4 ms·

You can't really make a super niche game and expect it to sell well. Nobody knows what Yerba Mate is. Nobody is searching for Yerba Mate. Also, the video is fu

You can't really make a super niche game and expect it to sell well. Nobody knows what Yerba Mate is. Nobody is searching for Yerba Mate. Also, the video is funny, but it really doesn't tell us anything about what you do. It doesn't show us the consequences of any of your decisions. Anyhow, I wish the developer all the best. I hope sales to pick up and that they enjoyed making the game.

vincentpants 5y ago
I know what Yerba Mate is, I’m even drinking some now! I even managed to start a Yerba Mate scene at my old work. And considering how many dev stations have gourds among their vinyl toy collection makes me think there were a bunch of Canadian video game developers googling Yerba Mate at some point. I imagine this game can do well with a little bit of niche online community spelunking. We’re out there!
- Krasnol 5y ago
  > Yerba Mate scene How did such a scene work? Did you have get togethers to talk about your Yerba Mate experiences? Are there Yearba Mate VIPs you worship together? Did you have Yerba Mate merchandise?
  - krustyburger 5y ago
    His scene seems to have attracted a sardonic detractor, so I’m inclined to believe it actually is real.
- jay_kyburz 5y ago
  Perhaps the developer is just a but too ahead of the curve. In a few years time the game could huge. Also, I wonder how many people knew what spelunking was before Spelunky!
hn_throwaway_99 5y ago
> Nobody knows what Yerba Mate is. I think it may depend on your region. Obviously it is very well known in South America (I first became acquainted with it about 25 years ago after being friends with someone from South America who drank tereré, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terer%C3%A9 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terer%C3%A9, all the time), but now I see these, https://guayaki.com/our-product-family/ https://guayaki.com/our-product-family/, all over Whole Foods in Texas, so somebody must be drinking them here.
ehnto 5y ago
He mentions knowing about regional popularity of Yerba Mate, I think he was fully content with making a niche game for specific areas.
leipert 5y ago
Mate is ridiculously popular in IT and hacker circles in Germany. Drinks (like a sparkling lemonade) based on it have been around since the 1920s.
animal531 5y ago
I agree with the poster. If he'd for example renamed it to Tea Tycoon and made it about tea blends then I'd imagine that he'd be doing at least 10x better.
pbhjpbhj 5y ago
Isn't this the effect that the web does make work, super-niche things work globally that won't work locally. I've heard of it, Yerba mate, but I've never seen it mentioned anywhere offline (UK). Tea Tycoon, I'd have to presume has been done? Otherwise, it sounds like something people would go for.

vincentpants 5y ago

I know what Yerba Mate is, I’m even drinking some now! I even managed to start a Yerba Mate scene at my old work. And considering how many dev stations have gourds among their vinyl toy collection makes me think there were a bunch of Canadian video game developers googling Yerba Mate at some point. I imagine this game can do well with a little bit of niche online community spelunking. We’re out there!

Krasnol 5y ago
> Yerba Mate scene How did such a scene work? Did you have get togethers to talk about your Yerba Mate experiences? Are there Yearba Mate VIPs you worship together? Did you have Yerba Mate merchandise?
- krustyburger 5y ago
  His scene seems to have attracted a sardonic detractor, so I’m inclined to believe it actually is real.
jay_kyburz 5y ago
Perhaps the developer is just a but too ahead of the curve. In a few years time the game could huge. Also, I wonder how many people knew what spelunking was before Spelunky!

hn_throwaway_99 5y ago

> Nobody knows what Yerba Mate is. I think it may depend on your region. Obviously it is very well known in South America (I first became acquainted with it about 25 years ago after being friends with someone from South America who drank tereré, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terer%C3%A9 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terer%C3%A9, all the time), but now I see these, https://guayaki.com/our-product-family/ https://guayaki.com/our-product-family/, all over Whole Foods in Texas, so somebody must be drinking them here.

ehnto 5y ago

He mentions knowing about regional popularity of Yerba Mate, I think he was fully content with making a niche game for specific areas.

leipert 5y ago

Mate is ridiculously popular in IT and hacker circles in Germany. Drinks (like a sparkling lemonade) based on it have been around since the 1920s.

animal531 5y ago

I agree with the poster. If he'd for example renamed it to Tea Tycoon and made it about tea blends then I'd imagine that he'd be doing at least 10x better.

pbhjpbhj 5y ago

Isn't this the effect that the web does make work, super-niche things work globally that won't work locally. I've heard of it, Yerba mate, but I've never seen it mentioned anywhere offline (UK). Tea Tycoon, I'd have to presume has been done? Otherwise, it sounds like something people would go for.