Boutique Consulting Agency for Video Games
We’re here to save you time and money and make sure your game is in the best possible state at release. The launch of a game determines its fate, don’t let minor mistakes and development echo chambers ruin what could have been.
Our Consulting Services
Whether you’re a creative director who needs a second pair of eyes, a publisher who needs an expert third party or a solo developer who just needs some aid, we’re here to help. You can check out an example consulting document here.
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Video games are unique in the sense that unlike apps and websites, the UI needs to be not only functional but visually striking as well. A well made UI might not secure you positive reviews but a bad one will most certainly tank your score.
Common UX mistakes that are easy to fix such as excessive screen shake that’s not toggleable, flashbang transition screens, overwhelming menus and information can easily put off new players.
We will provide a list of UX and typography improvements and depending on the state of the game draw out a UI wireframe and even visual final UI suggestions and examples.
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Gameplay is king and games should be fun, not a tug of war between developers and players that constantly switches from fun to tedium. Players should be thinking “one more level before I sleep” instead of “when is this turret section going to end”.
We’ll provide a detailed document with everything gameplay related that could be improved and make sure the weakest links are fixed.
Balancing a game is a really tough endeavor that even the best developers struggle with. As players who have played games such as DotA, Path of Exile and countless MMO’s for many years we will do our best to point out outliers.
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Your promotional graphics need to draw attention. Just like any other product, the customer needs to click on it. Graphics such as Steam capsules and Twitch covers need to up to a certain standard or they will be lost among the sea of new releases.
We will look through your key arts, logo, banners and provide alternate designs and suggestions on how to improve them.
We’ve also helped launch multiple Kickstarter projects successfully and we’ll be happy to provide help there if necessary.
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Selling a 60 USD game with cosmetic microtransactions might sound good on paper but it will not look good on your reviews page. Similarly, releasing a live-service game with microtransactions and slapping a price tag on it will almost guarantee your player count to be abysmal, and new players will not invest in such a game unless it has high active players.
Your release date is also a huge factor to success, it’s something impossible to control as proven by the sudden release of Hollow Knight 2 hindering the chances of lots of other indie devs but there are many factors to consider which we will be happy to plan for.
These simple business decisions might ruin the chances of a fantastic game, we will make sure you don’t repeat the common mistakes of the industry.
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Word-of-mouth is perhaps one of the biggest driving factors behind video game sales. Not giant billboards or IGN reviews but Reddit threads and streamer recommendations.
Adding just a simple easter egg referencing another game can be the difference between being on the front page of r/gaming or being completely invisible.
Good will, sincerity and being part of the culture will certainly further your chances as gamers do purchase emotionally but they can also be fickle, a single wrong tweet by a staff member can demolish the chances of a game before it even comes out so public relations guidelines and channels should be very clear and professional.
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Getting your game in the hands of as many industry people is vital to your success. We will prepare a presskit and reach reviewers, streamers and youtubers. Most companies that provide this service only send a mass e-mail with very little personalization and information so it ends up ignored.
We have our own list of contacts, including the genres of games they play/review and we will make sure they actually read about your game.
Mock Reviews
We can write mock reviews so you can anticipate the initial reaction to your game, fix any glaring issues and avoid getting negative reviews over trivial errors. Mock reviews are a great way to see your own game from a different perspective and get a reality check. Beware, we are harsh reviewers.
Branding
We can make or improve your logo and other graphical elements that complement it such as borders, dividers, sub-logos and other graphical elements. Your logo is your first impression, make sure it counts.
Monetization
Many a great game has fallen victim to wrong monetization policies. We will suggest the best path to take in regards to monetization plans, prices in different regions, microtransaction prices.
Presskit & Outreach
We will prepare a professional Presskit and send it to our extensive list of reviewers, streamers and youtubers. Unlike most companies, we send personalized mails to relevant people and not just spam the same message to a mass e-mail list which eventually ends up in their spam folder.
Post-Launch Support
Sometimes there’s no other option but to launch a game with missing features or content. It’s important to quickly take note of what’s needed, draw up a priority list and make sure the buyers are aware that fixes are coming. We will do a post-launch review analysis and make a battle plan.
Onboarding Experience
New player experience is vital to good reception. We will make sure your tutorials are on point and the initial player introduction to your game is not overwhelming. The first 10 minutes usually determines whether someone will play your game or issue a refund.
Gameplay & Balance
We have tens of thousands of hours of experience with competitive games, RPGs, roguelikes and shooters. If something about gameplay feels off, we will find it.
QOL & Accessibility
Simple changes that diminish the tedium of some tasks such as inventory management can go a long way and accessibility features such toggle/aim options, FOV settings, reduced camera shake can be the difference between a mixed review and a positive one.
Customer Acquisition
Customer acquisition is not just ads and sponsored streams (which we can also negotiate for you). It’s also subtle nuances such as easter eggs that might go viral, social media posts which appeal to the gaming community or clip-worthy moments from your game. Word-of-mouth is a powerful tool in gaming, we will make sure you utilize it well.
Future Content Planning
We are very familiar with live service games, season based games and MMOs so we can suggest future gameplay and content cycles and continue improving your game. Everyone has ideas but ours will be more realistic to execute while keeping player retention high.
UI/UX & Typography
An often overlooked part of game design that’s usually not planned out and left to be designed near launch. We will provide wireframes, final UI design suggestions, UX improvements and a general UI framework that will complement the identity of your game. We will also make sure your type hierarchy is correct and that you’re using the right fonts in the right places
Player Retention
Once you get past the hurdle of getting players to play your game, now you need to keep them playing. We know the itch that makes people say “one more round”, and we will make sure your game scratches that itch. Progression, itemization and gameplay loop are key when it comes to player retention.
Promotional Materials
We’ve designed many Steam Capsules, Kickstarter graphics and other marketing materials. We will make sure your game stands out among the hundreds of new releases. We can either deliver final graphics or advise on how to improve yours.
Public Relations
Gamers are fickle, you need to tread with caution. Anything you say can and will be used against you. We are happy to review your public statements, advise on how, when and where to communicate with your audience. There’s a reason why many development teams keep communication to a minimum, but the ones that do communicate successfully gather a ton of goodwill and loyal fans.
Market Research
We will gather data on your competitors, their successes and shortcoming, analyze their user reviews and compare their features to your game. A key part of making a great game is knowing what else is out there, what innovations others have made and what pitfalls to avoid.
About Us
After years of seeing great games miss their potential, we founded VoxelFlux Consulting to step in behind the scenes and make sure every box is truly checked.
Unlike most big consulting firms, we actually play games and are part of the target demographic. We didn’t discover games in a boardroom, we grew up with them. We even became friends through DotA and Half-Life LAN parties.
Mehmet Reha Tuğcu
My life basically revolves around video games and design. I’ve designed over a 100 fonts to date and helped launch multiple games on Steam.
I also have over 10,000 hours played in Path of Exile!
Co-Founder
Can Orman
After 10+ years working at startups and consulting for healthcare, insurance, and fintech companies, I decided to team up with Mehmet to start helping video game studios instead.
I mainly play story-driven single-player games, and I’ve got over 5,000 hours in Dota 2 but I still suck at it.