How many indie game developers are successful?

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.

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 many indie game developers are profitable?

According to VG Insights, only 15% of all solo game developers take home more than $100,000 annually. VG Insights also reported that only the top 5% of indie games released each year make over half a million dollars each, and the average game only makes $13,000.

Is indie game development profitable?

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.

How many people develop indie games?

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.

Why Most Indie Game Developers Don't Make Money

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 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 developers in the world?

Mojang. It's the big one. With over 200 million copies sold, Minecraft is not only the best selling indie, but the best selling game ever, at least at the time of publishing. As of the end of 2021 they had a mind-blowing net worth of 1.7 billion dollars.

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.

Who is the top 1 richest game developers?

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 much do publishers pay indie game devs?

What percentage do game publishers take? The size of the royalty is typically between 10 and 20%. After the publisher has recaptured the costs, the team begins to receive the first deductions. At the same time, the publisher's expenses for the game may not pay off if for some reason the community does not accept it.

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.

How much funding does an indie game need?

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.

How many indie studios fail?

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.

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.

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 big is the indie game industry?

The size of the indie game market was estimated in March 2016 to be at least $1 billion per year for just those games offered through Steam.

Can you survive as an indie game developer?

Yes, indie developers can survive, but it's not easy by any means. You'll have to figure out how to pay the rent, buy food, and keep health insurance (if you live outside the US, this is easier) while you make your first few games — your first one will almost certainly be a huge flop .

Do indie game developers need a degree?

For a first job in the industry, indie game studios or small-scale game development companies would be a good place to start. These studios usually don't require any formal qualifications and are more interested in your skills than in your degree.

What is the average size of an indie game studio?

In the indie game industry, studios are often made up of less than ten people (sometimes even one person) and usually depend on crowdfunding and donations to fund their games.

Am I too old to be a game developer?

Starting over in a completely different career like game development isn't exactly easy, but it's infinitely less challenging than doing a job you hate for the rest of your life. So if you've been thinking about changing your career to get a job in game development, the good news is that it's never too late.

What is the biggest indie game ever?

1 Minecraft

Minecraft was originally developed by Marcus "Notch" Persson until he had enough money to be able to hire more people to help him develop it. He created the company Mojang which is probably the largest indie game success story.