Gaming Industry News
It’s a tough time for small indie game developers as the landscape of funding opportunities is changing. In a recent interview at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, the creators of popular indie games Slay the Spire and Darkest Dungeon revealed that the once lucrative deals with platforms like Epic Game Store and Xbox Game Pass are no longer as favorable for small teams.
Casey Yano, co-founder of Slay the Spire studio Mega Crit, expressed concerns about the current funding situation, stating that many small teams are facing funding cuts and canceled deals. Yano emphasized the privilege of being able to self-fund and admitted that without this option, he would be very worried about the future.
Both Slay the Spire and Darkest Dungeon initially found success through Steam early access before gaining popularity. While these games are available on PC Game Pass, Chris Bourassa, director of Darkest Dungeon, noted that the scope of deals with Microsoft for getting games on Game Pass has decreased since the service’s inception. Yano and Bourassa agreed that the era of big exclusive deals with platforms like Epic and Xbox Game Pass, which provided vital funding for indie developers, seems to be coming to an end.
Red Hook Studios, the developer of Darkest Dungeon, made the bold decision to launch the sequel as an Epic exclusive in early access. Despite the controversy surrounding exclusivity deals, such arrangements have provided a safety net for indie developers, allowing them to ‘break even’ on their games even before release.
In an effort to support the indie game scene, Red Hook and Mega Crit, along with Dead Cells DLC studio Evil Empire, are organizing a ‘Triple-I’ showcase on April 10. This event aims to promote indie developers and their projects, featuring participation from other developers including Re-Logic and poncle.
As the landscape of funding opportunities for indie game developers continues to evolve, it remains to be seen what new avenues will emerge to support the creative endeavors of small teams in the gaming industry.
