Hello everyone, I'm delighted to share with you our plan for 2024 and to outline some of the initiatives we've already undertaken. This year, instead of focusing on comparing the statistics from 2022 and 2023, I want to concentrate on the future and the operational excellence that awaits us.

Our unquestionable priority for 2024 is speed. We must ensure that our website provides a smooth and responsive experience for all our users.

To that end, we're working on several initiatives:

• Improving the mobile-friendliness of the site (which may include launching an app)
• Creating a quicker and more intuitive contact area for our staff (already operational)
• Implementing a new section on the homepage dedicated to online games, optimized for mobile devices.
• Introducing new medals to reward games and players achieving significant milestones.

Additionally, we'll continue to actively engage players through the creation of Challenges and the introduction of new exclusive games, always with the aim of providing them with an unparalleled gaming experience.

I'm confident in what the future holds for us and grateful to have such a talented and dedicated community! Together, we'll accomplish great things!

SeaRing is an indiegame in pixelart, story-driven adventure that will take you on a journey through a world rich in lore, colorful characters, and comical storytelling. In this game, you play as the Sea Princess on a quest to retrieve her mother's lost crown, become queen, and solve the mysteries of a world ruled by fire.What sets SeaRing apart from other adventure games is its unique gameplay mechanic. You don't have a traditional attack button, but instead, you use your Sea Ring to defend yourself from enemy attacks. This twist on traditional gameplay creates a fresh and exciting challenge, as you must use your strategic

In addition to the gameplay, the characters and dialogue in SeaRing are a highlight of the game. With over 50 NPCs, each with their own unique dialogue, you'll find yourself immersed in the world and the story. Some characters are quirky and humorous, while others offer valuable tips and insights into the game's lore.One particularly helpful feature is the Sea Princess's ability to call home. If you're feeling lost, stuck on a puzzle, or just need a break, you can press the 'C' button to call her dad and get some helpful advice.

The pixel art and soundtrack in SeaRing are also impressive. The game's pixel art creates a beautiful and immersive world, while the soundtrack sets the perfect tone for the game's atmosphere. With over 10 unique songs, the soundtrack will keep you engaged and entertained throughout your journey.

Overall, SeaRing is a fantastic adventure game that combines unique gameplay mechanics with engaging characters, dialogue, and art. If you're a fan of action-puzzle games, or just looking for a fun and immersive adventure, SeaRing is definitely worth playing. Plus, with language options in Italian, English, and Portuguese, it's accessible to a wide range of players.

Did you see the official game trailer? Check it here!

Here's the detailed description of indiexpo's statistics for the period from January 2023 to June 2023, along with considerations on how to improve these statistics in the second half of 2023:

During the first half of 2023, indiexpo witnessed significant engagement from young developers and gamers. 42.83% of users fall within the 18-24 age group, clearly demonstrating indiexpo's appeal to young enthusiasts of free indie games. This is a positive sign for the indie developer community, indicating that the games featured on the site are capturing the interest of the younger generation.

An noteworthy point to highlight is the increasing female user base compared to previous years (even if the male user base is still the biggest). But this growing female participation can be seen as the result of inclusivity initiatives and a broader diversity of content offered by indiexpo. This positive trend should be encouraged and promoted in the second half of 2023 to further expand the female user base.

indiexpo is a global platform attracting developers and gamers from around the world. Among the countries significantly contributing to the number of visits, China is in the first place, followed by the United States, Italy, Russia, and Germany. These data reflect the increasing popularity of free indie games on an international scale and the significance of a platform like indiexpo as a promotional platform for indie developers.

To fully grasp the meaning of these data, it's valuable to consider the historical context of the gaming industry. For instance, China has witnessed explosive growth in the gaming sector in recent years, driven by the increasing availability of mobile devices and an evolving gaming culture. This has made China a key market for indiexpo, and it suggests that this trend could continue to grow in the second half of 2023.

The majority of visits (67%) come from direct traffic, indicating that indiexpo has built a strong online presence and a base of loyal developers and gamers who visit the site directly. 

This is a positive sign as direct traffic often indicates a strong and recognizable brand. In the second half of 2023, indiexpo could further focus on retention strategies to maintain and increase the number of direct developers and gamers.

