iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

I've been really quiet on socials the last month. I'm lucky because my wife & biz partner carries me during times like this 💪 🙏 the reason I've been so quiet is coz I've been working on v6.4.0 of GameOracle which dropped today! #gamedev #indiedev

181

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Our data tells two very different stories about AI in game dev: 📉 Experienced dev with good marketing? AI use could cost you 40–60% of your sales. 😐 Inexperienced dev with no budget? AI probably makes no difference either way. www.game-oracle.com/blog/ai-part2 #gamedev #AIGames #IndieGames

game-oracle.com

AI in Games: The Impact On Sales

Explore how AI influences game success on Steam. This data-driven analysis uncovers the link between AI usage and sales performance, revealing whether AI-generated content in Steam games is impacting…

061

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

We analysed 9,879 games on Steam and found that using AI in development is associated with a ~53% drop in reviews compared to similar games that didn't use AI. But the full picture is way more nuanced than that headline suggests 👇 youtu.be/ke9ZKPST1VI?... #indiedev #gamedev #steamdata

youtu.be

When AI Destroys Your Steam Launch

In this video, a causal analysis of 2025 Steam releases shows that declaring generative AI use is potentially damaging your sales, even after controlling for experience, publisher backing, genre, and…

061

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

I was not expecting this video to go viral at all, left me feeling a bit overwhelmed 🥴 but I guess it resonated with some people. I'm gonna try & live up to what I've said & just keep pushing on #gamedev youtu.be/WueQ75GP1wc?...

youtu.be

I Analysed 62,000 Indie Developers. Here's What Actually Predicts Success

YouTube video by Game Oracle

080

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

To every #gamedev #indiedev who shipped a game and felt like it flopped. What did you learn that changed how you approached the next one? Drop your story below 👇

080

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Unpopular opinion: Most indie games don't fail because of bad design. They fail because the dev had no idea who the audience was before they started building. Market research isn't just for big studios.

020

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

I recently found only 1-in-5 #gamedev #indiedev publish >1 game on Steam. If this is you, quick question 👇 What's the biggest thing holding you back from shipping your next game? 1) Fear of failure 2) Time / money 3) Not knowing if there's a market for it 4) Something else?

181

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

5% of games on Steam account for 91.9% of all sales. Yes, this market (like most) is brutal, but the data also shows you've got to find ways to keep rolling the dice! More on this here 👉️ youtu.be/WueQ75GP1wc?...

youtu.be

Why 80% of Indie Developers Disappear (And How to Be the 20%)

Why do so few indie games on Steam make real money, and what can developers actually do about it? In this talk, Ross from Game Oracle breaks down the Steam power law problem, why 5% of games capture…

000

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

On your 1st game, you have a ~10% chance of a breakthrough hit. By your 5th? That climbs to ~50%. My theory is that stamina and compounding is the most powerful force for #indiedev #gamedev www.game-oracle.com/blog/indie-d...

game-oracle.com

What if the key to success is survival?

What if the biggest factor in indie game success isn't talent or timing, but survival? We analysed 62,000+ Steam developers to find out.

071

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

In #gamedev we judge ourselves by sales figures because they're easy to measure. But you can't quantify the joy you bring a player. Don't fall victim to the McNamara Fallacy.

030

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

The "AI stigma" on Steam is real, but the real problem isn't what players think. Our data suggests AI isn't making games worse. It's a symptom of studios cutting corners, rushing deadlines, and replacing craft with shortcuts. The tool isn't the issue. The culture around it is. #gamedev #indiedev

132

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Only 1-in-5 #gamedev will go on to make a second game so stop looking at the wave of new releases on Steam as real competition www.game-oracle.com/blog/indie-d...

062

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Make'Em Mayhem is seeing enormous wishlist growth. We estimate they have over 10K wishlists now, most obtained in the last 90 days. Very unique take on the use of AI here 👀 curious what people think, is this a genuinely exciting use of AI in games, or not? #gamedev #indiedev

082

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Our trend map spies an opportunity for #gamedev around this market focused on grid-based tactical combat & strategic team management 👀

040

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Bulletfest signal for #gamedev: demand for “Whimsical Arcade Bullet Hells” is high at 9.2/10, but the real market gap isn’t more chaos, it’s better chaos. We looked at player sentiment & they want less repetitive runs, cluttered screens, shallow content, & better controls.

030

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

I'm a data scientist that studies #gamedev, end of last yr I did a study into the impact of AI disclosure for #Steam games. Thinking of doing a follow-up to see if anything has changed. Would anyone be interested in that? www.game-oracle.com/blog/ai-part1 www.game-oracle.com/blog/ai-part2

game-oracle.com

AI in Games: How Many Games Are Using AI?

Discover the prevalence of AI in gaming with our data-driven analysis of Steam's AI disclosure statements. This study offers the first look at how many developers are using AI-generated content in…

030

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

amFM is a great reminder for every #gamedev #indiedev tempted to play it safe: weird can win. This absurdist, dimension-hopping tactical RPG has one of the highest uniqueness scores at Game Oracle and by our estimates is clocking up thousands of wishlists. Be bold guys!

