Welcome to Good Game Lobby
You may be asking: who and what is Good Game Lobby? So, what is it, who is running the show, and why should I even care?
My name is Seyran. I'm a gamer, dad, and husband. Wow, doesn’t that always sound corny when people say it like that? I am just another white guy, and I know we don’t need any more of those on their soapboxes. I'm not here for that.
The core goal of Good Game Lobby is to connect indie developers and gamers and unite them for a common goal: getting developers the funds they need to make their games and, in return, providing gamers like yourself with amazing games. This is an inclusive space with no discrimination of any kind. We welcome all gamers from around the world with a common goal of gaming.
A little bit about myself.
Ever since I received my Super Nintendo, gaming has been a passion of mine. 'A Link to the Past' was a transformative experience, and life has been different ever since. It was a birthday present, and I played it while I was home sick from school. That week was the highlight of my life at that time. My gaming adventure continued with the Playstation 1 and 2, followed by an Xbox 360.
As life got busier with school and work, gaming had to take a backseat. The Wii was the last console I bought, passing over the Wii U, PS3, PS4, and Xbox One. My enthusiasm was reignited with the purchase of my Nintendo Switch and 'Breath of the Wild' in 2017. It was as if I was transported back to my 7-year-old self, investing hours into something that seemed technologically miraculous.
During the pandemic, I was unable to acquire any next-gen consoles or afford to dive back into PC gaming. Though many mocked cloud gaming at the time, it was my only way to game. I could not understand why everyone had such hate for it when all it did was give those of us without the funds or hardware a way to game freely. Between Stadia and GeForce Now, I was able to play Death Stranding (my current favorite game of all time), Red Dead Redemption 2, Cyberpunk, and more. Though Stadia is no longer with us, they did refund me for EVERY purchase I made—thanks, Google! Now, skip a few years later, and after a couple of times catching COVID, I finally have every console and an ROG Ally, giving me the opportunity to play games across the board. Having a PC again after 20+ years has been my own personal Breath of the Wild. I am engaging with indie devs and trying out demos almost daily. The only console/handheld I am missing now is the Playdate—I still need that marvellous little machine.
Why start Good Game Lobby?
When I was inspired to start GGL, it was not to better myself but to help others in need. Huge companies are laying off workers in droves, and smaller indie studios are struggling to stay afloat in a gaming world poised to bring in over $280 billion this year and grow to over $600 billion by 2030. Yet, since the start of this year, we have seen over 10,000 jobs lost, almost reaching 2023’s total of 10,500 in just six months.
What can we do to curb this? This is something I have been asking my peers and myself for some time. We don’t have an answer, and one thing is clear: we cannot rely on the gaming world's big three—Nintendo, Xbox, or PlayStation—to solve the problem. With the platforms we have and the social interactions they facilitate, we are closer than ever to direct connections between game makers and game players. Patreon, Kickstarter, Substack, and more provide these connections. That is why I wanted to start this gaming hub: to find games looking for gamers and gamers looking for games.
What qualifies me for this?
The experience I have garnered over the last 14 years across many different companies, including my own, is something I want to share with others. I have a background in sales, customer/technical support, marketing, retail management, copywriting, advertising, e-commerce, and crowdfunding. With my knowledge of gaming, combined with my work experience, I wanted to finally join the gaming industry. The only hurdle I faced was that every position in gaming was looking for mostly developers, coders, and bigger roles for which I am not qualified. In all of my experience, you can find one common thread: speaking directly to consumers. With my background in customer support, sales, marketing, advertising, and e-commerce, I have the tools and knowledge of how consumers want products, how to speak to them, and what handholding is needed along the way. This experience also translates to crowdfunding and how consumers want to be a part of the process, no matter how big or small a donation they can muster
How can you get involved?
Since I started GGL in October of 2023, I have backed 20 different crowdfunding campaigns ranging from original Game Boy and NES games to Pokémon-inspired RPGs, Sonic the Hedgehog clones, and even a video game magazine. What is unique about these campaigns is that most, if not all, get funded. It’s exciting to see how passionate people are and connect to these games. The thing that ties them all together is that they are either solo developers or small indie teams coming together to create something unique with an extension of themselves.
The best way for you to get involved is to follow me on social media, subscribe to this newsletter, like and comment when you can, and most of all, share what games you love. You never know if your sharing something could be another person’s first time seeing that game and changing the course of their life in the process
What can we look forward to with this Newsletter?
Here is a list of the curated gaming content you can expect from Good Game Lobby.
Quest Vibes - A curated playlist featuring gaming soundtracks and songs related to gaming.
First-Person Perspective - A collection of quotes from various figures in the gaming industry, including developers, players, journalists, artists, and gamers like you!
Friday Follow-Up - Recommendations for games, demos, and industry figures to follow, add to your wishlist, or save for future reference.
Crowdfunding Checkpoint - Updates on the latest crowdfunding campaigns worth supporting, those close to their goals, and upcoming launches to anticipate.
Thank you!
Congratulations on reaching the end of this lengthy welcome post, and thank you for dedicating time to read it. If you're already subscribed, then you've accomplished the bulk of the work, and now it's my turn to return the favor. If you're not subscribed yet, you can do so by clicking the button below. Once again, thank you, and as always, GG!