Create Self-Sustaining Online Communities Easily
The ultimate goal for any online community manager, according to Playstack’s Emma Smith-Bodie, is to cultivate a space that eventually runs itself. This idea, shared during her talk at Develop:Brighton, centers on establishing a strong foundation for respectful, engaged players on platforms like Discord and Reddit, with the eventual aim of stepping back. Such autonomy gives players greater investment in the community, and by extension, in the game itself. But how does one begin to foster this kind of independence?
The journey starts with defining clear objectives for the community. What purpose will it serve? While generating hype for a game is a primary aim, these spaces also offer invaluable feedback during development. Smith-Bodie notes that these aims will evolve, and the community will develop its own identity. The crucial first step involves establishing rules and setting the tone from the outset. This means defining what constitutes appropriate content, like acceptable photos or nicknames on Discord. This is not about censorship, she emphasizes, but about cultivating a respectful environment.
The community’s personality should align with the game itself. A cozy game suggests a friendly, welcoming community, while a horror title might lean towards an edgier or more mysterious atmosphere. This initial tone attracts like-minded individuals. Smith-Bodie warns that it becomes very difficult to shift a community’s behavior once certain norms are entrenched. She also addresses the challenge of prolific, opinionated posters who might dominate discussions. Her approach involves direct, appreciative messages that gently remind individuals about the need for balanced conversation. Passion is valuable, but it should not drown out other voices.
Once the foundation is set, consistent engagement becomes vital. Simple actions can significantly boost player involvement and exposure. Linking out to Discord, Reddit, and social media profiles from a game’s Steam store page provides players with more avenues for interaction.
Content strategy on social media and messaging platforms should focus on sparking conversation. Behind-the-scenes updates, quizzes, polls, competitions, and riddles generally perform well. However, a key consideration for fan-art competitions is clarity on generative AI. Smith-Bodie recounted an instance where a Discord icon competition led to community dissatisfaction when participants used AI, prompting a clear rule against it in subsequent events.
When a game is in early development and specific details are scarce, community managers can still foster discussion by focusing on the broader genre or theme. For Lorn Vale, a post-apocalyptic survival RPG, a dedicated “post-apo” channel encouraged discussions about related games and TV adaptations, even incorporating historical art. To gauge the effectiveness of these efforts, Smith-Bodie stresses the importance of tracking quantitative data: how many people engaged, and how they engaged.
(Source: Games Industry)