Happy New Year!
We will continue to deliver various information regarding the game this year, so please look forward to it.
Well, in my first article this year, I would like to talk about “indie games”.
The term “indie game” has been appearing in various media and SNS for several years, so many of you may have heard of it.
Indie games are profitable!
Now is the era of indie games!
It is sometimes said that, but what is the reality?
First of all, what is an indie game?
The word “indie” in indie games is derived from the word “independence,” which means independence, so an indie game originally means an “independent game.” In other words, an indie game is a game that is independently developed by a small team or individual without being affiliated with a major company.
However, the definition of “indie game” is actually vague.
The current situation is that people define indie games from various angles, such as the number of developers, funding status, and whether or not the title is unique, and there are regular discussions on social media etc. about this definition. It’s happening.
For example, there is a game called “Dave the Diver” that was nominated in the indie game category of “The Game Awards 2023” last year, but because it was developed within the large company NEXON, it can’t be called an indie game. A debate broke out as to whether it was a good idea or not.
Similar debates are occurring frequently in Japan, and last year the major game company Bandai Namco launched an indie game development studio called Gyaa Studio, but isn’t Bandai actually not an indie when it was launched? A debate arose.
In addition, at the “Google INDIE GAME Festival” game event held every year by Google Japan, the award-winning game was given an investment of hundreds of millions of yen from a large company, so people thought, “Isn’t this an indie game?” ” once came up.
In this way, the topic of what an indie game is is often debated in Japan as well.
However, it is also true that the potential for game development by small-scale businesses, including individuals, is attracting worldwide attention, and the field is steadily growing.
Now, let’s get to the main topic: Why are indie games attracting so much attention? And is the image of “profitable!” true?
One of the reasons why indie games are attracting so much attention is that the hurdles for game development have significantly lowered, making it possible for anyone to become a game developer. Excellent game development engines such as Unity and Unreal Engine are now available for free, and a large amount of development know-how has been accumulated on the internet.
Even children can now develop games as long as they have a computer and the motivation.
In reality, it takes some effort to create a single game, but just creating one is now easier than before.
Another factor that is attracting attention to indie games is the proliferation of online stores.
With the spread of AppStore and GooglePlayStore on smartphones, as well as the PC game platform Stem, it is now possible for anyone to distribute the games they develop around the world.
In the past, in order to sell games, it was necessary to physically manufacture game software, distribute it, and place it in retail stores. This was once impossible for individuals and small businesses to do, but now it is possible with a single computer. Anyone can now create and sell games.
Nowadays, people are calling for a free way of life, and if the environment is in place, the slogan is “Live doing what you love!”
“I make a living by developing games!”
It is inevitable that there will be many such people.
The more players there are, the higher the level is, so even though they are indie games, many high-quality games are being released, and because the base is wide, the number of edgy games is also increasing, and indie games have a deep depth for fans. This means that it has become a worthwhile field.
Indie games are often cheaper than major games, making them easier for gamers to purchase, and the current situation is that indie game developers and game fans have a good match for demand and sharing.
For game fans, a game doesn’t necessarily have to be developed by a major company; it’s important that it’s interesting for them. Furthermore, in the case of indie games, there is also a schema of “fans of the developer,” such as manga artists and novelists.
If this happens, it is inevitable that some people will become successful in game development, and one of my acquaintances even bought a Ferrari with the income from his personal game development.
Indie games at the beginning are profitable! That means it is a fact.
However, of course, not everyone can make a profit, and it is difficult to get people to buy your game when there are so many competitors. As the hurdles for making a game have lowered, the hurdles for being recognized as a good game have become higher, and the difficulty of marketing has also become higher.
It’s not recognized as a good game in the first place.
Even good games don’t sell well because they can’t promote them.
It’s a good game and well advertised, but there are too many competitors and it’s not profitable.
Things like this often happen.
In any case, the indie game industry is steadily growing, and it is safe to say that this growth will continue in the future.
Challenges to various forms of expression will likely take place in the field of indie games, and Japanese indie games are at a high level worldwide. A future where Japanese indie games take the world by storm is no dream.
Personally, I would like to further strengthen my efforts to deliver Japanese games to the world starting this year, and I welcome this trend in the indie game world.
This year, we hope to bring you even more information on the success of Japanese indie games.
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