The video game industry has been dominated by high-end games like Call of Duty, GTA, or FIFA for a very long time. However, the last decade saw the rise of a new trend in the gaming industry- the Indie games. Well, it is true not all of the Indie games developed do not see the light of success but one third of the games achieve significant success, while 1 out of 5 games bring home more than $50,000 in revenue.
So what are the Indie games that we are talking about? Let’s find out.
Indie games in brief
The developers or gaming houses that do not have enough support or funding still develop games independently. The games they develop are referred to as indie games. Due to enough resources, game developers are not able to distribute their products to a lot of audiences. Rather they distribute the game on Steam, Itch.io, Epic Game Store and others.
With innovation and creativity, indie game developers have done things that the giant game developers in the industry did not think of. These innovations have revolutionized the video gaming industry.
The impact of Indie Games on the gaming industry
Unlike the past era, where video games used to get published under the names of a few big publishers, indie developers have developed and published their games independently. Developers have incorporated their personal experience and cultural elements in the games. What was missing from the games of big game developers, indie developers filled the gap – making it more personalized and offering innovative gaming experience.
Video game lovers now can experience the diversity of gaming experiences offered by indie games. Talking about the cultural element in video games, rummy online has also opened a new dimension of how people experience card games. Rummy and other card games have long been played in the Indian communities. With Indie developers developing their version of rummy with a unique UI, you can now have different types of experiences.
To experience unique gameplay, you can download a rummy app and enjoy playing card games.
Additionally, the culture of indie gaming has encouraged a lot of game developers to express their creativity through video games. The result is – a revolutionary development in the video gaming industry.
Indie Games: The Economic Factor
No matter how many revolutionary changes have been brought into the gaming industry by indie game developers, not all of them could be successful. With all the creativity and innovation, indie games seem to be lacking that element of success in them. More than half of the indie games never cross the line of $4,000 in revenue.
Whereas, to be considered as successful games, it needs to cross at least $50,000 mark at least. But sadly most of them struggle to get there. Statistics suggest that merely 1 out of 5 games generate more than USD 50k in their lifetime, making them successful. There are multiple reasons for this, as we will discuss in the next section.
But if one of them manages to hit the market and create enough fuss in the gaming industry, large game publishing houses acquire them. Then it becomes a massive hit in the gaming industry, bringing revenue in eight digits.
Challenges and Opportunities for Developers
The game developing industry is rapidly challenged by the changing demands of customers. On the other hand, rapid technological changes in the field is a big challenge. A lack of sufficient monetary resources limits the chance of indie developers learning and developing new tools.
Besides, high competition in the market makes it more challenging to develop a groundbreaking video game and make it successful. More game developers means more creativity and gaming concepts leading to a more competitive environment.
However, with well thought of marketing strategy and unique gaming concept, developers can improve their chance of standing out from the crowd. For example, Among Us was developed by a small studio but the game became successful due to its unique gaming concept and marketing strategy.
At the same time, using unique technological tools is the most important in getting to the other side of the line to become successful. SUPERHOT is a great example of how using technology can make games stand out in the market. The initial release of the game was successful. The developers introduced a new version of the game incorporating VR technology – SUPERHOT VR. This version of the game was an instant hit in the market.
Future of India Games
Indie game developers have the opportunity to explore the field using AR and VR technologies. The still developing technology can be a great tool to experiment with. They might come out with something groundbreaking in the future.
For example, they could come out with an app that allows players to play rummy online in different environments. If players are playing with their friends, they can play card games on the beach or in a club using AR and VR technology.
Conclusions
In conclusion, indie games have both challenges and opportunities on their way to success. Developing a truly unique and engaging gaming concept with a well thought out marketing plan may not be enough to make it. Developers need to be adaptive to incorporate new technologies in the game development to stay relevant with modern trends.
