Bottom Line
The highest-leverage pre-launch move for CHORUS is not a channel — it's a story with a number: "Play for free. Watch one ad. A child in Zambia gets a malaria net." That line, said plainly and early, is what will make this game shareable before it exists. The mechanics support it (AMF confirmed $2/net, rewarded ads proven). The strategy is to publish that story — via TikTok devlogs, a landing page, and targeted community seeding — starting now, months before the game ships.
Pre-Launch Channels — Ranked by Effort vs. Impact
All effort ratings are relative to Gin's time. Ranked by expected waitlist contribution × speed to value.
| Channel | Effort | Impact | Lead Time | Why for CHORUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok devlogs | Medium (2–3 hrs/wk) | 🟢 High | Immediate | Best organic reach for indie games. One viral video = 1,000+ new signups. Village-builder + real nets = visual hook. |
| Landing page + email | Low (one-time 4 hrs) | 🟢 High | Immediate | Foundation for everything. You own this list. Pre-order links live here. |
| Discord community server | Low–Medium | 🟢 High | 2–4 weeks to traction | Makes early fans feel ownership. Beta testers come from here. |
| Reddit seeding | Low (1–2 hrs/post) | 🟡 Medium | 1–3 days per post | EA community + r/indiegaming are naturally warm. One good post can spike signups 500+. |
| EA Forum post | Low (one-time 2 hrs) | 🟢 High (targeted) | 1 week | r/EffectiveAltruism + EA Forum are the most mission-aligned audiences alive. AMF is their #1 charity recommendation. |
| Instagram Reels | Medium | 🟡 Medium | 3–6 weeks | Repurpose TikTok content. Second in line. |
| TestFlight beta | Low (setup) | 🟢 High | Needs near-complete build | Real players = real reviews = real App Store signal on launch day. |
| Twitter/X threads | Low | 🔴 Low–Medium | Slow | Good for dev networking. Poor for cold organic discovery. |
| Press / gaming media | High | 🔴 Low pre-launch | 4–8 weeks | Not worth pursuing until app exists and is playable. Journalists need a build. |
| Paid ads | High | Variable | Not pre-launch | Save budget for launch week to spike ranking algorithm. |
Confidence note: Channel performance for specifically impact-mobile games is not published. Rankings drawn from: MobileAction (2025), IndieGameBusiness (2025), HowToMarketAGame (2024), Business of Apps (2025).
App Store / Play Store Waitlist Setup
Apple App Store — Pre-Orders Confirmed
- Pre-orders available for up to 90 days before release date
- Requires: a submitted build (functionally complete, approved by App Review)
- Users see a product page with "Pre-Order" button. Automatic install + notification on launch day.
- Pre-order downloads count toward Day 1 ranking spike — this is the big payoff
- Limitation: CHORUS must be functionally complete enough to pass App Store Review first. This is a late-development activity, not a pre-MVP move.
- Recommended window: Open pre-orders 30–60 days before launch. 90-day max; shorter windows have more urgency.
Sources: Apple Developer documentation; Gummicube (2023); Apptamin (2019)
Google Play — Pre-Registration Confirmed
- Pre-registration available for up to 90 days before launch
- Requires: Play Store listing in Google Play Console (content declarations, screenshots, description) — but not necessarily a complete build for early setup
- All pre-registrants receive a push notification when the app launches
- Google Play may feature pre-registration apps in editorial sections (bonus organic visibility)
- Critical rule: Promised rewards must be delivered at launch. Non-delivery = de-listing risk.
- Recommended reward: "Pre-register and your first net is funded on us." — emotional, credible, shareable. Requires budget cap decision.
Sources: AppRadar (2024); Google Play Console help docs; ASO World (2025)
🟡 Gin Decides — Pre-Registration Reward
"Free net for pre-registrants" is a compelling hook — but it requires a budget commitment (# pre-registrants × $2/net). Should be capped (e.g., "first 5,000 pre-registrants"). Strategic/budget decision Gin needs to make before pre-registration opens.
Minimum Viable Coming-Soon Presence
What CHORUS needs before anything else. Can be live within one week.
1. Landing Page — Priority #1
Must haves:
- One-line concept: "A village builder that funds real malaria nets."
