Update (June 2017): After a few struggles getting a SSL certificate for my old domain name (somehow my web-host certification authority didn’t like it) I decided to re-brand logo + domain name to “Hotch Potch Games”.  Quite happy I did this: the website is now consistent with my twitter user name (HodgePodgeGames was already taken), which incidentally turned out to be the place I’m the most active and getting traction in terms of following.
Hotch Potch & Hodge Podge have the same meaning too, so not a massive change of branding.  Logo remains a hot pot.  Added bonus: Hotch Potch also does not clash with any other video games – this wasn’t true for Hodge Podge as google search returned an android game.  Both are hard to pronounce!

 

I thought for my second post, I would share a little story about a previous branding mishap I had.

Be Organised with Your Branding

My original plan was to use “Mitronite” as my game studio name.  My nickname on the internet has been Mitron for a long time, so I thought it was a good fit and quite dynamic!

Unfortunately, when I created my first blog on game dev in early 2016, I found another company had already claimed the Mitronite company + domain name.  This was very much my oversight, as I had not considered anyone else would ever come up with that name!  Mitron is quite an occult word; in French it means “Baker’s Boy”.  Obviously the “-nite” suffix gives it a nice ring, which is probably why another company picked it up as their brand name.

Although the other company is in a completely different space to me (sports supplements), somehow I didn’t like the idea of creating a website + blog under the same name.  Ok, I am a hobbyist and not planning to make money from my games.  However, if I ever release a video game, I want to do so with a unique, coherent and recognisable brand name.

After some research, I stumbled on the expression “Hodge-Podge” and fell in love with it.  I think this matches what I am doing here: Throwing design ideas, code & pixels together, to build video games I’d like to play!  This time around, I did things right. I booked the domain names for my game project & Hodge Podge straight away.  The words ‘Hodge Podge Games’ doesn’t return anything major on google.  So, hopefully this blog / website will soon come up on top!

Bottom line:  if you have a great idea for a game or company name – don’t wait!  Claim it asap!  It will avoid potential setbacks & disappointment.

 

 

Found this blog useful?  Or are you in the process of branding your own game? I would love to hear from you!  Please leave a comment or drop me a note!