Social media plays a significant role in driving traffic to indiexpo. Platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Reddit contribute substantially to the traffic, representing 25.52%, 25.16%, and 20.76% of visits from social media, respectively. These social platforms not only provide a channel for promoting indie games but also influence the developer and gamer communities.

It's important to note that these social media platforms have a crucial role in the gaming world, influencing trends, the discovery of new games, and the sharing of gaming experiences. In the second half of 2023, indiexpo could seek to further solidify its partnerships with these social platforms by collaborating with content creators and promoting quality indie games through these channels.

The increase in traffic from mobile devices, constituting 42% of the total, suggests the importance of optimizing the site to provide a seamless user experience on smartphones and tablets. This trend may continue to grow, driven by the increasing adoption of mobile devices worldwide.

An interesting point to note is that many developers are responding to this trend by uploading HTML5 games to indiexpo. These games can be easily played online on mobile devices without the need for downloads or installations. In the second half of 2023, indiexpo could further encourage developers to create mobile-optimized games, thereby enhancing the site's appeal to the growing mobile audience.

indiexpo's statistics for the first half of 2023 indicate positive growth and development opportunities. For the second half, the site could focus on inclusivity strategies, collaborations with major social media platforms, and mobile optimization to continue expanding its user base and supporting the indie game developer community. indiexpo is clearly playing an essential role in promoting and sustaining the free indie game sector.

HTML5 games are games that are developed using HTML5, a markup language that is used to structure and present content on the World Wide Web. HTML5 games are typically browser-based games that can be played on any device with a web browser and an internet connection, without the need for additional software or plugins.

Now it is possible to develop HTML5 games also with tool as Construct (2 & 3), Rpg Maker (MV & MZ), Unity3D (in WEBGL), GODOT, Game Maker and other.

But why to develop a game in HTML5? Here 6 Reasons:

1. HTML5 is cross-platform and can run on any device with a modern web browser, which makes it easier to reach a wider audience.
2. HTML5 games can be easily distributed and played online, without the need to go through app stores or install additional software.
3. HTML5 allows for rapid development and prototyping, as it allows developers to easily make changes and iterate on their ideas.
4. HTML5 has a large and active community of developers and resources, making it easier for indie developers to find help and support when needed.
5. HTML5 has a wide range of tools and libraries available for game development, including frameworks like Phaser and Pixi.js.
6. HTML5 games are compatible with modern web standards and technologies, which makes them easy to integrate with other platforms and services.

HTML5 games are created using a combination of HTML5, CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), and JavaScript, and can be designed to be both simple and complex, ranging from simple, casual games to more advanced, immersive games with rich graphics and gameplay.

What are you waiting for? 

3 interesting HTML5 Games to Play right Now:

BINARY BOY

IMMORTAL SINS

NEOTRAP

The Crown of Wu is a captivating adventure-action game that takes players on a journey through a fantastical world inspired by the traditional Chinese tale Journey to the West. In this game, players take on the role of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, as they fight against enemies and overcome obstacles in order to retrieve the stolen Crown of Wu.

What is Journey to the West...?

Journey to the West is a Chinese novel that follows the adventures of a monk named Xuanzang as he travels to India to bring back Buddhist scriptures. He is accompanied by three supernatural beings: Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing. Along the way, they face many challenges and obstacles, including fighting demons and monsters, and dealing with greed and temptation. The novel is known for its humorous characters and depiction of Buddhist practice.

But back to this indie game! It was developed by Red Mountain and already published on PlayStation 4 &5! This project has been launched by only students and former students of Trazos participate, directed by our trainer: José Carlos Montero. Students and ex-students of Trazos belonging to different areas of the School participate in this project, such as Video Games or Digital Illustration, in such a way that collaborators have the opportunity to work as a team within a professional environment , approaching the work model that they will find once they enter the industry.

The game's combat system is easy to use and grants players incremental powers as they progress through the levels, making it accessible for players of all skill levels. Players can harness the powers of air, fire, earth, and lightning to defeat enemies and navigate through the dangerous world.

The combat system is fresh and intuitive, and the various powers allow for a range of strategic options in battle.