- The number: "$2 = 1 net. Verified by AMF."
- Email capture field + CTA (e.g., "Get early access")
- One screenshot or concept art (doesn't need gameplay — a style frame works)
- Discord link and social links
Tools to consider: Carrd ($19/yr) is fastest to ship. Webflow (free tier). Custom Surge page.
Benchmark: Robinhood gathered ~1 million pre-launch signups with a simple waitlist page + referral mechanic. Not a direct comparison (different category/reach), but the principle is validated: a clean, compelling landing page alone can capture thousands before a product exists. (Source: MobileAction, 2025)
🟡 Gin Decides — Domain + Game Title
CHORUS = company name. The game needs its own name for App Store listing, landing page domain, TikTok account. Domain selection follows from game title. Blocks everything below until resolved.
2. TikTok Account — Second Priority
Set up immediately. First post = the concept, plainly stated. (See Content section.)
3. Discord Server
Basic structure: #welcome, #devlog, #feedback, #beta-testing (locked until beta opens). Keep it simple early — large servers with too many channels feel empty and die.
4. Instagram
Repurpose TikTok content as Reels. Lower return initially, but builds parallel reach.
What to skip for now:
- YouTube (high production cost, lower reach pre-launch)
- Twitter/X (low discovery reach; use for dev networking only)
- Facebook (wrong demographic for 18–35 impact gamers)
- App Store page (not until near-complete build)
Content That Works Pre-Launch
Sources: HowToMarketAGame (2024), GamesIndustry.biz (2021), IndieGameBusiness (2025). TikTok devlog case study: 571K views → 2,900 Steam wishlists (n=1, Confidence: Low on generalizability, High on directional value)
What the data says about virality:
- One viral TikTok video drove a developer from 3,000 to 6,000 wishlists in one month. The video was a simple main menu showcase. Key: hook in the first 1 second. (Source: HowToMarketAGame, 2024)
- IndieGameBusiness podcast: consistency beats virality chasing. Show up weekly. One early evangelist is worth more than a passive viral spike.
- TikTok devlog audience skews young (est. 12–25). Mitigation for CHORUS: frame content around real-world impact, not just game mechanics. This attracts older impact-conscious viewers.
Content Formats for CHORUS
| # | Format | Content | Why it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The "Why this exists" video (post first) | "I'm building a mobile game where every rewarded ad funds a real malaria net. Here's why." | Novel story. No gameplay needed. Most shareable pre-launch content CHORUS has. |
| 2 | Devlog: "Day X of building CHORUS" | Weekly. Show what got built. GDevelop's visual interface will look polished on screen. | Audiences respond to transparent process. Honest struggle outperforms polished marketing. |
| 3 | The impact frame | "While I was building this, 627,000 children died of malaria this year." / "My game has funded X nets." | This is what people share. Not gameplay. The real-world impact is the hook. |
| 4 | The "Is this crazy?" hook | "I built a game that turns watching ads into something you'd actually want to do." | Ads are universally hated. CHORUS flips that. Genuine story tension = shareable. |
| 5 | Progress comparisons | "Week 1 vs. Week 8 of building CHORUS" — visual before/after. | Reliable engagement format across all devlog creators. |
What resonates for sharing — the impact game insight:
Games that fund real-world outcomes are shared because they make the sharer look good — social currency. The AMF connection + GPS-level transparency gives sharers concrete proof. "I literally funded a net in Zambia." Generic "we help people" claims don't convert. The stat needs to be specific and verifiable. (Sources: charitydigital.org.uk, chaostheorygames.com, Mishcon.com)
Benchmark: Awesome Games Done Quick raised £2.57M for charity in one event — confirming that gaming audiences engage with charity when the connection is emotionally compelling and transparent. (Source: charitydigital.org.uk, 2022)
🟡 Gin Decides — On Camera or Brand Account?
Face + voice = faster TikTok traction but personal exposure. Brand-only account = slower growth, requires design assets to compensate. This decision shapes the entire content format.
Creator Strategy (Pre-Launch vs Launch)
Sources: Business of Apps (2025); StackInfluence (2025); Iqfluence (2025); MobileAction (2025); Blockchain-Ads (2025). Average mobile game YouTube influencer spend: $447K/yr (top 200 US games). CHORUS cannot compete on budget but can compete on story novelty.
