Features of indie games promotion in highly competitive market conditions

With the rapid growth in the number of indie games on digital platforms, the problem of their successful promotion is becoming particularly relevant. The present work is devoted to the study of the marketing features of indie games in conditions of high market competition. The purpose of the study is to identify effective strategies for promoting indie projects, as well as to analyze common mistakes that prevent the game from entering the market and its commercial success. The object of the research is the indie games market, the subject is the mechanisms of their marketing promotion. The methods used were comparative analysis, case study (analysis of specific successful and unsuccessful projects), as well as qualitative content analysis of materials from industry publications, platforms and digital marketplaces. The work compares the marketing approaches of indie and AAA studios, showing differences in resources, audiences, and communication channels. Special attention is paid to such successful cases as Undertale, Celeste and DARQ, which focus on working with the community, transparency of development and uniqueness of the product. Examples of failed launches (Noct, Yandere Simulator) are also highlighted, which allowed us to formulate a number of practical recommendations aimed at preventing similar errors.