How big are indie game studios?

These are kind of individual entrepreneurs in the gaming industry. Typically, indie studios are made up of just a few people. Most often, their number does not exceed 10 experts. There are also indie developers who make games alone.

How large is a indie game studio?

Indie games are usually made by companies with less than 30 people, and some are even made by less than five people. On the other hand, AAA games are made by much bigger companies, usually with hundreds of employees.

How big are indie game teams?

The main characteristic of an indie game is independent development. That means that large studios like EA, Ubisoft, or Rockstar are not in charge of the process. 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.

What qualifies as an indie game studio?

Indie games are computer games created by independent developers. A single person or a small team of 2 to 10 people can build such games from scratch. Sometimes indie games are referred to as “free” because game resources are either created by the developers themselves or taken from free sources.

How many indie game studios are there?

600 of these are AA/AAA studios with large teams and development budgets that generate revenues in 10s or 100s of millions per game. But there are still over 1,000 indie developers who've generated over $1m through their games with small teams and low to no budgets.

My Indie Game Publishing Company

How rich are indie game developers?

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.

Who is the biggest indie studio?

Can a indie make a AAA game?

Indie games usually do not enjoy the big budgets that one can associate with AAA titles. This is often replaced by hardwork and dedication on the part of the developers to turn their projects into brilliant games that will be cherished by fans for years to come.

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.

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.

How much does it cost to run an indie game studio?

Indie games are typically developed by small teams on relatively small budgets. 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.

Is it profitable to make indie games?

According to Game Developer, those indie teams that “made it” receive on average $4 million in revenue per game, which makes an impressive indie game developer success salary. Obviously, not everyone gets such a goldmine.

What percentage of indie games are successful?

Yes, only 3% of indie developers ever make more than $1m, but that's still over 1,500 indies who have done so. Let's see what they do that others don't.

How much do indie game developers make a year?

Average salary for fulltime indie game devs is $11,782/year.

How do small game studios make money?

The most obvious (and common) way indie game developers fund their projects is through self-funding. This money comes from personal assets, friends and family, another form of employment, or contractual work. If you're thinking of switching full-time to game development, you'd want to build your war chest in advance.

Is indie game development easy?

Creating your own indie game is a challenging and rewarding process. This is your chance to create the game you want and share your ideas with the world. Whether you're working by yourself or with a small team, there are some very important things you should keep in mind when creating a successful indie game.

How long do indie games take to make?

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 game devs make good money?

Game Developer Salary by Years of Experience

The average salary for a Game Developer with 7+ years of experience is $123,343. The average salary for <1 year of experience is $132,500.

How much does it cost to start 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.

Why are indie games so much better than AAA games?

Another fundamental difference between AAA studios and indie studios is the amount of money invested in each. AAA studios tend to have multimillion-dollar budgets, whereas indie studios have a much slimmer budget, often relying on crowdfunding, like Kickstarter or Indiegogo, to help finance their projects.

Do indie games have copyright?

All major video game franchises are trademarked. But, trademarking is not limited to the games developed by big companies. You can also trademark indie video games.

How do I get my indie game noticed?

What is the most expensive indie game?

The indie title is selling for a whopping $1,999.90. Developed and published by ProX, The Hidden and Unknown is a single-player game that "aims to widen the perception of its audience in the areas of psychology and philosophy," according to its Steam page.

Who is the best indie developer?