Next Fest post-demo diary

[p]First off, thank you. Next Fest swept us off our feet: we made it into the official event trailer, read your comments, watched your runs, and spent late nights sanding rough edges. We’re three people, with zero budget for dev or marketing, but a level of stubborn love this event only amplified.
[/p][h2]The numbers that tell us where to push next[/h2][p]16,000+ wishlists ~45–50% conversion into demo downloads
7,000+ players jumped in
Steam user reviews are “Very Positive.”

Bonus signal: the demo trailer reached over 90,000 views across GameTrailers and IGN — a standout number compared to many other Next Fest trailers.

Taken together, it all says one thing: curiosity turned into action — and once the demo starts, people have fun. That’s our green light to double down on the heart of the game.
[/p][h2]What we learned playing alongside you[/h2][p]Watching streams and clips was eye-opening. We saw surprise exactly where we hoped — and stumbles we’re already smoothing out. Next Fest creates a natural spike of attention; after that, the curve settles. Our job now is to keep the engine running: small, regular updates; honest devlogs; public playtests when they help; and clearer storytelling about what makes Mad King Redemption… Mad King Redemption.
[/p][h2]A candid closing note on publishers & the market[/h2][p]The market is noisy. With these demo results on the table (wishlists, 7k+ players, Very Positive, 90k+ trailer views), the question isn’t “find anyone” — it’s finding someone who keeps the fire burning with us.

If we meet a publisher, we’d love real reach, time back on the things that slow a tiny team (QA, localization, certifications), and respect for the vision — fuel to go farther.

If that match doesn’t happen, no stress: we’ll go self-publishing or hybrid. We already have what matters — a community that talks to us and keeps us honest — and we’ll build a sustainable engine on top of that.
[/p][h2]What’s next[/h2][p]We’re putting together a near-term, realistic roadmap, prioritizing clarity, core polish, and a steady cadence of updates. In the meantime, every bit of feedback (bugs, QoL, balance, onboarding) is gold. And if you're up for it, let’s turn this thread into a small AMA.

Thanks for making this Next Fest unforgettable.
Onward. 💜

— Team Mad King Redemption


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