dtrebella
@dtrebella.bsky.social
Founder of Spoke & Wheel Strategy. PR/marketing for indie games, tech & startups. Theatre lover, chocolate eater & dog snuggler. Dana@spokeandwheelstrategy.com
Pinned
dtrebella
@dtrebella.bsky.social
· Nov 14
A lot of new followers so time for an intro! Hey- I'm Dana!
-I run Spoke & Wheel Strategy doing marketing, brand strategy & PR
-Paris is my happy place
-I'm a musical theatre nerd
-Newish to LA but Chicago feels like home
-Love travel & interior design
-I have 2 goldendoodles & an amazing partner
-I run Spoke & Wheel Strategy doing marketing, brand strategy & PR
-Paris is my happy place
-I'm a musical theatre nerd
-Newish to LA but Chicago feels like home
-Love travel & interior design
-I have 2 goldendoodles & an amazing partner
I don't think people realize that marketing & community management are two totally different jobs/skills. Yes, they both fall under the same umbrella of "marketing" and while *some* people can do both, that's a) not super common and b) a lot of work c) not maximizing either area efficiently.
October 27, 2025 at 8:05 PM
I don't think people realize that marketing & community management are two totally different jobs/skills. Yes, they both fall under the same umbrella of "marketing" and while *some* people can do both, that's a) not super common and b) a lot of work c) not maximizing either area efficiently.
A super fun game made by a lovely, talented team that delivered from EA to 1.0 in what has to be record time. Check it out now!
🔥 Malys is OUT NOW in 1.0! 🔥
For a game about demons, you've all been absolute angels - thank you for your support along the way & we're so happy to share Malys' full release with you 🖤
Check out the launch trailer and then get exorcising below!
For a game about demons, you've all been absolute angels - thank you for your support along the way & we're so happy to share Malys' full release with you 🖤
Check out the launch trailer and then get exorcising below!
Malys 1.0 Launch Trailer
Malys is OUT NOW on Steam!Play the game via bit.ly/playmalysExorcise the infernal and exact vengeance in this unholy roguelite deckbuilder from David Gaider ...
www.youtube.com
October 24, 2025 at 1:37 AM
A super fun game made by a lovely, talented team that delivered from EA to 1.0 in what has to be record time. Check it out now!
It’s a funny thing to go through something, take a break for it, and come back and everything/everyone is the same but you’re not.
The output must keep outputting. And the productivity must keep producing.
The world keeps spinning even when we don’t want it to.
The output must keep outputting. And the productivity must keep producing.
The world keeps spinning even when we don’t want it to.
October 21, 2025 at 12:36 AM
It’s a funny thing to go through something, take a break for it, and come back and everything/everyone is the same but you’re not.
The output must keep outputting. And the productivity must keep producing.
The world keeps spinning even when we don’t want it to.
The output must keep outputting. And the productivity must keep producing.
The world keeps spinning even when we don’t want it to.
Was completely offline earlier this week for some medical stuff but...
I am so thrilled that this game is finally out and the world can play it! Truly a fun and beautiful experience made by a team with so much heart. Been a joy to be a part of!
I am so thrilled that this game is finally out and the world can play it! Truly a fun and beautiful experience made by a team with so much heart. Been a joy to be a part of!
BATTLE SUIT ACES OUT NOW‼️
Adventure through the stars with the found family of the Zephyr and uncover the secrets of the mysterious Relic suits. Play the Battle Chef Brigade team’s new heartfelt, dynamic card-battling narrative RPG NOW on PC, PS5 and Switch!
store.steampowered.com/app/2870530/...
Adventure through the stars with the found family of the Zephyr and uncover the secrets of the mysterious Relic suits. Play the Battle Chef Brigade team’s new heartfelt, dynamic card-battling narrative RPG NOW on PC, PS5 and Switch!
store.steampowered.com/app/2870530/...
October 9, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Was completely offline earlier this week for some medical stuff but...
I am so thrilled that this game is finally out and the world can play it! Truly a fun and beautiful experience made by a team with so much heart. Been a joy to be a part of!
I am so thrilled that this game is finally out and the world can play it! Truly a fun and beautiful experience made by a team with so much heart. Been a joy to be a part of!
In this political, economic, and games-specific climate I'm seeing a major trend that ppl have gotten more rude and less patient/ considerate.
