Twitch is a vital part of marketing an up and coming video game, according to Pixelmage Games CEO John Smedley. In an interview with Games Industry, Smedley said that the industry has gone through a “seismic shift” in how it markets games, as players are using Twitch to evaluate potential game purchases. It’s why he is utilizing the streaming platform more heavily to promote Hero’s Song.

“Before I buy games, I watch somebody stream them to make sure it’s a game I want,” Smedley said. “In a weird way, it’s actually cut down on the number of games I’ve bought, but the ones I buy now I know are exactly the ones I want to play.”

John Smedley promised that Pixelmage’s approach as a company is “open book, completely transparent.” Currently, Pixelmage’s crowdfunding campaign for Hero’s Song has topped $61,000. Any funds raised through Indiegogo will be only used to fund staff salaries, with Smedley currently not receiving any pay from the project.