041

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Kingfish by Firevolt Studio recently topped our Outlier leaderboard with a uniquness score of 9.9/10 & an estimated 100k+ wishlists 🤯 this game is stunning! #Steam #indiegame #indiedev #gamedev

1132

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

#Steam tags are broken for market research. That is why we've created a tool that allows you to do #gamedev market research by explaining your concept in plain english 💬 or even by searching with example images 🖼️

030

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

We've made it super easy to locate games on our map of every game on #Steam so you can quickly spy on market saturation and trends in a single interactive visualisation #gamedev #indiedev

040

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

What if your card draws were timed to a beat or our boss fights were concerts? The Rhythmic Roguelike Deckbuilder segment is real, it's growing, and 56% of its games haven't launched yet. Game Oracle maps niches like this before they're crowded 🗺️ #gamedev #indiedev #Steam

041

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

Indie devs: your competitors' reviews are a goldmine you're not mining. Game Oracle analysed the casual alchemy crafty puzzle segment and found players are screaming for: ✅ Better UI as content scales ✅ Meaningful hints (not trial-and-error) ✅ More depth and replayability #gamedev #indiegame

271

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

This is every game on #Steam. Mapped. Hover over clusters of similar games & Game Oracle tells you whether it's heating up or cooling down. Right now? The 2D Idle/Incremental cluster is running +221.6% wishlist growth The whole #gamedev market. At a glance.

051

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

Jennie is bringing amazing #gamedev market insights in the Game Oracle newsletter 🙌

041

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

Hot take: pachinko + deckbuilding + roguelite = one of Steam's best-performing niches right now 🎰 Physics Roguelite Tactics games are pulling $81.4K median revenue and 1.1K median wishlists, with 160% wishlist growth. Game Oracle is the market intelligence tool #gamedev didn't know they needed 👇

051

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

The Bureau of Fantastical & Arcane Affairs by @hipflaskgames.bsky.social is a comedic adventure about performing administrative oversight on a crumbling fantasy world. It is no.7 on our Outlier leaderboard & deserves your attention this #WishlistWednesday

000

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

I think Supernova Studios have identified their audience perfectly with Funnel Runners, a high stakes co-op about escaping an insane tornado. Here is why 👇️ #gamedev #indiedev

152

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

Every dot represents a collection of similar games on #Steam, coloured by market density (how many games there are). Most clusters are crowded, but some areas of #gamedev are unexplored. Any market gaps peak your interest?

041

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

Honest question: when you're pitching a new game idea, what's the scariest part? 👇

000

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

Not your usual #ScreenshotSaturday post, but here is the entire #Steam marketplace in a single image. My wife thinks it looks like a skull...

041

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

We recently updated Game Oracle to introduce a more stable and accurate Uniqueness Score. You can read all about it in our latest blog (see the comments below 👇️) but I wanted to highlight the most unique outlier on our new outliers leaderboard: Trees Hate You by @tykenn.games

120

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

We just shipped Game Oracle v6.1 🚀 Smarter game embeddings. A brand new Uniqueness Score. A completely rebuilt Steam Map. Here's why it matters for your next indie game 🧵👇 #indiedev #gamedev #Steam

121

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Cooking up a new Steam Map UI with automatic cluster selection, quick keywords and top titles for reference and orientation, and zoom functionality #gamedev #marketresearch #indiegamedev

062

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Our map of every game on Steam (a tool for #gamedev research) is evolving! In v6.1 of Game Oracle it will be easier to explore precise clusters of the market! Checkout game-oracle.com for more.

051

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

The creativity of #indiedev #gamedev folk never fails to amaze me. I can't find the developers on socials but a huge shoutout to the creators of Max and Maya (store.steampowered.com/app/772410/M... )

041

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

@ironnestgame.bsky.social currently tops our Outlier leaderboard. Congrats to the devs for making such a unique game 🥳 #gamedev #gamedevelopment #indiedev

161

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

Our map of every game on Steam just got an update! I personally think it looks like a brain scan now but my wife thinks it looks like a bull (I don't see it). What do you think it looks like? #gamedev #indiedev #gamedevelopment

040

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

I was finding it a pain to navigate around Game Oracle and was always trying to rediscover games I'd found previously. So we've added some UI improvements to help! Hope you enjoy the new features!

010

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Alongside working on v6 of Game Oracle I've been dipping my toe in and out of a bit of #Godot dev, just so I don't get too rusty. Made a little 2 player game called SkiDash. Free to play on itch: jammywasp.itch.io/skidash More games coming in the future!

jammywasp.itch.io

SkiDash by Jammy Wasp

A chaotic 1-2 player ski delivery game where only the fastest courier gets to keep their job.

020

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

We wanted to make it easier for #gamedev folk to find market gaps so we've added a nice little gap finding algo to Data Explorer in Game Oracle

041

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

We just released v6 of Game Oracle. A lot of changes in this release, building on a lot of lessons learnt. Read all about it in our latest devlog: www.game-oracle.com/blog/v6-devlog

game-oracle.com

V6 - Finding Our Way Back

Game Oracle v6 is live. New image search, a smarter Game Gap, better data, and lessons learned. Here's what changed and what's coming next.

021

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

🃏 Deckbuilders Fest is live on Steam. If you're a #gamedev #indiedev building or publishing in this space and want to see some exclusive insights checkout our discord server discord.com/channels/140...

042

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Did you know Game Oracle now has image search 😲 describe your game concept, drop in a screenshot or art that inspires you, and find similar games so you can better understand the #gamedev #indiedev market

061

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

We have a tool called Game Gap that finds missed opportunities & underserved audiences on Steam. We just made it 100x better with over 4000 market segments analysed 🫨

000

Ross Burton @rossburton.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

Absolutely thrilled to announce that v6 of Game Oracle, our market research platform for #gamedev #indiedev, has just launched 🚀🥳 a huge amount of work went into this one and I'm so proud of what Jennie & I have managed to accomplish. Some of the new features include....1/7

132