I know there's major stress and that so many are struggling. Not to be a cheeseball but please remember that the power of kindness and empathy matter.
I know there's major stress and that so many are struggling. Not to be a cheeseball but please remember that the power of kindness and empathy matter.
September 16, 2025 at 1:57 AM
In this political, economic, and games-specific climate I'm seeing a major trend that ppl have gotten more rude and less patient/ considerate.
I know there's major stress and that so many are struggling. Not to be a cheeseball but please remember that the power of kindness and empathy matter.
I know there's major stress and that so many are struggling. Not to be a cheeseball but please remember that the power of kindness and empathy matter.
This past week was an emotional doozy for a myriad of reasons and challenges. @whitakr.com and I stopped in Michigan and found this tree we carved in 2021 during one of the most challenging and arguably formative years of my life. It felt so meaningful to see it again.
September 13, 2025 at 12:08 AM
This past week was an emotional doozy for a myriad of reasons and challenges. @whitakr.com and I stopped in Michigan and found this tree we carved in 2021 during one of the most challenging and arguably formative years of my life. It felt so meaningful to see it again.
Battle Suit Aces is launching before you know it on October 7th on PS5, Switch, and PC! It's so fun, joyful, heartwarming, and made by an incredibly talented hardworking team.
🗣️ BATTLE SUIT ACES RELEASE DATE ANNOUNCEMENT 🗣
🤖cool robots
🏳️🌈queer, found family narratives woven throughout the game
👨🍳made by beloved indie Battle Chef Brigade team
🃏📺part-card battler, part visual novel
🎨iconic anime art style
Coming to Switch, PS5, and PC on October 7th! don't miss this! 🫵
🤖cool robots
🏳️🌈queer, found family narratives woven throughout the game
👨🍳made by beloved indie Battle Chef Brigade team
🃏📺part-card battler, part visual novel
🎨iconic anime art style
Coming to Switch, PS5, and PC on October 7th! don't miss this! 🫵
September 11, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Battle Suit Aces is launching before you know it on October 7th on PS5, Switch, and PC! It's so fun, joyful, heartwarming, and made by an incredibly talented hardworking team.
I heard this saying a few weeks ago and it really stuck with me: Bad things happen quickly but good things take time.
Suddenly life can be turned upside down in an instant with bad news (getting fired, a health crisis etc.) But good things...always take a lot of work, healing, and time.
Suddenly life can be turned upside down in an instant with bad news (getting fired, a health crisis etc.) But good things...always take a lot of work, healing, and time.
August 20, 2025 at 2:53 AM
I heard this saying a few weeks ago and it really stuck with me: Bad things happen quickly but good things take time.
Suddenly life can be turned upside down in an instant with bad news (getting fired, a health crisis etc.) But good things...always take a lot of work, healing, and time.
Suddenly life can be turned upside down in an instant with bad news (getting fired, a health crisis etc.) But good things...always take a lot of work, healing, and time.
Been talking to several ppl who have large game dev budgets but want to spend only 2-5% of the total budget on marketing.
No less than 10-20% of your overall budget should go to marketing (including trailers, comms mngr, marketing person etc.).
Games should not be made in a vacuum.
No less than 10-20% of your overall budget should go to marketing (including trailers, comms mngr, marketing person etc.).
Games should not be made in a vacuum.
August 19, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Been talking to several ppl who have large game dev budgets but want to spend only 2-5% of the total budget on marketing.
No less than 10-20% of your overall budget should go to marketing (including trailers, comms mngr, marketing person etc.).
Games should not be made in a vacuum.
No less than 10-20% of your overall budget should go to marketing (including trailers, comms mngr, marketing person etc.).
Games should not be made in a vacuum.
How do we feel about "uncomfortability" as a word? It's...not one technically but it feels like it's entered the common vernacular. I think it's silly to turn a shorter word like "discomfort" into such a long one.
August 15, 2025 at 8:14 PM
How do we feel about "uncomfortability" as a word? It's...not one technically but it feels like it's entered the common vernacular. I think it's silly to turn a shorter word like "discomfort" into such a long one.
You know things are too busy/overwhelming when you have to schedule a time to have a meltdown.
August 14, 2025 at 2:04 AM
You know things are too busy/overwhelming when you have to schedule a time to have a meltdown.
Do you make puzzle games? This is an awesome opportunity to get some support in the process!
