With nearly 19,000 new games launching on Steam in 2024—an average of 360 per week—players face an overwhelming number of choices, while developers struggle to get their games noticed.
In an industry dominated by blockbusters like Fortnite and Call of Duty, indie developers often find it difficult to stand out. Even players looking for hidden gems must rely on search algorithms and recommendation engines, which frequently highlight only the most popular releases.
Now, a new platform called Ludocene hopes to change that. Dubbed a “dating app for video games,” Ludocene allows users to swipe through curated game suggestions, helping them discover titles that might have otherwise been overlooked.
A New Way to Find Hidden Gems
Created by games journalist Andy Robertson, Ludocene presents each game in a card-based format—one side featuring a trailer and the other providing detailed information. Users swipe to either keep or discard a recommendation, gradually building a personalized library of games tailored to their preferences.
“In any given year, a handful of games rise to the top, but so many great titles get buried,” Robertson told BBC Newsbeat. “Ludocene aims to help players find those hidden gems.”
Unlike automated algorithms, Ludocene’s recommendations come from experienced gaming journalists, streamers, and industry experts, offering a human-curated selection rather than relying on SEO-driven results.
Veteran journalist Brian Crecente, who helped launch Kotaku and Polygon, believes Ludocene fills a crucial gap in today’s gaming landscape. “There’s a perfect storm of too many games and not enough people covering them,” he said. “Having a tool like Ludocene gives players informed recommendations and helps them make better use of their time.”
A Crowdfunded Success Story
Currently in its prototype phase, Ludocene has already generated significant interest. Its Kickstarter campaign surpassed its £26,000 goal four days before the deadline, with plans to launch as a free web app in August.
Jodie Azhar, an independent developer and founder of Teazelcat Games, is excited about Ludocene’s potential. “Hopefully, it’s finding those quality games that missed out on marketing or media coverage at launch,” she said.
However, she raised concerns about the binary swiping mechanic, questioning whether discarding one game might prevent similar titles from appearing. “A lot hinges on how well the algorithm works,” she noted.
Maintaining an updated and diverse database will also be a challenge. Robertson, who also runs The Family Gaming Database, acknowledges this but believes Ludocene will scale more efficiently, requiring less data per game entry.
Leveling the Playing Field for Indie Games
For indie developers, discoverability remains a major obstacle. Robertson hopes Ludocene will help shift the focus toward smaller passion projects, ensuring that great games don’t get lost in the flood of new releases.
“The idea is to level the playing field,” he said. “Diversity in gaming is important, and Ludocene is here to champion those unique voices.”
