To win over focus groups and playtesters, start by listening to their feedback and making small, meaningful improvements. Address usability issues and ensure the game is polished to minimize distractions. Explain what makes your concept unique and focus on making the gameplay fun and intuitive. While being flexible with changes, stay true to your original vision, balancing innovation with user expectations.

If your game idea is facing resistance, it might be because it's aimed at a very small niche. While it's fine if you don't care about mass appeal, you should reconsider if you’re aiming for any return on investment. Listening to your audience and being open to pivoting can make a huge difference. Remember, not all creative concepts are marketable. Some ideas are too ahead of their time or simply don't resonate. Adapting to what the market wants doesn’t mean abandoning originality, but ensuring your game can succeed commercially.

It really depends on what the end goal of the project is. If it is a personal project/hobby project where you’re not looking for much return on your investment, who cares what they think, make what you love and enjoy. Do not worry about the audience. If you’re looking for a solid return on your investment then perhaps you should listen to those critics more than the above scenario; however, don’t listen too much. After all, a lot of that feedback is perspective on how the masses will view your game, but still keep your uniqueness and creativity that you and your team bring to the table. Be more accepting of criticism where creativity is limited, for example, the toggles and controls on a keyboard/controller.

To win over focus groups and playtesters, I’d show them how the new concept adds a fun twist to the game. Giving them a hands-on demo and letting them explore the new features helps them feel excited about what’s different. Plus, mixing in some familiar elements with the new ideas can make it easier for them to enjoy the change without feeling out of their comfort zone.