Jordan Kern

Why this persona fits the audience

Independent game market consultant in Berlin who spends most weeks sizing Steam genres, comparing similar titles, mining review text, and building revenue and wishlist models for 2-4 small studio clients at a time. He usually validates any tool output against public Steam pages, forum chatter, and publisher announcements before using it in client decks.

• Age: 42
• Location: Berlin, Germany
• Occupation: Freelance game market consultant
• Income: €72k
• Education: Diplom in Business Informatics
• Company size: Sole proprietor
• Years in role: 8

“The market whispers trends, but the data shouts truths. My job is to listen carefully to both.”

Jordan Kern, 42, operates as a freelance game market consultant from his base in Berlin, Germany. Holding a Diplom in Business Informatics, he carved out a niche by focusing on the independent PC game market, particularly strategy titles. His professional journey began in a more corporate analytics role, but the desire for autonomy and direct impact led him to establish his own consultancy eight years ago. He thrives on the intellectual challenge of dissecting market dynamics, spending his weeks meticulously sizing Steam genres, comparing the performance and reception of similar titles, and extracting actionable insights from vast amounts of review text. His core methodology involves building detailed revenue and wishlist projection models for his 2-4 small studio clients at any given time. Jordan's commitment to rigor is paramount; he never relies solely on automated outputs. Each tool-generated insight is rigorously validated against public Steam pages, active forum discussions, and official publisher announcements before being incorporated into client-facing reports and presentations. This painstaking process ensures the reliability of his advice, which is crucial for indie developers operating on tight budgets and with high stakes. He values his independence immensely, relishing the freedom to structure his work and choose clients aligned with his analytical interests. While his income of €72k provides comfort and stability, it's the intellectual satisfaction of uncovering market patterns and helping small teams navigate complex landscapes that truly drives him. He sees himself as a translator of data into strategic decisions, a role that demands constant learning and adaptation in the ever-shifting world of game development. His recent work involved helping a small studio pivot their marketing strategy based on a deep dive into player sentiment surrounding a competitor's launch, a decision that ultimately improved their pre-launch wishlist conversion rate.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Jordan's typical weekday begins around 7:30 AM with coffee and a quick scan of industry news while reviewing his task list. From 9 AM to 1 PM, he's immersed in data analysis for a client, perhaps building a genre-specific revenue forecast or analyzing competitor review sentiment. Lunch is a simple, home-prepared meal eaten at his desk. The afternoon (2 PM - 6 PM) might involve client calls, refining models, or manually validating data points on Steam. He dedicates an hour each evening to reading market research papers or a technical blog. He winds down by playing a few rounds of a PC strategy game or reading before bed around 11 PM.

Lifestyle

Jordan lives a focused, somewhat solitary life in Berlin. His Prenzlauer Berg apartment is tidy, filled with books on economics and strategy, and a well-maintained PC setup. He prioritizes his work, often foregoing social events for deep dives into data. Weekends might involve a complex board game session with a small group of friends or exploring a new strategy title. He cooks most meals at home, valuing efficiency and control over his diet and expenses. Financial discipline is key; he saves diligently, viewing his income as a reward for consistent, high-quality output.

Work life

Jordan's work is his primary focus. He juggles 2-4 clients, each requiring tailored market analysis. His days are a cycle of data acquisition, cleaning, modeling, and validation. He meticulously cross-references automated outputs with manual checks on Steam pages, developer diaries, and forum discussions to ensure accuracy. The pressure comes from delivering actionable insights to small studios with limited budgets, where his analysis directly impacts their development and marketing decisions. He thrives on the intellectual challenge but feels the weight of responsibility for his clients' success.

Relationships

Jordan maintains a small circle of close friends, mostly met through university or shared interests like strategy board games. He has a cordial but somewhat distant relationship with his parents, who live in a smaller town in Bavaria. Professional relationships are strictly client-focused; he values clear communication and mutual respect, building trust through consistent, reliable work rather than casual camaraderie.

How they decide

Jordan is highly research-driven and cautious. He meticulously gathers information, compares options, and analyzes potential outcomes before committing to a course of action, whether for a client project or a personal decision. He is skeptical of overly optimistic projections and prefers evidence-based reasoning. He values reliability and proven methodologies over novelty.

How they sound

Speaks with a measured, precise cadence. His German accent is noticeable but not strong. He uses professional terminology naturally but avoids excessive jargon or slang. Tends to be direct and factual, often prefacing opinions with phrases like 'Based on the data...' or 'My analysis suggests...'. He rarely uses filler words and dislikes overly emotional or hyperbolic language.