IndieGameBusiness®

Starting an indie studio is easy. Maintaining one is like taking care of a child, a life you are now responsible for, and suddenly you're not sure if you're even up to the task. My own experience of starting and running an indie studio, things I learned along the way, things I wished I knew before, and how this may or may not prepare you to start your own studio journey! #IndieStudioLife, #IndieGameDev, #StudioJourney, #IndieGameWisdom, #StudioChallenges

Welcome to another episode of IndieGameBusiness! Today, we have a special duo with us: Lucas Pessoa de Freitas, Business Developer Manager at Robot Teddy, and Richie de Wit, Founder & Business Development Consultant at Bear Knuckle. Our focus for today's discussion is the ever-relevant topic of "Publishing vs Self-Publishing." In this episode, we'll dive into the nuances of publishing and self-publishing, exploring factors such as ownership, risk-taking, and the reasons behind choosing one approach over the other. Our guests will share insights into the considerations that go beyond financial aspects and why prioritization is crucial. We'll also explore the challenges and rewards of running a game development business versus developing games as a side project. Business development will take center stage, with a deep dive into its role at every stage of game development when pursuing a self-publishing route. Strategic thinking about funding opportunities, the importance of networking, and approaches to building valuable connections in the industry will be key themes. Our guests will share their experiences and expertise in funding, investing, publishing, and navigating emerging technologies. Stay connected with Richie de Wit and Lucas Pessoa de Freitas on social media: Richie de Wit: Twitter: https://twitter.com/richiedewit LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richiedewit/ Lucas Pessoa de Freitas: Twitter: https://twitter.com/lucaspessoaf LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucaspessoaf/ Join us for this insightful discussion on publishing vs self-publishing, business development, funding, and emerging tech. It's sure to be a valuable episode! #IndieGameBiz #PublishingVsSelfPublishing #GameDevelopment #BusinessDevelopment #FundingOpportunities #IndieGameNetworking

Welcome to another exciting episode of IndieGameBusiness! Our guest today is Casey Al-kaisy, CEO and consultant of Ashes & Diamonds and Founder of the Mighty Diamonds consultancy network. We're diving into "The Future of Indie Games: Brand/IP, Multiverse, Digital Storefronts, Steam Alternatives, and Startup Struggles Unveiled." In this episode, we'll explore the intricate world of game economics and business strategies for indie games. Casey will share insights into the challenges of game pricing, the influence of mob-mentality in game making, and how to achieve success with live service titles. The AERMO model (Acquisition, Engagement, Retention, Monetization, and Operation) will be unpacked, along with discussions on player journeys, onboarding strategies, and the significance of A/B testing. We'll also delve into the complexities of the metaverse, the growing importance of Brand/IP in the gaming industry, and the future of game creation. Casey will share thoughts on the democratization of digital storefronts, alternatives to Steam, and the unique challenges faced by startups in the gaming realm. Connect with Casey Al-kaisy on social media to stay updated with his insights: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BringMoreBread LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/casey-al-kaisy-b053b64b/ #IndieGameBusiness #GameEconomics #LiveServices #Multiverse #DigitalStorefronts #BrandIP #AERMOModel #GamingIndustry #StartupStruggles #CaseyAlKaisy

Did you know that over 50% of indie games never make more than $4,000 because of a lack of funding and exhausting self-funds mostly in the development phase? Primarily, most indie studio starts from self-funding. But after some time to make ends meet while designing new games simultaneously? That’s some hassle indeed. Not to mention the obstacles one needs to face while raising funds for your dream project. Funding is one of the main challenges facing an indie studio trying to create a video game. Each step of the process, from developing or acquiring certain assets to selling them, takes money, and without adequate funds, the game may be over before it really starts. Finding the right investors might be challenging, yet they are a regular source of financing as investors aren't the only source of funding. Besides after securing funds comes the proper distribution and management of the fund. I will share my past and recent encounters with funding and my talk will focus on what to do and what not to do during investor hunting, managing investor relationships while managing funds. #IndieGameFunding, #IndieStudioChallenges, #FundingStruggles, #InvestorHunting, #ManagingFunds

Solo indie sev life has a lot of appeal: you have total control over your studio’s creative, technical, and business decisions and seeing your game through according to your vision. But solo dev life gets hard. You’re running a business by yourself in addition to the creative aspects, so what happens if you become severely ill? What kind of external support do you have set up for when times are good, let alone when disaster strikes? You might think that succession and continuity planning only applies to larger companies, but here’s why and how indie teams of one need to set them up! #SoloIndieDev, #IndieGameLife, #ContinuityPlanning, #IndieDevChallenges, #SoloDevSupport

Join Arnaud Planche, Founder and Director of Bontemps Games, as he takes you on a captivating journey of creating a wholesome game. In this video, Arnaud shares insights into what inspired him to start working on the project and provides firsthand experiences of pitching the game. He also delves into the process of working with a publisher for the first time and discusses the meaning of a wholesome game. Arnaud shares why he specifically chose to create a game with a wholesome theme and reflects on how game development has matched his expectations. If you're interested in learning about releasing your first commercial game, pitching ideas, collaborating with a publisher, or anything related to making a wholesome game, this video is a must-watch. Stay connected with Arnaud Planche on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArnaudPlanche and LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/arnaud-planche for more updates. #IndieGameDevelopment #WholesomeGaming #PitchingIdeas #PublisherCollaboration #GameDevelopmentJourney #BontempsGames #indieGameBusiness #indiedev #indiegamedev Chapters

As an indie dev, you wish you could only focus on making your dream game while others help you with the marketing part, huh? But what if there’s little budget and have to do it by yourself? No biggie, because you can do much to help your game reach your audience with very little! The problem is... there seems to be a consistent type of mistake all devs make, even marketing people themselves! So, that's the purpose of this session, teaching you what you can do and what you should definitely NOT do. We all want solutions, after all, not problems! #IndieDevMarketing #GameMarketingTips #BudgetMarketing #IndieGamePromotion #MarketingMistakes

The session will cover various topics such as the various methods of company growth and fund acquisition, types of investments in gaming, comprehending the requirements of both publishers and investors, as well as gamers. We'll also discuss negotiation strategies, approaching gamers and fostering connections, navigating challenging economic times, and more. #GameCompanyGrowth #FundAcquisition #InvestmentInGaming #NegotiationStrategies #GamerEngagement #EconomicChallenges

Sweet Baby Inc is a client-based narrative development company working to bring video game stories to life and collaborating with teams all over the world. Working as a diverse crew, they've worked on over 70 games taking a representation-led approach to narrative, and an adaptable, solutions-based approach to every project. While outsourced writing and story work aren't unheard of in the industry, SBI has helped hew a new path towards deeper collaboration and worker-focused production, opening doors for new and marginalized voices to thrive. #SweetBabyInc #NarrativeDevelopment #GameStorytelling #DiverseCollaboration #RepresentationInGaming

We’ll explore how AI can revolutionize the gaming industry by driving innovation in game design, enhancing player engagement, and fostering player fulfillment. By leveraging insights from cognitive science and AI, game developers can dynamically tailor game experiences to match each player's unique playstyle and preferences. By understanding the player's cognitive skills, personality traits, and motivations, developers can offer personalized game recommendations, optimize gameplay difficulty, progression, rewards, and balance, all in real-time. #AIInGaming #GameDesignInnovation #PlayerEngagement #PersonalizedGaming #CognitiveScienceInGaming