How to write a devlog that keeps people following

A devlog is a running, dated record of making your game. Done well, it keeps your wishlisters interested, gives your store page something to point at, and gives you a reason to share progress before there is a finished game. It is also one of the cheapest forms of marketing you can do. This guide covers what to post, how often, and where.

What a devlog is for

• Turning interest into habit. Someone who wishlists a game forgets it quickly. A post every few weeks reminds them it exists and why they cared.
• Showing the game is alive. Players look at when a game was last updated. A visible history of regular posts says the developer is still working.
• Building a dated record. Every post has a date, a screenshot, and a description. That is a useful trail if someone copies your idea, because it shows what you made and when. It also becomes raw material for your press kit and store page.
• Collecting feedback early. Posts about decisions you have not made yet give players a chance to help you make them.

Where to post

Put the full post in one place that you control, and share links to it everywhere else.

• itch.io. A devlog on your project page appears in the feeds of people who follow you, and it keeps the page looking active.
• Steam. Announcements and events on your store page reach the people who follow or wishlist the game. Check how Steam shows them to players in the current version of Steamworks.
• Your own website. A blog or news page is yours whatever happens to a platform, and it builds your presence in search.
• Social posts and communities. Use these to point people at the post, with one strong image or clip, not to replace it.

Add an email list as well. Posts on other platforms reach only the people who happen to see them, but an email goes to everyone who asked for it. See the store page readiness checker for where the follow and mailing list links belong.

How often

Consistent beats frequent. A post every two to four weeks that you can keep up for a year is worth more than a burst of daily posts that stops. Pick a rhythm you can sustain, even if it is monthly, and put it in your calendar. If you miss a date, post anyway, and say plainly what happened.

Tie posts to real events too: a new build, a trailer, a milestone, a playtest, a release date, a launch, and a first week after launch with what you learned.

What to post

• Progress you can see. A before and after, a new level, a character, a short clip. One image tells more than three paragraphs.
• A decision and why. "We cut the crafting system, and here is why." People like reading about choices, and it shows the game has direction.
• Something you learned. A bug story, a number from a playtest, a tool that saved you a week. Useful posts get shared by other developers.
• A request. Ask for feedback on one specific thing, such as two versions of an icon or a difficulty setting.
• Plain news. Release date, new platform, new demo, a sale.
• A post-mortem. After launch, an honest account of what worked and what did not is often your most read post.

How to write one

1. Lead with the news. Say what is new in the title and the first sentence. "New boss fight and a playable demo" beats "Update 14".
2. Use one strong image or clip up top. It is what shows in feeds and previews.
3. Keep it short enough to finish. Three to six short paragraphs is plenty. Use headings and a short list if there is a lot.
4. Be specific and honest. Give numbers, versions, and dates, and do not promise a date you cannot keep.
5. End with one clear step. "Wishlist on Steam", "Try the demo", or "Reply with what you want next". More than one dilutes it.
6. Link to the previous post. It lets new readers catch up and shows how far you have come.

Turn readers into followers

• Put the wishlist or follow link, and your email signup, at the bottom of every post.
• Make sure your store page links to the devlog, and the devlog links to the store page.
• Reuse the best images and text in your press kit. Journalists often read a devlog before they write to you.
• When you update the game, say what changed. A "what's new" note is a devlog post that writes itself.

Things to avoid

• Announcing a schedule and then going silent. Silence reads as abandonment.
• Posting only about delays and apologies. Show progress with each post.
• Using screenshots with placeholder art or someone else's work. Check the rights, as in the AI disclosure guide if you used generated material.
• Sharing anything private about your players. Avoid screenshots of chats, names, or emails without permission.

A simple plan to start

1. Write a first post that says what the game is, what is done, and what comes next.
2. Set a rhythm you can keep, and write down the next three topics.
3. Post on itch.io or your site, and share the link where your players already are.
4. After each post, note which one people read and reply to, and do more of that.

Check that your store page has a devlog link, a follow or wishlist call, and a first post, using the store page readiness checker.