Table of Contents

Indie Games

Currently, there is no exact or widely accepted definition of what constitutes an indie game. However, several common traits can be observed that characterize this type of game:

Characteristics of Indie Games

  1. Independent Development

    • Indie games are often developed by a single person, small teams, or companies that do not fall into the AAA category. The term "AAA" emerged in the latter half of the 1990s as a marketing label used by major developers like Electronic Arts or Sony to refer to video games involving significant investment in development and marketing, with high return expectations.

  2. Duration and Content

    • Generally, indie games have less duration or content compared to games developed by large distribution companies. This is due to the time and resource constraints faced by independent developers.

  3. Funding

    • Independent developers do not have the same financial support as those working for major industry companies. In many cases, they do not receive external financial backing and must cover their own costs.

  4. Budget and Tools

    • Indie games often have a reduced or zero budget. To overcome these limitations, developers often use open-source creation tools and distribute their products through digital distribution systems on the Internet.

  5. Creativity and Freedom

    • Unbound by commercial agreements, corporate guidelines, or player expectations, indie developers enjoy greater creative freedom. This allows them to create products that reflect their personalities and, at times, have been considered true works of art by experts in the field.

  6. Artistic Design and Innovation

    • Indie games often stand out from conventional games due to the special attention given to artistic design or the development of new functionalities in the user experience. This innovation and creativity often result in unique and memorable experiences for players.

Indie games represent a vibrant and creative facet of the video game industry, offering unique and personalized experiences that stand out for their originality and the passion of their creators.

Their Importance in the Sector

Indie games play a crucial role in the video game industry for several reasons:

Pioneers of Innovation

Indie game developers are a driving force of innovation in the industry. They often incorporate new mechanics, varied themes, and alternative design approaches that may be considered risky by major companies. This is due to the need to experiment and sharpen their ingenuity to overcome budget limitations and the absence of rigid guidelines or pre-established expectations. Thanks to this freedom, indie developers can explore new genres and concepts, enriching the global market offering.

Enhancers of Market Offerings

If only games developed by large companies were published, consumers would have a much more limited and less varied game catalog. Major developers are fewer and usually release only a few games per year, sometimes only one every few years. In contrast, indie games expand and diversify the available offerings, providing players with a greater variety of experiences and styles.

Fosters Collaborative Communities

When indie developers release the source code of their games, it increases the chances of others contributing to their development. This not only enriches the final product by incorporating different perspectives and skills but also fosters the creation of collaborative communities around a project. This collaborative approach can lead to the evolution of more complex and successful projects.

Platforms for Professional Growth

Indie games often serve as an excellent introduction for developers looking to make a name for themselves in the industry. Such projects can open doors and motivate new developers to create their first video game, contributing to the growth and renewal of the sector.

According to the White Paper on Spanish Video Game Development 2020, small and indie studios are predominant in the Spanish video game industry. This highlights the importance of indie games as a vital and creative force in the video game development landscape.

Factors Affecting Their Development

The development of indie games is influenced by various factors that can facilitate or hinder their progress:

  1. Access to Development Tools
    Indie games emerged when individuals and small teams began to gain access to development tools previously available only to large companies with significant financial resources. Therefore, any action that helps democratize access to these tools will be crucial for sustaining and enhancing this sector of the industry.

  2. Digital Creation and Sales Platforms
    In the video game industry, there are digital platforms that connect developers with end-users. However, these platforms often impose conditions that increase production costs, such as service fees. For indie games to continue thriving, it is essential that these platforms grow in number and continue to ensure that developers can recover their financial investments.

  3. Reduction of Development Complexity
    If developers have access to tools that reduce task complexity, they can decrease the time needed to achieve their goals. This will not only help maintain motivation but also reduce the chances of frustration by making project completion more tangible.

  4. Financial Limitations
    Indie developers often operate with limited budgets and have little or no access to funding sources. If their game sales do not meet expectations, they have little room to recover and start new projects. According to the White Paper on Spanish Video Game Development 2020, most Spanish indie studios fail due to a lack of capital and deficiencies in business management.

Proposed Measures to Support Indie Game Development:

  • Optimal Technological Infrastructure
    It is necessary to provide indie developers with a greater number of technological infrastructures that allow them to reduce production costs.

  • Strategies to Measure Profitability
    Develop studies or strategies that allow accurate assessment of the economic profitability of projects. According to Guivernau Albert, 9 out of 10 indie games do not exceed 3,000 sales, and the maximum investment they can afford should be between $25,000 and $30,000.

  • Industrial and Fiscal Support
    Some of the measures proposed in the White Paper on Spanish Video Game Development include creating an appropriate industrial and fiscal ecosystem, attracting private investments, generating a strong network of external agents (such as investors, crowdfunding, mentors, training centers, and more), and exporting successful cases of video game applications in areas of public interest, such as education and health.