Indie Games

Video games have grown exponentially in recent years and have captured the hearts of millions thanks to the success of titles such as Minecraft, Journey, Limbo, Dead Cells, The Banner Saga or Firewatch. To compete with the blockbusters, the independents have had to be massively creative and come up with innovative gameplay, top-notch writing, original graphic universes, and sumptuous soundtracks. INDIE GAMES pays homage to some of the greatest success stories in the world of independent video games. Superbly illustrated, INDIE GAMES contains more than three hundred images from titles that revolutionized the gaming industry. Full of anecdotes and interviews with personalities like industry veteran Eric Chahi and young designers like Ian Dallas. You will see behind the scenes at Indie studios, revealing the creators, designs and marketing. This exploration will give you a better understanding on what is an "Indie" game. Official and authorized, with the participation of studios around the world, including over 50 interviews highlighting over 70 games, INDIE GAMES is the most complete and up-to-date overview of indie video gaming. With exclusive behind the scenes content provided by the studios, it serves as a fitting tribute to the audacity of these developers, who have elevated video games into an art.

COMPUTER GAMES / ONLINE GAMES: STRATEGY GUIDES. Everything you need to know about the exciting new trend of indie gaming. Independently made video games have become some of the most original, ingenious and successful games available on the market today. Matched against giant tech companies and their mammoth-budget franchises, indies, have demonstrated the extraordinary impact that individuals and small teams can have on the direction of the gaming world. Mike Diver takes us behind the scenes to explore this incredible movement, where freedom from major studios has allowed for near-infinite possibilities, revolutionizing gaming mechanics and remoulding genres. Including interviews with legendary developers such as Tim Schafer and David Braben as well as the brains behind newer studios such as The Chinese Room, Hello Games and Simogo, Indie Games introduces us to the personalities, the passion and the practicalities that have transformed an industry.

This book is a guide to the expanding world of indie gaming. It helps readers to understand why indie games are so important to so many people in the entertainment industry. The book covers puzzlers, platformers, beat 'em ups, shoot 'em ups, role-playing, and strategy.

This book presents a study of so-called indie video game developers that are widely regarded as the creative and innovative fringe of the video game industry. The video game industry is an exemplary entrepreneurial high growth industry that combines digital media, cinematographic representations and interactive gaming technologies, and uses global digital distribution channels to reach local gaming communities. The study examines a number of issues, concerns, challenges, and opportunities that indie developers are handling as part of their development work. The love of gaming and video games more specifically is the shared and unifying force of both so-called Triple-A developers and the indie developer community. Still, issues such as how to raise financial capital or otherwise fund the development work, or how to optimize the return on investment when video games are released on digital platforms are issues that indie developers need to cope with. The study is theoretically framed as a case of an innovation-led sector of the economy, yet being anchored in the Swedish welfare state model, wherein e.g., free tertiary education and social insurances and health case at low cost are provided and supportive of enterprising. This book will be valuable reading for academics working in the fields of knowledge management, innovation, and the creative economy.

The indie game developer’s complete guide to running a studio. The climate for the games industry has never been hotter, and this is only set to continue as the marketplace for tablets, consoles and phones grow. Seemingly every day there is a story of how a successful app or game has earned thousands of downloads and revenue. As the market size increases, so does the number of people developing and looking to develop their own app or game to publish. The Indie Game Developer Handbook covers every aspect of running a game development studio—from the initial creation of the game through to completion, release and beyond. Accessible and complete guide to many aspects of running a game development studio from funding and development through QA, publishing, marketing, and more. Provides a useful knowledge base and help to support the learning process of running an indie development studio in an honest, approachable and easy to understand way. Case studies, interviews from other studies and industry professionals grant an first-hand look into the world of indie game development

Video games have grown exponentially in recent years and have captured the hearts of millions thanks to the success of titles such as Minecraft, Journey, Limbo, Dead Cells, The Banner Saga or Firewatch. To compete with the blockbusters, the independents have had to be massively creative and come up with innovative gameplay, top-notch writing, original graphic universes, and sumptuous soundtracks. INDIE GAMES pays homage to some of the greatest success stories in the world of independent video games. Superbly illustrated, INDIE GAMES contains more than three hundred images from titles that revolutionized the gaming industry. Full of anecdotes and interviews with personalities like industry veteran Eric Chahi and young designers like Ian Dallas. You will see behind the scenes at Indie studios, revealing the creators, designs and marketing. This exploration will give you a better understanding on what is an “Indie” game. Official and authorized, with the participation of studios around the world, including over 50 interviews highlighting over 70 games, INDIE GAMES is the most complete and up-to-date overview of indie video gaming. With exclusive behind the scenes content provided by the studios, it serves as a fitting tribute to the audacity of these developers, who have elevated video games into an art.

Everything you need to know about the exciting new trend of indie gaming. Independently made video games have become some of the most original, ingenious and successful games available on the market today. Matched against giant tech companies and their mammoth-budget franchises, indies, have demonstrated the extraordinary impact that individuals and small teams can have on the direction of the gaming world. Mike Diver takes us behind the scenes to explore this incredible movement, where freedom from major studios has allowed for near-infinite possibilities, revolutionizing gaming mechanics and remoulding genres. Including interviews with legendary developers such as Tim Schafer and David Braben as well as the brains behind newer studios such as The Chinese Room, Hello Games and Simogo, Indie Games introduces us to the personalities, the passion and the practicalities that have transformed an industry.

"The Business of Indie Games provides exceptional insight into how the video games industry works. It shares valuable information on how to successfully self-publish and secure publisher support. Whether you’re making your first game or tenth, this book is a must read." – Paul Baldwin, Curve Digital "The video game industry is a tough business and anyone looking to succeed in indie development should give The Business of Indie Games a read." – Graham Smith, Co-Founder of DrinkBox Studios "This book is a fast track to success for anyone managing a game launch and looking to raise funding for their projects. It shares knowledge that you only learn after years of triumphs and failures within this industry." – Scott Drader, Co-Founder of Metalhead Software "There’s nothing like The Business of Indie Games taught in school. You learn how to make a game, but not how to conduct business, market, and launch a game. This book dives into topics that every indie developer should know." – Yukon Wainczak, Founder of Snoozy Kazoo "I’ve seen no better guide for understanding how the video game industry really works. An important read for anyone whose work touches games, including those of us looking to engage the community." – Carla Warner, Director of STREAM for No Kid Hungry The Business of Indie Games explores what many universities forget to cover: how to sell and market your own indie game to potential publishers and developers. While many classes help students on their way to designing and programming their own games, there are few classes that equip students with the skills to sell their own product. In essence, this means future indie game developers are not equipped to talk to investors, negotiate with publishers, and engage with major platforms like Steam and Nintendo. Authors Alex Josef, Alex Van Lepp, and Marshal D. Carper are looking to rectify this problem by helping indie game developers and companies level up their business acumen. With detailed chapters and sections that deal with different engines, negotiation tactics, and marketing, The Business of Indie Games is the perfect omnibus for up-and-coming indie game developers. The future of gaming curriculums is not just in teaching students how to create games but also in preparing them for the business of games.