We're excited to announce that applications are open for the Draknek New Voices Puzzle Grant 2025 🎉
The grant will award $15,000 to five thinky puzzle game developers from all over the world, and a year's mentorship with genre veterans.
Deadline: September 28th
More info 👇
grants.draknek.org
The grant will award $15,000 to five thinky puzzle game developers from all over the world, and a year's mentorship with genre veterans.
Deadline: September 28th
More info 👇
grants.draknek.org
August 9, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Do you make puzzle games? This is an awesome opportunity to get some support in the process!
Marketing is an abstract concept. It's not as clear as making a website, or a trailer with a clear deliverable. But as belts continue to tighten I've been experiencing a lack of understanding about what marketing actually *is* with more folks than ever pushing boundaries or devaluing it.
August 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Marketing is an abstract concept. It's not as clear as making a website, or a trailer with a clear deliverable. But as belts continue to tighten I've been experiencing a lack of understanding about what marketing actually *is* with more folks than ever pushing boundaries or devaluing it.
So...apparently I totally missed that this podcast that I had so much fun recording with @draknek.bsky.social and @syrenne.com earlier this year is live! Check it out to hear about marketing shenanigans.
Draknek & Friends Official Podcast Episode 30 featuring @dtrebella.bsky.social is out now! Topics include best practices for how and when to message your game, common marketing pitfalls, and stories of working with the Draknek team.
pod.link/1777156468
pod.link/1777156468
Draknek & Friends Official Podcast
Join Alan and Syrenne from Draknek & Friends as they talk to developers of some of their favorite puzzle games, shedding light onto how games get made and the people behind them!
pod.link
August 6, 2025 at 11:03 PM
So...apparently I totally missed that this podcast that I had so much fun recording with @draknek.bsky.social and @syrenne.com earlier this year is live! Check it out to hear about marketing shenanigans.
It's important to get your messaging, differentiators & marketing plan in place before starting on your first trailer.
People love to do the trailer first...but how do you know what is most compelling if you START with the trailer before background research/pre-marketing marketing?
People love to do the trailer first...but how do you know what is most compelling if you START with the trailer before background research/pre-marketing marketing?
August 6, 2025 at 9:00 PM
It's important to get your messaging, differentiators & marketing plan in place before starting on your first trailer.
People love to do the trailer first...but how do you know what is most compelling if you START with the trailer before background research/pre-marketing marketing?
People love to do the trailer first...but how do you know what is most compelling if you START with the trailer before background research/pre-marketing marketing?
There's so many parts to marketing you should do before anyone ever sees anything publicly about your game. There's things like a SWOT, competitors, finding your differentiators & much more.
Everyone always wants to skip this and get straight to the marketing but remember, this IS the marketing.
Everyone always wants to skip this and get straight to the marketing but remember, this IS the marketing.
July 31, 2025 at 1:21 AM
There's so many parts to marketing you should do before anyone ever sees anything publicly about your game. There's things like a SWOT, competitors, finding your differentiators & much more.
Everyone always wants to skip this and get straight to the marketing but remember, this IS the marketing.
Everyone always wants to skip this and get straight to the marketing but remember, this IS the marketing.
One thing I really wish that we as a society were better at is celebrating more than weddings and babies. What about a work milestone, a new house, a fitness goal, a move to a new place, a new hobby/skill, a new pet, or a myriad of other things!
July 29, 2025 at 10:12 PM
One thing I really wish that we as a society were better at is celebrating more than weddings and babies. What about a work milestone, a new house, a fitness goal, a move to a new place, a new hobby/skill, a new pet, or a myriad of other things!
With all the industry layoffs there's a lot of people jumping into games marketing with absolutely zero experience claiming to be experts.
Of course everyone has to start *somewhere* but make sure you're looking at actual experience vs buzzwords before making a decision about who to work with.
Of course everyone has to start *somewhere* but make sure you're looking at actual experience vs buzzwords before making a decision about who to work with.
July 23, 2025 at 7:34 PM
With all the industry layoffs there's a lot of people jumping into games marketing with absolutely zero experience claiming to be experts.
Of course everyone has to start *somewhere* but make sure you're looking at actual experience vs buzzwords before making a decision about who to work with.
Of course everyone has to start *somewhere* but make sure you're looking at actual experience vs buzzwords before making a decision about who to work with.
