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.

How big are AAA game studios?

AAA studios are usually much larger than indie developers, with hundreds or even thousands of employees. Bigger teams, typical in a AAA studio, can lead to more hierarchy and bureaucracy— which can be both good and bad.

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.

How many people can 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.

What is the average size of a game dev team?

The development of a complete game usually involves a team of 20–100 individuals with various responsibilities, including designers, artists, programmers, and testers.

Why Most Indie Game Developers Don't Make Money

How many developers work on a AAA game?

Team size: The production teams for AAA title video games are huge, with at least 50 to 100 employees working on it. For instance, at Ubisoft, AAA game development involved 400 to 600 staff for open world games, split across multiple locations and countries.

How big is an indie dev team?

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.

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 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 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.

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.

Can a single person make a AAA game?

Can one person make an AAA game? Making an AAA game alone would be incredibly difficult, as it takes hundreds of people to create an AAA game . However, Bright Memory is made by a single developer and is the closest game on this list to a AAA studio quality video game.

What is the average AAA game budget?

AAA games are the big-budget games that large studios and publishers typically make. The average AAA game takes about four years to develop, with an average cost of about $80 million and higher. But this amount can vary significantly depending on the type of game and its level of complexity.

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 much do indie game developers make in Canada?

The average game developer salary in Canada is $86,249 per year or $44.23 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $70,000 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $127,400 per year.

What indie game genre is most profitable?

Most Profitable Genres For Indie Games

The most promising genres in terms of earnings are RPG, strategy, and simulation. They are followed by adventure, action, sports, and racing games, which are worth choosing only if you are completely confident in your idea.

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.

Are indie games easy to make?

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.

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 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.

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 you make a living as an indie game developer?

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.

What percentage of games are indie?

Indie video games are on the rise in the U.S., according to a study by market research and data analytics firm YouGov, with 17 percent of PC and console gamers playing indie labels in March 2022 compared to only 13 percent in March 2021.