Independent games developers - 28th October 2022

Video games are becoming increasingly elaborate and expensive to produce. They can be the work of hundreds of developers and several studios working together. However, a growing number of games developers are seeking to go it alone in the hope of finding fame and fortune.

Games like Stardew Valley developed by independent creator Eric Barone have made over $20 million in revenues, something which motivates the indie developers in their solitary work. Geraud Zucchini is the creator of Larceny Lazer.

Géraud Zucchini: "Yes, you can make money. It's very difficult, and the majority of people who go into indie games, with their first game anyway, generally they're going to make very little or no money at all."

Canadian Dan Beckerton, the developer of Spirittea has used crowdfunding to help him on his creative journey.

Dan Beckerton:"I think my goal is, like, if I could pay back all my funding, and then maybe make, like, $100,000 on top of that, which would give me a runway to work on my next game. That would be, I mean that's, that's an infinitely larger goal than my, my first game which made, like, 2,000 bucks total."

The indie creators can miss the financial support of a big studio and the social aspects of working in a team. However, they believe it can make them more creative. Mike Rose, the founder of No More Robots and Dan Beckerton both believe that indie developers bring something different to the table.

Mike Rose: "Whenever you move into relying on other people, it can go very different ways. And so yes, there's definitely that personal touch when you've got just a single developer making a game."

Dan Beckerton: "I don't have to like, OK that with anyone. I can just go ahead with any kind of creative idea I have."

Whilst the drive to create the "must have'' game that's sold around the world continues Alizee Veauvy Guilliams Janin, vice president of Indie Game Nation believes that the success of the indie developer needs to be evaluated in a different way.

Alizee Veauvy Guilliams Janin: "All in all, we have to differentiate between success stories and indie games, which are very good and profitable for the creators. Indeed, when they manage to reach their target, to be inspiring, or simply fun for their public, and to be profitable, I think that's just brilliant."