Today, I sat down with Gepetto (chatGPT) to fix something that had been bugging me: my demo on Itch.io wasn’t getting traction.

Just 34 views, 1 download, and almost no engagement.

It's critical for me to get testers and feedback to continue development. I knew the game was solid for what it is: a short, intense survival roguelike with tanks, but the page wasn’t doing it justice.

Here’s what I changed in just one afternoon to give Iron Doctrine: Survival a real chance:

Changed the name

Originally, it was called Tank Survival Prototype. Functional, but boring. And “prototype” doesn’t exactly invite people to download.

I renamed it to Iron Doctrine: Survival. A stronger name, more thematic, and it sets the tone immediately.

I think it is important for SEO and finding your niche to include the genre in a game like this one.

Rewrote the pitch

The old description was too soft. I rewrote it to sound more like the game feels: harsh, oppressive, and tactical. I started with:

“Crush the rebellion or be erased. In this brutal roguelike, survival means loyalty.”

I also added better keywords like tank roguelike, permadeath, post-apocalyptic, strategy, and dystopian survival. Just enough to help with discoverability without sounding like SEO spam.

Reordered the visuals

Before, the first GIFs showed menus and maps. Not ideal. I moved the action to the top: explosions, decisions, tank combat. When people see your game on the search page, that first impression matters.

Switched from “Name your price” to “Free”

One small detail that probably made a big difference. If you’re offering a free demo, say it. Don’t make people guess. First, I chose “Name your price” because it is free with the possibility to get a donation or two. But, I think the “Free” filter can attract more players or testers, which is my current goal.

Replaced the old logo.

From an ugly AI-made image to a newer, better AI-made image… more in tune with the lore. Still, Gepetto tells me to use a thumbnail similar to other games on itch.io. What do you think?

Was it worth it?

Well, you are here, reading this. Maybe about to try my demo and leave some feedback for me.

Honestly, even if the numbers don’t shoot up right away, this was 100% worth doing. It feels more like a complete game or at least like a well-managed indie project.