Can my indie game make money?

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.

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.

How do you monetize indie games?

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.

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.

Why Most Indie Game Developers Don't Make Money

Can an indie game make millions?

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.

How long do small 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.

How many people are needed for a 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.

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 being 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.

Do indie games need copyright?

If you're an independent developer and you receive graphic material, music, sound effects or written assets from others, you don't own these materials. Copyright law says, in most instances, the ownership rights to such material belong to the original creator.

Is making games passive income?

Gaming has become a viable way to create passive income. Whether you like creating or playing games, you can transform your skills into an income stream. Game developers may be interested in creating and monetizing games or building game assets.

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 do I make my indie game popular?

Can I sell my game idea to a company?

Inquire with the company first. Ask them if they want to hear your idea and offer to sign an NDA (nondisclosure agreement). If you're not interested in money or lawsuits, tell them in writing they can have your idea no strings attached if they want to use it. Don't just send the idea in unsolicited.

What is a good budget for an indie game?

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 often do indie games succeed?

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 is the average indie game size?

Indie games tend to be smaller, but they're still bulky—there's no guarantee that an indie game will be any smaller than a AAA game. For example, Rogue Legacy only needs 550 MB to install while Guacamelee needs about 1 GB and Tabletop Simulator needs about 3 GB.

How many indie games 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.

How do you grow an indie game?

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 publish an indie game?

Indie publishers typically expect their games to cost between $250,000 and $500,000 to develop, accounting for a team of five people working for two years on a game. The publisher may invest another $200,000 to $250,000 on testing, marketing, and any additional expenses they feel are necessary to succeed.

How much do indie games sell on Steam?

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