Is being an indie game developer profitable?

82\% of indie games never made more than $50k on Steam. Accounting for Steam split, discounts, returns etc, it’s more like $25–30k. So it’s save to say that less than 2/10 indie games are ever profitable. I’ve recently done some analysis on this and over 50\% of indie games never make more than $4,000 on Steam.

How do you survive an indie dev?

How to Survive As An Indie Game Developer

1. FOCUS ON WHAT YOU KNOW.
2. KEEP IT SIMPLE. This sounds cliché, but starting with too large of a scope is one of the most overlooked mistakes that you can find yourself entangled in.
3. KNOW WHEN TO GIVE UP. Now this sounds a little misleading.
4. REACH OUT.

Is indie game dev dead?

The short answer is no, but have no doubts; it is suffering from a terrible and chronic disease, and eventually we can say that it is in fact slowly dying… The times when a solo indie game developer could easily make it on his own are long gone.

How much do indie games cost to make?

How much does it cost to make an indie game? You’re looking at a range from about $50,000 to $750,000 to make an indie game. The lower $50k amount is the total cost for a solo developer, on average, to work for a year on a game (at least in our experience).

What is it like to be an indie developer?

Truthfully, many indie developers — from the makers of weird alternative games to more traditional entertainment products — sit somewhere in the middle. The lucky ones are able to make a living from their work but often carry deep funding worries.

Is indie’s new wave harder to make a living on?

The burden arguably falls greatest on indie’s new wave, which has emerged as a result of the increasing accessibility of video game tools. More people are making stranger, cooler games than ever before, but it’s seemingly never been harder to make a living.

Is it harder to make a living making games these days?

More people are making stranger, cooler games than ever before, but it’s seemingly never been harder to make a living. The following 12 testimonies detail appropriately varied situations — the hopes and fears of these indie game makers — and how, ultimately, they’re able to continue sustaining themselves.

How are steam’s discoverability algorithms affecting indie game makers?

Elsewhere, changes to Steam’s discoverability algorithms have significantly impacted some game makers’ incomes. The burden arguably falls greatest on indie’s new wave, which has emerged as a result of the increasing accessibility of video game tools.