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The best subreddits to launch an indie game in 2026

Updated

Indie game subreddits split into feedback communities and player-discovery communities — post to the wrong one and it gets removed, not ignored.

The best subreddits to launch an indie game are r/IndieGaming (246k members) and r/IndieGames (109k) for player discovery, r/IndieDev (99k) and r/PlayMyGame (62k) for playtesters, and r/DestroyMyGame (5k) if you want real, sometimes-blunt feedback before you launch anywhere else.

A place for indie devs and gamers to share anything. Super casual community and very open.

r/IndieDev description (via Mike Young)

By purpose

SubredditMembersBest for
r/IndieGaming246kPlayer-side discovery; screenshots and trailers welcome
r/IndieGames109kSimilar to above; broader discovery audience
r/IndieDev99kCasual dev-and-player mix; open to sharing anything
r/PlayMyGame62kExplicitly for 'play my thing and tell me what you think'
r/DestroyMyGame5kBlunt, real feedback before you launch elsewhere
r/gamedev577kQuestions and process — not a showcase venue

r/gamedev is the biggest of the bunch at 577k members but it's built for process questions, not launches — a promotional post there reads as spam. Save it for genuine dev questions and use the showcase subreddits above for the actual launch.

Build account history before you post

  • Build roughly 30 days of account history before your first post in any gaming subreddit.
  • Comment genuinely on at least 10 threads first — strict mods auto-filter accounts with zero comment history.
  • Read each subreddit's sidebar rules before posting — links, self-promo tolerance and account-age minimums vary sub to sub.

Mapping the right mix is the hard part

Different subreddits want different things from the same launch — feedback here, a trailer there, a playtest link somewhere else. LaunchEngine maps the specific communities that fit your game and drafts a compliant post for each. It never auto-posts — you review and submit. Mapping your launch is free.

Map your launch across all of these — free

Paste your product URL and LaunchEngine finds the directories, subreddits and communities worth your specific launch, drafts a post for each, and pre-fills the forms. No auto-posting, no bans.

Map my launch

Sources

Frequently asked

What is the biggest subreddit for indie games?
r/gamedev is the largest at 577k members, but it's built for development questions and process discussion, not launches — a promotional post there is treated as spam. For an actual launch, r/IndieGaming (246k) and r/IndieGames (109k) are the largest showcase-friendly communities.
Where can I get honest feedback on my indie game before launching?
r/DestroyMyGame is built specifically for blunt, real feedback, and r/PlayMyGame is for getting people to actually try it and react. Both are smaller than the discovery subreddits, which is part of why the feedback is more genuine.
How much account history do I need before posting an indie game?
Aim for roughly 30 days of account age and at least 10 genuine comments in gaming subreddits first. Strict subreddits auto-filter posts from accounts with zero comment history before a human moderator even sees them.