In addition to combat, The Crown of Wu also features platforming elements that require players to jump, run, and parkour their way through the game's levels. The puzzles and challenges become increasingly complex as players advance through the game, making for an engaging and satisfying gameplay experience.

Developed using Unreal Engine.

The world of The Crown of Wu is a blend of old and new, drawing inspiration from Chinese mythology while telling a new story of Sun's journey from anti-hero to hero. The game's antagonist, Zhu, is waiting to fight and kill you, adding a sense of urgency to the plot.

One ​​day Sun woke up and with great pain he was able to see how chaos and devastation reigned unopposed around him. His crown was gone. From his old prison he watched as everything collapsed around him, it was time to reclaim his crown and restore order. 

The game's levels are varied and beautiful, with a range of environments and locations to explore.

Overall, The Crown of Wu is a thrilling and immersive adventure-action game that combines fast-paced combat with challenging puzzles and platforming elements. Its unique setting and plot make it a stand-out title in the genre, and its easy-to-use combat system and incremental powers make it accessible for players of all skill levels. If you're a fan of adventure-action games, or just love exploring new worlds inspired by mythology, thenThe Crown of Wu is definitely worth checking out!You can already play the free version on indiexpo website uploaded by the team of Red Mountain!

During this first semester, besides fixing a few things (such as the Advanced Search, which now has a better design and a new filter for searching games by year), we have finally released a new important feature that we are excited about: Quests!

What are the Quests? How do they work?

We have revolutionized the Events section!

You can go to the event page, "Accept" the mission assigned (which can be to "find an object", "survive as long as possible", "get a certain number of points", etc.), then play the game and receive 100 gems as a reward!

Many sites similar to ours often organize events/jams for developers. We didn't want to follow this path, which has already been widely used by others (also because in the end, a contest can be organized very well on a forum, social media, or elsewhere). We wanted to focus more on games and players.

The fundamental thing is that the game is playable online. Then just contact the staff (by email or on Discord) to enable the scoring system and create linked missions!

A more effective notification system has not yet been integrated, but every day we are refining and perfecting this feature!

Try to win some missions and let us know what you think!

We are sure that players will love this new gaming experience, where they can accept fun challenges and win gem prizes!

Skydancer is an RPG indie game, developed by Uran & Polakko, that stands out from the usual stereotypes of the classic JRPG genre. Set in a dystopian future in post-atomic Japan, the game follows the story of Tatsuke Sanji, a futuristic samurai equipped with a lightsaber and a mecha arm, and Shin Tanaka, a master of a deadly martial art known as "Denryoku jutsu". Together, they must save the world from a cyber-apocalypse and restore order to the chaotic island of Neo Tokyo.One of the most notable features of Skydancer is its innovative use of the directional keys in combat. Players can use these keys to create more powerful combos and deal more damage to enemies in a single turn. This adds an element of strategy to battles and allows for more dynamic and engaging gameplay.

Skydancer also boasts a "chessboard like" level up system, similar to the one seen in Final Fantasy X, which allows players to customize their characters and progress through the game at their own pace. The game also includes a fully custom menu and a tutorial that explains the various gameplay mechanics in detail, such as the protoshell system and the fatality system.

In terms of language options, Skydancer is available in Italian and English, making it accessible to a wider audience. It was developed using RPG Maker 2003, and the developer's attention to detail is evident in the well-crafted world and characters.

Overall, Skydancer is a unique and engaging RPG that offers a fresh take on the genre. Its futuristic setting and focus on martial arts combat make it a must-play for fans of dystopian futures and fist-fighting action.

Pinterest is a visual discovery platform that allows users to discover and save ideas for a variety of topics, including video games. By using Pinterest to promote your indie game, you can reach a targeted audience of users and new gamers (or other game developers).

