Market & Player community

Research: Market Research

Comparator Games

1. Hollow Knight
   A highly successful Metroidvania that demonstrates long-term player engagement through deep exploration and environmental storytelling. Its continued high concurrent player count on Steam shows the lasting appeal of non-linear world design and atmospheric presentation.

2. Ori and the Will of the Wisps
   An emotionally driven 2D adventure that combines fluid movement with expressive visuals and music. The game proves that emotionally resonant themes can coexist with accessible gameplay and reach a broad audience.

3. Animal Well
   A minimalist, non-combat exploration game that has gained strong recognition among core and hardcore players. Its success illustrates that a smaller, more focused audience is willing to engage deeply with games that prioritise discovery, restraint, and unconventional mechanics.

 

Target Audience

The target audience consists primarily of players aged 16–35 who enjoy emotionally driven and artistic indie games. This includes players drawn to exploration, atmosphere, and reflective experiences rather than fast-paced combat or competition. These players are familiar with indie platforms such as Steam and itch.io and actively seek games that communicate meaning through mechanics, visuals, and sound rather than dialogue-heavy narratives.

 

Gaps or Opportunities in the Market

While the Metroidvania genre is well established, most titles emphasise combat, skill progression, and mechanical mastery. Rooted but Flow addresses a gap within this space by offering a non-violent, emotionally focused exploration experience, where growth is expressed through self-regulation, boundaries, and self-expression rather than defeating enemies. The project sits between large-scale commercial Metroidvania games and smaller experimental titles, presenting an opportunity to reach players looking for calm, meaningful interaction within a familiar genre structure.