It's been a weird year w/ work w/ everything going on industry-wise & globally. I've def had times feeling pretty deflated. BUT..
I just had 3 hrs of meetings w/ great people/teams that all felt productive & fun. It was a reminder of how it feels to feel GOOD at work. Really needed that.
I just had 3 hrs of meetings w/ great people/teams that all felt productive & fun. It was a reminder of how it feels to feel GOOD at work. Really needed that.
July 23, 2025 at 1:59 AM
It's been a weird year w/ work w/ everything going on industry-wise & globally. I've def had times feeling pretty deflated. BUT..
I just had 3 hrs of meetings w/ great people/teams that all felt productive & fun. It was a reminder of how it feels to feel GOOD at work. Really needed that.
I just had 3 hrs of meetings w/ great people/teams that all felt productive & fun. It was a reminder of how it feels to feel GOOD at work. Really needed that.
Back after 2 beautiful wks off. After a *very* hard last yr it was SO needed. Trips like this remind me how it feels to not be trapped inside my anxiety-ridden head all day & who I *actually* am not surrounded by and consumed by stress and worry constantly. Lemme tell you...it's DIFFERENT.
July 21, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Back after 2 beautiful wks off. After a *very* hard last yr it was SO needed. Trips like this remind me how it feels to not be trapped inside my anxiety-ridden head all day & who I *actually* am not surrounded by and consumed by stress and worry constantly. Lemme tell you...it's DIFFERENT.
Marketing is important. Like really really important (and yes, I'm biased but STILL).
No it can't save your sinking ship but it *can* help you give your game the best shot.
Great games don't get found in a vacuum. It's so important to make marketing a key aspect of making & launching your game.
No it can't save your sinking ship but it *can* help you give your game the best shot.
Great games don't get found in a vacuum. It's so important to make marketing a key aspect of making & launching your game.
It’s crazy how marketing is as important as all the rest of the work put into the game added together. Maybe more important.
July 3, 2025 at 2:55 AM
Marketing is important. Like really really important (and yes, I'm biased but STILL).
No it can't save your sinking ship but it *can* help you give your game the best shot.
Great games don't get found in a vacuum. It's so important to make marketing a key aspect of making & launching your game.
No it can't save your sinking ship but it *can* help you give your game the best shot.
Great games don't get found in a vacuum. It's so important to make marketing a key aspect of making & launching your game.
That feeling when someone no-shows you for a meeting but their AI notetaker still shows up...
June 11, 2025 at 8:35 PM
That feeling when someone no-shows you for a meeting but their AI notetaker still shows up...
Marketing copy and store pages are really an art and do require real skill and thoughtfulness to get right. It's true that people almost always look at images/video first but the copy really can make a difference and is crucial to communicating the essence of your game and its differentiators.
I'm such a fanboy for good marketing copy. Between Mandrake and All Will Rise especially, It's been gratifying to see how good copy gets reused and repeated in articles and conversations.
These descriptions and their store pages do an amazing job of genre clarity AND immersing you in their world 🤩
These descriptions and their store pages do an amazing job of genre clarity AND immersing you in their world 🤩
June 10, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Marketing copy and store pages are really an art and do require real skill and thoughtfulness to get right. It's true that people almost always look at images/video first but the copy really can make a difference and is crucial to communicating the essence of your game and its differentiators.
We were supposed to go to Paris/London for 3 wks before our dog had a stroke. We canceled and split our 3 weeks into a few smaller trips. But dare I say I am about to have my first time off for a wk that isn't for something awful (like illness or evacuation) in a year and I could scream with joy!
May 12, 2025 at 11:21 PM
We were supposed to go to Paris/London for 3 wks before our dog had a stroke. We canceled and split our 3 weeks into a few smaller trips. But dare I say I am about to have my first time off for a wk that isn't for something awful (like illness or evacuation) in a year and I could scream with joy!
When I talk to clients and find out that something didn't work out for them for whatever reason, I often straddle the line between feeling *horrible*/ wanting to cry or blaming myself, even if there's nothing I could have done. Feeling intensely has it's benefits but man does it have downsides.
May 9, 2025 at 10:35 PM
When I talk to clients and find out that something didn't work out for them for whatever reason, I often straddle the line between feeling *horrible*/ wanting to cry or blaming myself, even if there's nothing I could have done. Feeling intensely has it's benefits but man does it have downsides.