Can I make money making indie games?

It's possible to make money off of indie games. In Eric Barone's experience, he worked diligently for four years on the beloved Stardew Valley by himself. All while holding down another job and living off of more meager savings.

Is it profitable to make indie games?

According to ALCOR, the average junior indie game developer in the US in 2022 earned $40,500, with mid-levels earning $55,500, and seniors earning $69,000.

How much money do I need to make an indie game?

An average indie game will cost between $50,000 and $700,000 to make, from start to finish. A single developer usually makes titles that cost around $50,000 and take up to a year to finish. Naturally, as the project complexity increases, the team size and costs will increase as well.

How do indie game developers get paid?

Game developers have several avenues through which they can earn money while developing their games, by working with other developers, getting crowdsourcing, working as a developer for other companies, or selling tools they created while making their game.

What are the odds of making a successful indie game?

70% of all indie games are commercial failures. Of the 30% that are considered successful, only 7% of those games will generate enough revenue to fund a second project.

Why Most Indie Game Developers Don't Make Money

Why do some indie games fail?

Indie games fail sometimes because of a poor marketing strategy: Either the team didn't build an audience or didn't find a way to interest the gaming world enough to make it play the game. The second reason comes from the game itself: The lack of game design skills or the level of immersion is too low.

Who is the richest indie game developer?

The success of Minecraft did so well that Notch ended up selling Mojang to Microsoft for a $2.5 billion cash deal. This makes him the richest indie game developer.

Can I make a living as an indie game developer?

Yes, only 3% of indie developers ever make more than $1m, but that's still over 1,500 indies who have done so.

How fast can you make an indie game?

Creating an indie game can take anywhere between a matter of days and a number of years. With indie games, coding experience and budget will be the biggest influences on a game's development cycle. Here's a few examples of quality indie games all made within vastly different timeframes: Cuphead.

Do indie game developers pay taxes?

Indie developers and other people who work on games for a living face all kinds of interesting income tax and small business formation issues that more traditional businesses simply don't: not being geographically bound, relying on alternative funding, long periods of time with no income, and having multiple options ...

How hard is it to start an indie game studio?

Developing an indie game is hard work. You need to be able to design and build the game, market it to the public, and get it published. Some people usually begin indie studios to develop passion projects, which later can become successful or develop smaller cult followings.

Can I sell my indie game?

Yes, of course, you can. There are actually a few ways to make money selling indie games. One is to build a game that is designed for mobile devices, as these games tend to have lower development costs and can be marketed through app stores at a lower price point.

Is it worth becoming an indie game developer?

Some of the most captivating and innovative video game experiences have come from passionate and dedicated indie developers. So to say that small game projects can't be good is a lie. However, as an indie developer you'll never get the chance to work on the biggest projects in the industry.

How much does it cost to make an indie game by yourself?

The average cost to make an indie game is about $250,000, but some small projects can cost as low as nothing + time you spend on development. The lower numbers assume you're working alone and don't have any other developers on board yet; however, the costs stack up quickly once multiple people are involved.

How many people does it take to make an indie game?

You can create an indie game alone, but often it is done by small teams of 5-10 people. So, “indie” means independent of major publishers. And from their financial support, of course, but difficulties make the process even more challenging.

Who is the youngest indie game developer?

At 12 years old, Max Trest is already an established independent video game developer who has even created a game with the Unity engine.

How much does the average indie game on Steam make?

91.5% of all titles earned less than $250,000; 96% of all games generated less than $1,000,000.

Can one person make an indie game?

One Game, One Dev

A majority of indie games are developed by teams of creators, but every once in a while, someone comes along and builds an entire game by themselves. It's not an easy task, but it's possible with the right amount of hard work, passion, and luck.

Are there billionaire game developers?

Perhaps another take-away is that the wealth generated from Western game companies has been better distributed between founders, executives, shareholders, and employees than in places like China. Either way, there are billions and billions of dollars in the video game industry, and plenty of billionaires, too.

How much to sell an indie game for?

In short, pick a price that is comparable to other indie games and then charge 20% more. If people are really really excited about your game, charge 50% more than you think you should.

How do indie games get popular?

Launch success is almost entirely driven by the initial momentum you gain from the existing wishlists and community. That fuels word of mouth, extra media coverage and, ultimately, helps you end up in trending lists. If you want to succeed, you need to know that there are enough fans behind you ahead of the launch.”

What percentage of games succeed?

Or to look at it another way, only about 20% of games sell well enough to be profitable. So, most new games fail because most gamers buy games from already-popular franchises or that are heavily-promoted by publishers.

Why AAA games are better than indie?

A larger budget allows AAA studios to invest in cutting-edge technology and head-hunt top talent in the industry. They have the resources to create more polished games with more features than most indie games.