Bridging Worlds: How an Experimental Art Game Found Its Audience in the Steam Ecosystem
Theo Triantafyllidis’ Feral Metaverse
The Challenge
When artist Theo Triantafyllidis approached us in early 2025, he faced a problem that's become increasingly common in the gaming industry: how do you market an experimental, art-forward game to audiences who might not know they want it yet?
Feral Metaverse, his multiplayer cooperative experience set in a dystopian world where survival depends on kindness, existed at the intersection of contemporary art and experimental gaming. The project had already gained recognition in art world circles, but Theo needed to expand beyond that initial audience to build a sustainable gaming community.
The specific challenge was threefold:
Bridge the gap between art world audiences and gaming communities
Generate meaningful wishlist additions during Steam Next Fest (target: 70-140)
Create sustainable momentum for ongoing development and potential publisher interest
Our Approach
Rather than treating this as a traditional game marketing campaign, we developed what we called a "cross-pollination strategy" - deliberately targeting both art world connections and gaming audiences with tailored messaging for each.
Audience Segmentation
We identified two primary personas:
Feral Feller: Young designers/creatives in digital fields who appreciate experimental games
Viral Explorer: Younger gamers interested in artistic experiences with viral potential
I definitely did see a significant peak of activity on my Instagram page. It’s the result of all the forces pushing people in that direction.
— Theo Triantafyllidis on the two-audience approach
Execution Highlights
Steam Page Optimization
We implemented a comprehensive tag strategy, removing generic descriptors and adding specific tags like "Experimental" and "Cooperative." This seemingly small change created immediate impact on organic discovery.
Instagram Amplification Strategy
Instead of creating a separate game account, we leveraged Theo's existing artistic following while creating content that would appeal to gaming audiences. This included:
Character design showcases highlighting the game's unique aesthetic
Environmental reveals that emphasized the cooperative gameplay mechanics
Behind-the-scenes content showing the development process
[Process documentation: Video footage of our content creation sessions and A/B testing of different post formats]
Art World Partnership Activation
We reached out to 40 art world contacts, achieving responses from 14, with 6-7 actively participating through story shares and mentions. This proved particularly effective because these endorsements carried authentic credibility.
Email Campaign Development
We expanded the existing Killscreen newsletter audience and created targeted content that served both gaming and art audiences, with careful list segmentation.
Channel Strategy
Our approach prioritized channels where these audiences naturally overlapped:
Steam Page Optimization: Technical improvements to organic discoverability
Art World Network Activation: Leveraging existing relationships in creative communities
Instagram-First Social Strategy: Visual content showcasing the game's distinctive aesthetic
Email Marketing: Building owned audience beyond platform dependencies
Press & Influencer Outreach: Targeted to experimental gaming and art coverage
Results & Impact
Quantitative Outcomes
The campaign exceeded expectations across multiple metrics:
Wishlist performance: 650-1400% above initial projections, depending on conservative versus optimistic targets
Traffic efficiency: 32% of total visits came from external sources, demonstrating successful audience activation beyond Steam's ecosystem
Conversion rates: 4% impression-to-visit rate across all channels, with external traffic converting at 15%—significantly higher than platform average
Social Media Breakthrough
Instagram emerged as the standout channel, generating results that surprised even optimistic projections:
1,249% increase in accounts reached during campaign period
40-71% non-follower discovery rate across content types, indicating strong algorithmic performance
Partner amplification: 35% response rate from art world outreach, with multiple institutions resharing content organically
Email Marketing Foundation
75% above industry average open rates across campaigns
33% improvement in click-through rates for established newsletter audience
98.5% delivery rate, indicating exceptional list quality and engagement
What We Learned
The lessons from Feral Metaverse extend beyond experimental gaming to any project that crosses cultural boundaries. Whether you're launching interactive art, educational technology, or boundary-pushing entertainment, three principles proved essential:
Focus on Overlap, Not Conversion: Instead of trying to convert art audiences into gamers (or vice versa), find the spaces where interests naturally align and create content that serves both communities authentically.
Build Infrastructure, Not Just Campaigns: The most valuable outcome was sustainable audience development—owned email lists, improved organic discovery, and authentic community connections that continue generating value long after promotional budgets are spent.
Measure Cultural Impact, Not Just Commercial Metrics: Traditional ROI calculations miss the broader value of cultural positioning, community building, and long-term brand development that experimental projects require.
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