There are several ways you can use Pinterest to promote your video game, here are some tips for promoting your indie game on Pinterest:

1. Create a Pinterest account for your indie game and start by pinning images and videos related to your game. This will help you establish your game's presence on the platform and give people an idea of what your game is all about. For example: "has your game a retrogaming style? Start to pin images and videos about famous retrogames like Sonic, Super Mario or SNES and NES games!"
2. Use relevant keywords in your pins and boards to help people discover your game. For example, if your game is a puzzle game, you can use keywords like "puzzle game," "indie game," and "brain teaser" in your pins and board titles. If it is in pixel art, you can use keywords like "retro games", "pixel art", "pixel artist", "pixel games", etc.
3. Collaborate with other Pinterest users who have an interest in indie games. You can share each other's pins, repin content from each other's boards, and even co-create a board together. This will help you reach a wider audience and build relationships with other members of the indie game community.
4. Utilize Pinterest's promoted pins feature to reach even more people. Promoted pins are pins that you pay to have shown to a targeted audience, and they can be a great way to get your game in front of potential players. Then you can see all the stats about your promoted pins and check what are the next pins to share.
5. Engage with your audience by responding to comments and messages, and asking for feedback on your game. This will help you build a loyal following and foster a community of fans around your game.

Pinterest can be an effective tool for promoting your video game because it allows you to showcase the visual elements of your game, such as character designs and game environments, in a way that is easy for users to discover and share.

Additionally, Pinterest has a large and engaged user base, making it a potentially valuable platform for reaching new players and building buzz for your game.

... 2022 vs 2021!

indiexpo saw approximately a 20% decrease in users and new users in 2022 compared to the previous year. This means that there were fewer people visiting or signing up for the website in 2022 compared to 2021. One possible reason for this decrease could be the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic led to lockdowns in many parts of the world in 2021, which may have resulted in more people staying at home and spending more time online.

However, despite this decrease, the number of sessions increased by 20%, with more visits to the website in 2022 than in the previous year.

This suggests that even though the number of users and new users may have decreased, those who did visit the website were returning more frequently.

The average duration of sessions increased by 26%, meaning that users spent more time on the website during each session. This could be a sign that users found the indie games interesting and decided to spend more time browsing it. The bounce rate, or the percentage of users who visit the website and then leave without visiting any other games, decreased by 11%. This means that users showed more interest in the website and browsed more games before leaving.

Direct traffic, or the number of users who type the website's address directly into their browser, increased by 39%. This means that there was an increase in the number of users who visited the website by typing the address directly, likely because they already knew about the website or had heard about it previously. Referral traffic, or the number of users who reached the website by clicking on a link on another website, increased by 43%. This means that there was an increase in the number of users who discovered the website through links on other websites.

When analyzing the geographic location of indiexpo website players, it is observed that traffic from China decreased by 28%, while traffic from America, India, Germany, and France increased by 12%, 53%, 112%, and 15%, respectively. These data show the website's spread to different parts of the world!

Additionally, the number of online games played increased by 24% in 2022 compared to 2021, and also the games downloaded increased by 35% in 2022!

In terms of analyzing traffic acquired by the Indiexpo website, it is important to mention the sources from which the majority of users come and how these sources have changed over the two years. For example, there has been an increase in direct and referral traffic, while organic search and social network traffic have decreased. By providing more detailed and complete information about the indiexpo website's situation and its performance over time, it is possible to gain a better understanding of the website's progress and identify potential areas for improvement.

Talking about specific games, we can see that games like Kingdom of Pixels 2D MOBA, Towerland, uploaded during the 2022, were the most played during this year. Also Il Viaggio del Saggio, a Rpg Maker game still only in italian, gained a lot of players!

Overall, the data for the indiexpo website in 2022 shows a mix of both positive and negative trends compared to the previous year. While there was a decrease in the number of users and new users and a decrease in organic search and social network traffic, there were also increases in the number of sessions, games per session, average session duration, and direct and referral traffic.

By considering all of these factors and taking into account possible external factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, it is possible to get a more complete picture of the website's performance and identify opportunities for growth and improvement!

>> Video Link <<

As the end of 2022 approaches, we reflect on a year that started off with a bang but ultimately proved to be a year of transition and experimentation. Despite the challenges we faced, we were able to support several talented developers and even saw the emergence of new, amazing teams, like Red Mountain and their hit game, The Crown of Wu.

Throughout the year, our main focus was on maintaining stability and looking towards the future. And while not everything went smoothly, we learned valuable lessons and made progress towards our goals.

We are grateful to all of the amazing developers who have supported this project. Yor contributions have helped to improve the gaming experience for so many people, and we look forward to continuing to work with you as we tackle the challenges of 2023.

Here's to a new year filled with exciting gaming adventures!