When you make a new post about the release of your game, you can tag it as Major Update or Launch, which will signal that this needs to re-appear in relevant places, I believe it includes the “Most Recent” category too.
This is meant for games that are having big updates, or in your case, the game already has a page but it’s now launching. It might take a few days for things to happen once you make a post.
Thank you for your response.
1) To clarify, when you say "make a new post" - do you mean a new Devlog? Or a forum post? Yes, under devlog there is an option to select the type of devlog as "Major Update or Launch" - is this what you mean? please confirm.
2) When you say "release" of your game, do demo releases count ? or do you mean the full release? Our full release will be on Steam in November - but our demo will be on itch to get early feedback next month.
3) I created this itch account in order to get eyes on Shellstorm: The Great War before our launch - our game is not yet indexed - but does adding a free downloadable digital artwork have a chance at getting the game indexed and searchable and shown in "recent"? We are trying to get the game indexed and searchable ahead of the demo launch so people can discover the page and sign up.
Also, just to clarify:
I'm still trying to understand the exact mechanics of how Itch indexing and visibility work on itch. Specifically:
Does a game page with no downloads or playable files get added to “Most Recent”?
Will uploading a non-playable file (like a free wallpaper) satisfy the indexing requirement?
Does a game need to be indexed in order to appear in “Most Recent”?
Would really appreciate confirmation on these details, since it's been tough to find definitive answers. Thanks again!
Indeed I did mean making a Devlog tagged as “Major Update or Launch”.
Adding a demo should satisfy the “Major Update or Launch”, feel free to give it a go and see what happens. Make sure to mark the relevant file with “This file is a demo and can be downloaded for free”.
Often new projects from new developers take longer to index. Sometimes admins need to review projects manually. I wouldn’t recommend having a file that’s not the game, as the algorithm might think your game is finished an available to users, even though it’s not, which might be poor user experience.
The general advice is, focus on making your game, and release it when it’s ready. The algorithm might help you, but most indie devs have to market themselves to get enough eyes on their project.
Thanks for the clarification and advice!
I’ve already uploaded a free 7K digital art as a freebie. But its clearly labeled as "Free poster" so hopefully that won't confuse the algo into thinking its a playable file? its also marked as "image" from the upload type dropdown menu. We definitely don't want itch to think the demo is released yet, as that would ruin our actual demo launch visibility. We do want people to download out art and even print it out if they want - its 7k file super detailed file so hopefully at least one person will enjoy it.
Your point about devs needing to to do self promotion: Do you mean inside itch or outside? Outside itch, we are promoting the game on around 10+ platforms already over the last 40 days (Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky, Linkedin, Discord, Pinterest, DeviantArt, IndieDB ). and now we are expanding our promotional efforts to Itch - hence our published game page and free digital art. However, since this conversation is happening here on Itch, I’d prefer to keep the discussion focused on strategies and insights specific to the Itch platform itself.
One quick follow-up question: does a game page with no downloadable or playable files show up at all in Itch’s “Most Recent” or search results? Or is having a download required before any visibility happens? and if so, do digital artwork downloads count? or only playable builds/demos?
Appreciate the insight and your time! Looking forward to figuring out to use itch to promote our game ahead of our August demo launch
Thanks again!
