#35 - Greg Lee: The Baby in Yellow: How an Indie Game Hit 300M Downloads Without a Marketing Budget

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The Gaming Playbook w/ Harry Phokou

Harry Phokou

46 episodes

3 days ago

On The Gaming Playbook, Harry Phokou sits down with experts in the games industry who have never been interviewed before. Through these in-depth conversations, Harry unpacks the "Playbook" that made them so successful. Skip the line on Tuesdays and download the real-life cheat codes every gaming industry pro needs to know. LinkedIn: @hphokou Instagram: @hphokou Newsletter: gamingrally.net Business and guest inquiries: playbook@phokou.com

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#35 - Greg Lee: The Baby in Yellow: How an Indie Game Hit 300M Downloads Without a Marketing Budget

The Gaming Playbook w/ Harry Phokou

1 hour 8 minutes 13 seconds

4 months ago

#35 - Greg Lee: The Baby in Yellow: How an Indie Game Hit 300M Downloads Without a Marketing Budget

Discover how The Baby in Yellow, an indie horror game born from a game jam, exploded to over 300 million downloads — without any marketing budget or VC funding.

In this episode, Greg Lee, co-founder of Team Terrible, shares how content creators, viral design strategies, and long-term thinking helped them turn a side project into a global hit.

From leaving Rockstar to building a 12-person indie studio, Greg dives deep into:

- The early days of viral traction
- Designing for shareability and YouTube
- Monetization without selling out
- Building a passionate fanbase
- Advice for aspiring indie developers

If you're a game dev, indie founder, or creative entrepreneur, this is your blueprint for building something that markets itself.

Learn how to go viral, build a studio, and create lasting IP in the age of short attention spans.

Connect with Greg:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-lee-40aa1276/
X: https://x.com/heyimgreg

The Baby in Yellow:
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.TeamTerrible.BabyInYellowiOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-baby-in-yellow/id1570525877
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2291340/The_Baby_In_Yellow/
Discord: https://discord.com/invite/teamterrible

Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou

Get exclusive podcast recaps & industry insights: → Subscribe to the Gaming Rally Newsletter www.gamingrally.net

Chapters:
00:00 Intro & How The Baby in Yellow Went Viral
01:52 From Rockstar to Indie: Greg’s Journey
04:46 The Accidental Game Jam Upload That Changed Everything
06:38 YouTube Creators: The Real Marketing Engine
09:18 Rip-offs, Mobile Stores & Launching on Android
12:36 Strategic Decision: Free on PC, Paid on Mobile
15:04 Viral Mechanics: Ease of Access & Minimal Friction
17:26 Why Distribution Beats Monetization (Initially)
19:38 The “Luck as Dice Rolls” Theory
22:04 Building Community: Fan Art, Discord & Cultural Impact
26:40 Organic Growth: Word of Mouth & Player Stories
30:50 Schoolbooks, Tattoos & IP as Culture
33:03 Long-Term Thinking Over Quick Monetization
34:46 Lore, Lovecraft & Creative Depth
37:15 Balancing Casual Players & Lore-Seekers
41:54 Horror Meets Humor: The Game’s Dual Tone
44:56 Future Plans & Why the Next Game Might Be Different
48:48 How Team Terrible Hires: What They Look For
53:42 Advice for Aspiring Game Devs
57:25 Final Thoughts & What’s Next
#IndieGameDev #TheBabyInYellow #GameDevelopment #ViralGames #GregLee