Instinct3 launches Sidekick Publishing to back indies — Deadly Days at Gamescom

6 minutes Kevin Leye

Instinct3, the Berlin-based creative agency, has unveiled Sidekick Publishing—a new label built to help indie and A-to-AA studios get their games funded, discovered, and into players’ hands. Led by industry veterans Jasmin Oestreicher and Melvin Frank, Sidekick’s debut title, Deadly Days: Roadtrip, is set to appear at Gamescom. The pitch is simple: combine developer-first publishing with Instinct3’s strengths in creator partnerships and community building to boost visibility where it matters most—wishlists, demos, and streaming moments.

What is Sidekick Publishing, and why now? Sidekick Publishing is Instinct3’s formal step into the publishing arena after years of hands-on work with creators, campaigns, and community activations. If you’ve seen influencer-first launches cut through the noise, you know the playbook Instinct3 helped write. With Sidekick, that ethos graduates into a full-service offering: strategy, marketing, production support, and the kind of creator collaborations that can turn a quiet Steam page into a must-wishlist moment.

The label is helmed by co-founders and co-CEOs Jasmin Oestreicher and Melvin Frank. Between them, there’s a deep bench of experience in publishing, marketing, and launch operations across major labels and fast-moving campaigns. The goal isn’t to emulate massive, multi-year blockbuster roadmaps; it’s to tailor modern, authentic campaigns that meet players where they actually hang out—on streams, in Discords, and across social feeds—without losing the craft of good game publishing.

A spotlight launch: Deadly Days: Roadtrip at Gamescom Sidekick’s first public-facing move is to bring Deadly Days: Roadtrip to Gamescom. Expect a spin on the apocalyptic survival formula with a cheeky, chaotic twist: think rogue-lite roadtrip energy, scavenging detours, and wonderfully questionable decisions under pressure. If the original Deadly Days’ DNA is any hint, this outing should lean into emergent stories: the “I can’t believe we survived that” runs and “one more attempt” pacing that streamers love. It’s the kind of game that benefits from live reactions, clipped highlights, and community challenges—and that makes it a smart pick for a publisher born in the creator economy.

Influencers and indies: a natural alliance The indie problem is rarely the game—it’s the signal. Great projects slip under the radar when they arrive without discoverability scaffolding. Sidekick’s pitch is to fuse traditional publishing blocks (QA and porting partners, retail know-how, platform relations, beats planning) with creator-led amplification that feels native, not bolted on. That could mean:

  • Creator-first demo moments with measurable wishlist CTAs.
  • Long-tail community arcs post-launch—mod spotlights, challenge runs, and seasonal themes.
  • Regional activation that respects local tastes and languages, not just broad-stroke global messaging.
  • Honest messaging that avoids hype fatigue and sets expectations right.

A growing field of indie labels Sidekick enters a vibrant but competitive scene. Recent years have seen new indie-focused labels spin up, existing publishers rebrand or refocus, and a wider acceptance that the indie-to-AA space needs flexible deals and smarter marketing. That’s good for developers: more routes to market, more negotiation leverage, and a healthier range of partnerships. The challenge for new labels is differentiation—funding scope, platform support, timeline discipline, and creative risk appetite. Instinct3’s differentiator is clear: sophisticated creator and community expertise from day one, not as an afterthought.

What Sidekick means for developers If you’re an indie team considering a pitch, think about what a creator-forward publisher needs to champion your game effectively. A strong sub-5-minute slice that sells the hook to streamers will go further than a long, slow burn. Here’s a quick checklist to prep before outreach:

  • Your one-sentence hook and a snappy 30-second sizzle.
  • A playable demo or vertical slice showcasing your core loop by minute two.
  • Three sharable moments: an “aha” mechanic, a clutch save highlight, and a “chaos clip.”
  • Clear production timeline, budget needs, and must-have platform targets.
  • Wishlist and demo strategy: beats, festivals, and content syncs you’re open to.
  • Community plan: Discord readiness, roadmap transparency, and how you’ll handle feedback.

Publishing is a partnership. If Sidekick is truly building for durability—beyond the first spike of attention—expect them to ask about retention hooks, content cadence, and how your systems sustain interesting play on stream and off.

What Sidekick means for players Players don’t need org charts; they want great games and steady updates. Here’s what to watch as Sidekick comes online:

  • A playable showing for Deadly Days: Roadtrip at Gamescom. Keep an eye out for demos and creator streams—clips will reveal a lot about pacing and replayability.
  • Transparent dev comms. New labels often win goodwill through honest updates and swift patching.
  • Community events. Expect challenge runs, themed weeks, and collaborations with mid-sized creators who love to theorycraft, not just headline names.

Potential pitfalls (and how Sidekick might avoid them) Every new label faces a few traps:

  • Overextending the slate: Too many concurrent launches dilute attention. A measured pipeline with focused campaigns wins.
  • Over-indexing on hype: A creator-first push must be anchored to real substance. Demos, roadmaps, and post-launch support are the ballast.
  • One-size-fits-all activations: The right creators vary by genre, region, and tone. Authentic fit beats raw reach.

If Sidekick leans into data-driven iteration—testing beats, refining pitches, and nurturing communities over time—they can build a reputation that attracts teams looking for sustainable momentum rather than a single flash.

A quick Q&A

  • What is Sidekick Publishing? A new publishing label from Instinct3 focused on indie and A-to-AA games, with full-service support and a strong creator/community backbone.
  • Who’s running it? Co-founders and co-CEOs Jasmin Oestreicher and Melvin Frank, both with extensive experience in games marketing and publishing.
  • What’s their first public title? Deadly Days: Roadtrip, planned to show at Gamescom.
  • Why should you care? Because discoverability is everything, and a publisher fluent in creator culture can be the difference between “hidden gem” and “breakout hit.”

Final thoughts Sidekick Publishing arrives with a promise that fits the moment: meet players where they play, bring creators into development and launch planning early, and build campaigns that earn attention rather than buy it outright. If Deadly Days: Roadtrip lands with the scrappy charm and replayable chaos it teases, Sidekick could open its account with exactly the kind of community-forward success story its model is built to scale. For developers and players alike, that’s an exciting signal in a crowded year of indie releases.