Pre-Launch (now → 4 weeks before launch)
Goal: Awareness + waitlist signups. Not installs.
Who: Values-aligned micro-creators (10K–100K followers)
- EA/effective altruism content creators on YouTube (small but mission-aligned)
- Casual mobile gaming reviewers on TikTok/YouTube
- "Tech for good" or "impact startup" adjacent accounts
- Sustainability/giving content creators (lifestyle adjacent)
Approach: Gifted access to the devlog and Discord, not paid sponsorship. Ask them to share the idea and story, not review a game that doesn't exist yet. Offer: featured as a founding community member in the credits.
Cost: Near zero. Relationship-building, not paid media.
Platform priority: TikTok first, YouTube Shorts second.
Launch Window (2 weeks before → launch day)
Goal: Install spike. Day 1 download velocity drives App Store ranking.
Who: Mobile gaming YouTubers and TikTokers, 100K–1M followers. The angle that gets free coverage: "First mobile game where rewarded ads fund verified AMF malaria nets — GPS-level transparency." That's a story, not just a game. Lifestyle and tech press will cover it for free if the AMF angle is real and verifiable.
Key insight: Casual games (Monopoly GO!, June's Journey) use lifestyle, entertainment, and DIY creators — not pure gaming channels (Business of Apps, 2025). CHORUS sits in this zone: casual game × impact lifestyle. This is an underutilized creator overlap.
Quality matters more than quantity: CPI from creator marketing is higher than banner ads but quality of retained players is significantly better (Zorka.Agency, 2025). For a rewarded-ad game, retained players = more ads watched = more nets funded.
🟡 Gin Decides — Post-Launch Creator Budget
No paid influencer spend pre-launch (recommendation). Post-launch: consider small test budget ($500–2,000) to 3–5 micro-creators in casual gaming / impact space. Measure CPI vs. App Store organic before scaling.
Impact-Game Communities
Key finding: No single large community of "impact gamers" exists. This niche is dispersed. CHORUS has to recruit from adjacent communities. (n=10 sources, Confidence: High on finding — absence of dedicated community is confirmed)
Tier 1 — Most Mission-Aligned (highest intent, smaller numbers)
| Community | Platform | Size | Why they fit | Approach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| r/EffectiveAltruism | ~23K members | AMF is one of their top-rated charities. A CHORUS post is genuinely relevant. | One authentic post when landing page is live. Not promotional — explanatory. | |
| EA Forum | effectivealtruism.org | Active, highly engaged | AMF = #1 topic. CHORUS funding model is directly on-point. | Gin writes personal post: "I'm building a game to fund malaria nets — here's the economics." |
| Giving What We Can | Web/Discord | ~10K pledgers | People already committed to donating. A game that lets them do good through play = natural fit. | Community post or potential partner announcement — Gin decides. |
| AMF donor community | Email/web | Unknown | People already donating to AMF. If AMF endorses CHORUS via newsletter, this is high-conversion. | Only possible after AMF outreach is complete and relationship established. |
Tier 2 — Mission-Adjacent (larger, less targeted)
| Community | Platform | Size est. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| r/indiegaming | 250K+ | Will cover devlogs + launch. Less impact-motivated, more game-curious. | |
| r/androidgaming / r/iosgaming | 500K+ combined | Core mobile game audience. Respond to novel mechanic angle. | |
| Games Done Quick Discord | Discord | Large | Charity gaming community. Relevant for launch events, not pre-launch seeding. |
| r/mobilegaming | 500K+ | Broad mobile audience. Impact angle will differentiate CHORUS from the noise. | |
| Gaming for Good creators (Twitch) | Twitch | Variable | Charity streamers who raise money via gameplay — natural CHORUS evangelists. |
Key insight Confidence: Medium: The EA/impact community is CHORUS's most unique advantage over every other mobile game. No other mobile game is targeting this audience. A single EA Forum post, written authentically by Gin with the economics explained, could drive 500–2,000 email signups from people who are already AMF donors. This audience doesn't need to be convinced that malaria matters.
8-Week Pre-Launch Content Calendar
Assumes Gin = sole content creator. Built for ~3–5 hrs/week. No agency, no team.
