Secures Tier-One Coverage for Indie Visual Novel

GCORES Publishing partnered with UberStrategist to support S4U: CITYPUNK 2011 AND LOVE PUNCH during the upcoming Steam Next Fest. The game blends visual novel storytelling with simulation and dating sim mechanics, following a group of young adults navigating relationships and identity in 2011's Castor Yard.

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With limited visibility heading into the event, the goal was to increase attention and drive wishlist growth on Steam. Our task was to spotlight the game’s emotional narrative and genre blend to help it stand out in a crowded festival lineup.

We identified the game’s strongest themes and unique angles to craft messaging around its narrative depth and retro style. We also optimized the Steam page and boilerplate for a strong first impression.

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Our team built the campaign around Steam Next Fest, pre-seeding the trailer and pitching to outlets covering visual novels, dating sims, and 2D platformers. We pitched features and interviews before and after the festival to maximize coverage.

We secured coverage for the Steam Next Fest trailer across several Tier 1 outlets, including IGN, the IGN Trailers YouTube channel, Game Rant, and Noisy Pixel. We also generated interview interest and secured additional placement in an indie game showcase on NeverMoreNiche.com.

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The boost in visibility helped drive meaningful awareness for S4U and elevate the game’s profile during a competitive launch window. Despite being a brief one-month campaign, the results gave S4U valuable momentum heading into its next phase.