths

The demo is around 30–60 minutes long and I’m currently collecting feedback to improve the full release.

Would love to hear your thoughts on the combat, pacing, balance, or overall progression feel.

Steam Demo