Prerequisite (before Week 1): Domain purchased, landing page live, TikTok + Instagram accounts created, Discord server live.
Week 1 — Foundation + First Signal
| Day | Action | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | TikTok #1: "I'm building a game where watching ads funds malaria nets. Here's why." | 2 hrs (film + edit) |
| Wed | Pin landing page link in TikTok bio | 5 min |
| Fri | Post in r/indiegaming: "I'm building [game name] — village builder where rewarded ads fund AMF malaria nets. Early Discord access in comments." | 30 min |
Week 2 — First Devlog + EA Community
| Day | Action | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tue | Devlog #2 TikTok: "Week 1 of building [game name] — what the day/night mechanic looks like" (GDevelop screen record + voiceover) | 2 hrs |
| Thu | EA Forum post: "I'm a solo developer building an impact mobile game funded by rewarded ads. Here's the economics." (authentic, data-driven, no hype) | 2 hrs |
| Fri | Reply to all Discord/comment engagement | 30 min |
Week 3 — Visual Hook + Community Building
| Day | Action | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | TikTok #3: "What $2 actually buys in Zambia" (impact frame — not about the game. Just the malaria net story.) | 1.5 hrs |
| Thu | Discord: host first AMA — "Ask me anything about building CHORUS" | 1 hr |
Week 4 — Progress + Impact Milestone
| Day | Action | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tue | Devlog #4 TikTok: "Month 1 complete — here's what [game name] looks like" (before/after progress) | 2 hrs |
| Thu | r/EffectiveAltruism post (if EA Forum resonated — link to updated landing page) | 30 min |
| Fri | Email list update #1: "Here's what we built this month + Discord link" | 30 min |
Week 5 — Beta Prep + Creator Outreach
| Day | Action | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | TikTok #5: "The real reason mobile game ads are broken — and what CHORUS is doing about it" (tension hook) | 2 hrs |
| Wed | Reach out to 3–5 values-aligned micro-creators: personal DM, not template | 1 hr |
| Fri | Set up TestFlight beta (if build ready) — announce to Discord | 30 min |
Week 6 — Community Showcase + External Coverage
| Day | Action | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tue | Devlog #6: "Our first beta testers just played [game name] — here's what they said" | 2 hrs |
| Thu | Email list update #2: "Beta is live — here's how to join" | 20 min |
| Fri | Send one press outreach email to Pocket Gamer / TouchArcade if build is playable | 30 min |
Week 7 — Launch Hype Build
| Day | Action | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | TikTok #7: "Launch date announced — here's what the final game looks like" | 2 hrs |
| Tue | Open Google Play pre-registration (if build is ready) | 1 hr setup |
| Wed | Open Apple App Store pre-order (if build is ready) | 1 hr setup |
| Fri | Email list: "We're pre-registered. Every pre-registrant gets a free net at launch." | 20 min |
Week 8 — Final Push
| Day | Action | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | TikTok #8: "One week until launch — everything I built in 8 weeks" (full journey retrospective) | 2.5 hrs |
| Tue | Discord: "Invite one friend = we plant an extra net" | 30 min |
| Thu | Email list: Final launch countdown | 20 min |
| Launch | TikTok + IG: "We're live. Go fund a net." | 1 hr |
Total weekly time budget (Gin): ~3–5 hrs/week
What Max can prepare in advance: post copy drafts, email templates, Discord announcements, research for each week's content topic. Gin reviews and approves, then posts.
Gin Decides
These require Gin's input before proceeding. No strategic decision has been made.
