The Power of Viral Marketing and Cultural History in The Wagadu Chronicles

Building interest for a game prior to its launch is a crucial topic in the gaming industry, and at Develop:Brighton, Allan Cudicio, founder of Twin Drums, presented a compelling example based on the studio's experience with The Wagadu Chronicles, an Afro-fantasy MMORPG that gained significant attention following a viral Twitter thread in January 2020. Cudicio emphasized the importance of considering traction before a game's release, taking into account not only customers but also publishers, investors, and other stakeholders. He identified three key aspects of gaining traction: doing things early, doing things cheaply, and doing things that align with the studio's values. The Wagadu Chronicles is an African-inspired fantasy sandbox MMORPG that features life skills such as farming, fishing, and crafting, as well as combat inspired by single-player turn-based RPGs. The game has undergone a successful Kickstarter campaign, raising nearly $200,000, and has received a grant from the German government. Cudicio stressed the importance of pre-production work, including research and documentation, to identify potential interest in the market and to develop a unique selling proposition. He also highlighted the value of social media marketing, particularly Twitter, where the studio shared concept art, lore, and other engaging content to build a community and generate interest in the game. The studio's marketing approach focused on showcasing the game's unique features, such as its Afro-fantasy setting and queer-positive themes, and on building a community of supporters who shared the studio's values. Cudicio also emphasized the importance of tracking key performance indicators and being open to feedback and iteration. The studio's efforts paid off, with The Wagadu Chronicles attracting a significant following and securing funding from the German government and Riot Games. Cudicio concluded by emphasizing the importance of sustainability, both financially and in terms of workload, and encouraged indie developers to think about manifesting their goals and visualizing their success.