How to use BlueSky as a game dev
BlueSky has cemented itself as a solid successor to Twitter among game developers. If you’re wondering how to use BlueSky as a game dev, whether you want to make connections or increase your following, we’ve written a guide to help you out!
Make use of BlueSky feeds
There are a bunch of BlueSky feeds out there specifically for game devs. Make sure you pin some of them to your home page so you can browse them every day and interact with other game developers.
BlueSky lacks any kind of discovery algorithm, so it’s a good idea to make sure your posts show up in these feeds by using the right keywords or hashtags.
Follow starter packs
Starter packs are groups of users that you can follow all at once by pressing “Follow All” on the starer pack’s page. You can find packs related to game dev by using the search box.
Follow like-minded developers and some of them are bound to follow you back. Don’t follow too many at once – BlueSky has rate limits and you will be chastised for bot-like behaviour.
If you see a post from someone creating a new starter pack about game development, why not reply and ask to be added to the pack?
Use the right keywords and hashtags
Other people interested in games will only find your posts if you use the right keywords. Using phrases or hashtags like “Game Dev” or “#indiedev” in your posts will help you to appear in more feeds. There are also a variety of bots who will repost your stuff if you use these words.
If you want to be more specific, some feeds will also share posts which talk about specific game engines like GameMaker, Unity or Godot. Try to remember to include relevant words in your posts, but make them sound natural!
Use alt text for images and videos
Make sure to add alt text to any images and videos you upload. You can do this by clicking the little “ALT” symbol when you upload media to any post.
Alt text not only helps users with visual impairments to understand your post, it has other benefits too. Alt text doesn’t count towards the character limit of your post, so you can include more context for all users. You can also include more keywords here, as many feeds include alt text in their algorithms.
Repost yourself often
The BlueSky experience is extremely chronological. Most feeds, including the default following tab, show posts from newest to oldest. This means that many BlueSky users only see things that were posted around the time they logged on.
Don’t be afraid to hit the repost button on your own post a few hours after you’ve sent it. You can also post about the same thing several times a day, or over the course of a few days. Most people won’t be upset if you repeat yourself, because they’ll probably only see your post once or twice anyway.
Discuss topical issues
If you find that posts about your own game are not gaining much traction, try to post about other issues in the games industry.
Some of my own most popular posts are about my opposition to generative AI or the lack of moderation of unfair Steam Reviews. Posting your thoughts on issues affecting the industry is a great way to meet like-minded people.
Talk to people about their stuff
If you like something, don’t just “like” it. The game dev sphere is brimming with fantastic posts on BlueSky. Absolutely every developer I know loves to receive positive comments. It’s easy to just click the like button, but why not take the time to hit reply and tell the developer what you actually think about their game?
Thank you for checking out our guide on using BlueSky as a game dev, we hope you found it helpful!
