A good launch workflow for a software or game studio starts from the store page, not the trailer. The store listing is where marketing converts attention into installs, wishlists or sales, so every other asset is planned around what that page needs. Work backwards from release: lock the page assets, produce one master set of content, repurpose it across channels, and localise for the markets you actually serve.
Start from what the stores require
Each storefront has its own asset list and rules, so read them before commissioning anything.
Apple’s product page guidance lists the elements of an App Store page: app name and subtitle (each up to 30 characters), up to 3 app preview videos of up to 30 seconds, up to 10 screenshots, a description, promotional text of up to 170 characters, and keywords within a 100-character limit. It advises making the first seconds of a preview visually compelling because previews autoplay muted, and focusing each screenshot on one key benefit. It also notes that promotional text can be updated at any time without a new submission, and that you can localise the description, keywords, previews and screenshots per market. Limits can change, so check the current page.
Valve’s Steamworks store page documentation explains that sections marked with an asterisk must be completed before you can submit for review, and that you can build and preview the page before release in Store Beta Mode. It warns that publishing a store page moves page data and assets to Steam’s public servers even if the app is unreleased or hidden, so do not publish until you are ready to reveal what is in it. It also says a game’s name cannot be changed once it has passed pre-release review, so settle naming early.
A launch timeline you can adapt
The dates depend on your project, so think in phases rather than fixed weeks.
| Phase | Goal | Content to produce |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation | Settle identity and message | Name, one-line pitch, key art, brand rules, press kit basics |
| Store page build | Make the listing ready | Screenshots, capsule or icon art, description, first trailer cut |
| Reveal | Start building an audience | Announcement post, trailer, short clips, developer notes |
| Build-up | Keep momentum | Devlogs, feature highlights, demo or beta messaging, community posts |
| Launch | Convert | Launch trailer, release announcement, press outreach, store updates |
| After launch | Sustain | Update notes, patch announcements, review responses, content repurposing |
Plan these on a shared content calendar so engineering milestones, store deadlines and marketing beats are visible in one place.
Build one master asset set
Studios burn time re-making the same content in different shapes. Produce a master set once:
- Key art in layered form so crops for different placements are easy.
- Gameplay or product capture in the highest practical quality, with clean footage that has no debug overlays.
- A trailer with a version that works silent, since previews often play muted.
- A short list of verified claims about features, platforms and pricing, kept as one source of truth.
- Logos, screenshots and fact sheet in a downloadable press folder.
Then cut it down for each channel. The approach is described in content repurposing: turning one campaign into multiple assets.
Decide your localisation scope early
Store pages, trailers and in-product text each need adaptation if you sell outside your home market. Localisation covers more than translation: titles, humour, screenshots with in-game text and cultural references can all need attention. See localisation vs translation for the difference and how to scope it. Pick a small number of target markets first, and localise the store page before the whole product if budget is tight.
Common pitfalls
- Trailer before store page: the audience arrives and the page is not ready.
- Hidden dependencies: certification, review and age-rating steps that take time. Check each platform’s requirements and leave slack.
- Feature promises that slip: only show what will ship.
- Footage with unfinished art: it ages badly and sets the wrong expectations.
- No post-launch content: the first weeks after release need fresh material too.
Checklist before reveal
- Name, pitch and key art are final.
- Store pages built and previewed in each platform’s preview mode.
- Trailer works with sound off.
- Press kit and fact sheet are ready.
- Social, community and email channels are set up.
- Localised page text exists for priority markets.
- A named person owns each launch-day task.
Where Radiance Impact fits
Radiance Impact’s Global division includes a service for launching games and software to English-speaking audiences, and its Studio produces trailers, short-form video and key creative. See the games and software launch page, explore the Studio, or contact us to discuss your launch.
Sources
- App Store product page, Apple Developer
- Store Page, Steamworks Documentation, Valve
