“Having what Elliott calls a “sticky” demo is helpful — a slice of the game that grips players and doesn’t let go. Balatro, which transforms poker hands into an addictive “roguelike” that fans can’t stop playing, is a good example of this phenomenon. The game is difficult to explain but nearly impossible to put down once you’ve tried it.
Elliott said his teams often reach out to small streamers and YouTubers — people who might not have millions of viewers but do have loyal, dedicated audiences that can add up in the aggregate. “If you get enough of those people talking about the game early enough, it does build resonance,” he said.
Elliott, who worked at big game companies such as Acclaim and Electronic Arts before becoming an entrepreneur, said he started Playstack in 2016 “to do everything I’d ever done again, but learn from the mistakes.”