Here is the WORST way to generate game ideas:

Here is the WORST way to generate game ideas:

(avoid it at all costs)

1. Open the top-grossing charts.
2. Pick two random top games.
3. Mash them together, Frankenstein-style.
↳ Get a clunky, unplayable game, appealing to no one.

Yet, I see so many studios still follow this terrible pipeline.

Here’s how to do it right:

𝟭. 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁.
Look for blue ocean opportunities:
• Genres growing year over year.
• Low oligopoly index (top 5 games have <50% of the market).
• High success rates for newcomers (reaching 1M+ in revenue or downloads).

𝟮. 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗮 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲.

𝟯. 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀
• Their strengths and weaknesses.
• Dive into player reviews. Learn what they love and hate.
• Study the ads. Ads often highlight what players want but rarely get.
↳ 𝘐𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘦.

𝟰. 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀.

𝟱. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀.

𝟲. 𝗗𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀.

That’s how you find a winning formula.

Stop copying the charts.
Start creating something players actually want.