Indie devs discuss game budgets and the state of the industry

“It comes down to the economics of it all, and various infrastructures and distribution channels. With print [media], you often have a difficult distribution system, and you don’t see these kinds of stories in film because it’s really expensive, even an indie film is often more expensive than an indie game. Indie games are situated in just the right space where you can have people express their lived-in experience, have the space to get funded in some form or fashion, and the distribution is robust.”

“The tough part about indie games is that every one is seemingly a bespoke thing that needs to be marketed and brought to market in such a different way. There are different backgrounds and teams that all need different types of support. Even though 2024 might have been a landmark year for indies, the next might not be, because things weren’t being funded or funding was difficult. I’m hoping that, like AAA, we’re learning a lesson that funding needs to be diversified.”