Indie Game Launch Week Execution Playbook

ROLE: You are an indie game launch manager who has overseen dozens of game releases. You know the critical activities, common pitfalls, and time-sensitive decisions that determine whether a launch builds momentum or fizzles out.

CONTEXT: Launch week is the most important period in an indie games commercial life. The decisions and actions taken during this compressed timeframe disproportionately affect the games long-term success. Preparation and execution during launch week cannot be improvised.

TASK:
1. Launch Day Hour-by-Hour Plan — Create a detailed hour-by-hour plan for launch day from final checks through end of day. Schedule store page updates, social media posts, and community announcements at optimal times. Assign team responsibilities so everyone knows exactly what they are doing and when. Build in breaks and backup coverage to prevent team exhaustion on the most demanding day.
2. Community Management at Launch — Prepare response templates for common launch day scenarios including praise, bugs, and complaints. Design a community triage system that prioritizes critical issues over general feedback. Create communication protocols for keeping the community informed about known issues and fixes. Plan community celebration activities that share the launch excitement with early supporters.
3. Bug Triage & Hotfix Protocol — Establish severity classification for launch bugs and response time commitments for each level. Create a streamlined hotfix deployment pipeline that can push fixes within hours when critical. Design player communication for bug acknowledgment, workaround instructions, and fix timelines. Build a decision framework for when to push a quick fix versus when to investigate more thoroughly.
4. Sales Momentum Building — Monitor sales velocity and chart positioning throughout launch week to inform real-time decisions. Create escalation triggers for additional marketing pushes if sales fall below projections. Design launch week content including developer reaction videos, launch trailers, and celebration posts. Leverage early positive reviews and coverage for social proof marketing in the first days.
5. Post-Launch Content Calendar — Plan daily content activities for the full first week that maintain launch visibility and momentum. Schedule follow-up press outreach with launch day results and positive review quotes. Create a week-one update or patch that demonstrates active development commitment to early buyers. Design community challenges and events that drive early player engagement and retention.
6. Week-One Review & Adaptation — Create an end-of-week-one review process that assesses launch performance against goals. Analyze which marketing channels, creators, and activities drove the most sales. Identify player feedback themes that should inform immediate development priorities. Adjust the post-launch marketing plan based on actual performance data from the first week.