Digital Showcases Paved the Way for A Little To The Left's Indie Success

The journey of A Little To The Left, a household item organization puzzle game, began as a game jam concept by Max Inferno, a team consisting of Anne Macmillan and Lukas Steinman. Initially, it gained a small following and was expanded upon, eventually being featured on Itch.io, where it consistently ranked high. After applying for and being accepted into Wholesome Direct, an indie game showcase highlighting uplifting and cozy games, the team received significant visibility, catching the attention of publishers, including James Schall of Secret Mode. This exposure led Steinman and Macmillan to leave their jobs and dedicate themselves to full-time game development. The game's successful relationship with digital events continued into 2022, with a demo release on Steam's Next Fest, appearances on Wholesome Direct and Days of the Devs, and participation in Play Days. These showcases helped the game gain the attention of influencers, with a notable example being Gab Smolders, who played the demo organically. The game's Steam wishlist graph saw a significant inflection point, with many major creators picking up the demo. A Little To The Left was later featured in Nintendo's Indie World event, initially planned for a December launch on Switch, but the team managed to get the game ready early, and it was released on PC and Switch in November 2022. The game became a hit on both platforms, shifting 200,000 units by mid-January, and later reaching 300,000 units after another influencer discovered the game. The game's simple style made it ideal for TikTok, where creator Jacob Forster discovered it through Gab Smolders' content. Forster found the game to be a great fit for his channel, and the game's engagement on TikTok was above average. The team has continued to update the game, adding daily challenges called Daily Tidy, designed to keep players coming back, and releasing the Cupboards & Drawers DLC. As of last month, A Little To The Left has sold one million copies, and Max Inferno has expanded to three people, with the goal of staying grounded and moving in a direction that is sustainable and true to their creative vision.