Button City Pitch Deck: Slide-by-Slide Breakdown

The Narrative and Aesthetic Hook

The Button City pitch deck begins not with a market problem, but with an invitation into a world. For indie games, the 'problem' is often a lack of high-quality content in a specific sub-genre. Subliminal addresses this by immediately establishing the tone and visual identity of the project.

Slides 1-2: Summary and Key Features

Slide 1 introduces Button City as a "narrative adventure about a fox and his friends." The primary conflict is established: saving a local arcade from a "greedy fat cat." This narrative simplicity is paired with high-contrast, pastel-colored 3D dioramas. Slide 2 lists the key features, emphasizing the "Saturday morning cartoon" inspiration and the inclusion of three full-featured arcade games within the main game. This 'game-within-a-game' structure is a significant value proposition, suggesting a higher depth of content than a standard narrative walker.

Slides 3-4: Gameplay Mechanics

Slide 3 details the 3D world navigation, describing levels as "dioramas with buildings and rooms to explore." This is a critical technical distinction for investors, as it defines the scope of asset production. Slide 4 breaks down the mini-games and puzzles, including a 'Lemonade Stand' and a 'Goba Academy' visual novel. By diversifying the gameplay types, the developers show they are targeting a broad engagement loop beyond just dialogue trees.

Deep Dive into the Arcade Mini-Games

A significant portion of the deck is dedicated to the internal arcade games, which function as the core 'fun' loop of the Button City universe.

Slides 5-6: Gobabots, rEVolution Racer, and Prisma Beats

Slide 5 introduces Gobabots , a 4v4 action game. The deck specifies that this is an "arena-style gameplay" crafted for a single-player experience with AI teams. Slide 6 covers rEVolution Racer (a drift-racing game) and Prisma Beats (a rhythm game). By including three distinct genres—action, racing, and rhythm—the developers demonstrate a high level of technical versatility and a robust content offering for the $19.99 price point mentioned later in the deck.

Technical Specifications and Platform Strategy

For a game to be a viable investment, it must be portable and performant. The deck spends several slides addressing the 'how' of the development process.

Slide 7: Technical and Platform Fit

There are four variations of Slide 7 in this deck, likely used for different pitch targets. The core message across them is the use of Unity 2018.4LTS . The "LTS" (Long Term Support) designation is a signal to investors that the game is built on a stable version of the engine, reducing the risk of breaking changes during the porting process. The deck also highlights that the low-poly art style is "optimized" to run on both low-end and high-end hardware, maximizing the total addressable market (TAM).

Slide 8: Development Status

Slide 8 provides a transparent look at the project's timeline. The game is described as "nearing beta phase" and "feature complete." The distinction between "feature complete" (all mechanics are in) and "content complete" (all levels/story are in) is vital in game development. The developers state they need access to development kits in the August/September timeframe to begin porting for a Q1 2021 target release .

Budgeting and Localization

The deck transitions from the creative to the operational, providing a breakdown of how the add-on financing will be utilized.

Slides 9-10: Budget and Localization

Slide 9 is a budget table with placeholder figures ($XX,XXX). It categorizes expenses into Production, Music and Sound, Administrative, and PR. Slide 10 is perhaps the most impressive slide for a savvy investor: a detailed Localization breakdown. It estimates a 35,000-word count at $0.13 per word, totaling $4,550 per language . This level of granularity shows the team has moved past the 'dreaming' phase and into the 'execution' phase.

Market Validation and Projections

To justify the investment, the deck provides a comparative analysis of the indie gaming landscape in 2020.

Slides 11-12: Comparable Games and Trends

Slide 11 lists 'Comparable Games' to provide a valuation and sales benchmark. It cites Night in the Woods (417,000 sales) and Arcade Spirits (10,000 sales). By using a formula (Steam reviews x 50), they provide a transparent methodology for their data. Slide 12 leverages the "Wholesome Games" trend, noting that Button City started the Wholesome Direct showcase, which had 120,000+ views. This social proof is used to back a 100,000-unit sales projection at a $19.99 price point, representing a potential $2M gross revenue opportunity.

The Team and Studio Philosophy

The final section of the deck focuses on the people behind the pixels.

Slides 13-14: About Us and Meet the Team

Slide 13 introduces Subliminal , a studio based in Albuquerque, NM, guided by "hope-punk" ideals. This cultural positioning is relevant in the indie space, where studio identity drives community loyalty. Slide 14 introduces the core team: Shandiin Yazzie Woodward (Co-founder/Artist) with experience at Meow Wolf, and Ryan Woodward (Co-founder/Programmer) with experience at Ideum and the Smithsonian. The team’s background in interactive museum exhibits and high-profile art installations (Meow Wolf) provides strong evidence of their ability to deliver polished visual experiences.

What Works and What is Missing

What Works

Visual Consistency: The deck uses actual game assets and a color palette that mirrors the product, creating a seamless brand experience. · Granular Costs: The localization slide is a masterclass in showing an investor that you understand your unit costs. · Market Alignment: By aligning with the 'Wholesome Games' movement, the team tapped into a specific, growing zeitgeist in 2020. · Technical Realism: Explicitly naming the Unity version and dialogue engines (YarnSpinner) reduces technical due diligence friction.

What is Missing

Specific Ask: While the budget categories are listed, the actual dollar amount requested is obscured in this version of the deck. · Marketing Plan: Beyond mentioning the Wholesome Direct, there is little detail on how they will reach their 100,000-unit goal (e.g., influencer strategy, ad spend, or platform featuring). · Burn Rate: For an add-on round, investors usually want to see the current runway and how the new capital extends it.

Founder's Guide: What to Copy

The 'Comparable Games' Slide: Copy the methodology of using Steam reviews multiplied by a factor (usually 30-50) to estimate competitor sales. It shows you are data-driven. · The 'Technical' Slide: Don't just say "we use Unity." Say which version and why (e.g., LTS for stability). It matters for porting and long-term maintenance. · The 'Localization' Slide: If your game is narrative-heavy, show the word count and the cost-per-word. It proves the project is scoped and ready for international markets. · Platform Specificity: If you are pitching for console kits, list the target platforms clearly (PC, Mac, Switch, PS, Xbox) as seen on Slide 8.