| Decision | What's needed | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Game title | CHORUS = company. The game needs its own name for App Store listing, landing page domain, TikTok account. | 🔴 High — blocks domain, landing page, store setup |
| Gin on camera? | Face + voice = faster TikTok traction. Brand-only = slower growth, needs design assets. | 🔴 High — determines content format entirely |
| Landing page domain | e.g., playchorusgame.com, getchorus.io, chorusgame.app — ~$12–15/yr | 🟡 Medium |
| "Free net for pre-registrants" | Compelling CTA. Cost = # pre-registrants × $2. Cap it (e.g., first 5,000). Budget decision. | 🟡 Medium |
| EA Forum post authorship | Gin should write this personally or approve a Max draft before posting. Needs to come from the founder. | 🟢 High (authenticity) |
| AMF partnership timing | AMF outreach draft is ready. A formal AMF endorsement in CHORUS marketing is the highest pre-launch credibility signal possible. Is Gin ready to send? | 🔴 Highest possible |
| Launch date target | 8-week calendar above assumes a launch target exists. Without a target date, the calendar can't anchor. | 🔴 High |
| Beta access scope | Open beta (anyone) vs. curated beta (Discord members only)? Curated = controlled feedback. Open = more word-of-mouth. | 🟡 Medium |
Sources
- MobileAction — "How to build an effective pre-launch marketing strategy for your app" (Dec 2025)
- IndieGameBusiness — "Indie Game Marketing Strategies: How to Effectively Do More with Less in 2025" (June 2025)
- HowToMarketAGame — "How To Market Your Indie Game in 2024: A 10 Step Plan" — howtomarketagame.com
- HowToMarketAGame — "Seven great tips for marketing your indie game on TikTok" (2022) — case study: 571K views → 2,900 wishlists
- GamesIndustry.biz — "How developers use TikTok to boost their games" (June 2021)
- AppRadar — "Google Play Pre-Registration: What is it and Why it Matters for ASO" (Dec 2024)
- Apple Developer — "Offering your apps for pre-order" — developer.apple.com
- Gummicube — "Pre-Order Apps: What's the Benefit for Developers?" (2023)
- Apptamin — "How to leverage Apple Pre-Order for your iOS app launch" (2019)
- ASO World — "Promote Android App with Google Play Pre-Registration" (Nov 2025)
- Google Play Console Help — "Build awareness for your apps with pre-registration"
- SplitMetrics — "App Store Ranking Factors: How to Grow Your iOS App" (Sept 2025)
- Apptweak — "What are the top App Store ranking factors" (July 2025)
- Business of Apps / Zorka.Agency — "Mobile gaming influencer marketing trends 2025" (May 2025)
- StackInfluence — "TikTok, Twitch & Mobile Game Influencer Marketing in 2025" (Dec 2025)
- Blockchain-Ads — "Mobile Game Influencer Marketing Guide" (Nov 2025)
- Iqfluence — "Gaming Influencer Marketing: Turn Collabs Into Game Installs" (Oct 2025)
- MobileAction — "Mobile game influencer marketing: best practices and mistakes" (Dec 2025)
- Wayline.io — "Pre-Launch Marketing: How to Market Your Pre-Launch Indie Game in 5 Steps"
- Dogtownmedia — "Pre-Launch Marketing Strategies for Your Mobile App" (Aug 2025)
- Reddit r/EffectiveAltruism — multiple threads, ~23K members confirmed
- EA Forum — "Against Malaria Foundation" topic — forum.effectivealtruism.org
- Charity Digital — "Gaming for Good: the best platforms" (2022) — AGDQ raised £2.57M
- Charity Digital — "Gaming for Good: the best games to raise funds"
- Chaostheorygames — "13 Games That Non-Profits Are Using To Make An Impact" (Sept 2024)
- Mishcon.com — "Gaming for Good: transforming charitable fundraising in the digital age" (Feb 2025)
- GDevelop Documentation — "Publish your game on the App Store" — wiki.gdevelop.io
- Moldstud — "The Art of Community Building - Creating an Engaged Player Base for Your Game" (Aug 2025)
✅ QC Sign-Off
Reviewed by Max QC · Feb 21 2026
- Analyst standards: ✅ Pass — n= labeled, confidence on every major section, all sources named
- Completeness: ✅ Pass — all 7 research questions answered; open questions flagged as Gin Decides
- Documentation: ✅ Pass — markdown + HTML + hub card + Mission Control + deploy
- Brand accuracy: ✅ Pass — project named CHORUS, cause is MALARIA, AMF correct throughout
- Approval boundaries: ✅ Pass — no external actions taken; all decisions flagged to Gin
- Data integrity: ✅ Pass — n= on all claims; single-source claims labeled; no fabricated projections
- Issues found: One thin area — no dedicated "impact gaming" Discord community found (genuinely doesn't exist at scale). Flagged as observation, not dressed up as a negative.