What issues will indie game developers face in 2024?

With The global indie Game industry booming, 2024 is undoubtedly a very critical time node. The massive layoffs and individual indie studio closures in the game industry continued until 2024 to imProve, and the enthusiasm for game investment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic also began to decline.

In a May 2024 survey led by the Game Developer Alliance, 59% of the 600 game developers who participated expressed concern about the current state of the game industry, and the vast majority of respondents believed that it was in a "bad" state. The survey revealed that the developer community is not optimistic about the future development of the entire industry.

There is also evidence that people are spending less on new games, choosing instead to continue playing Fortnite, Call of Duty, and EA Sports FC, established and long-Running online games

Despite this, the number of games released is still higher than ever.

The UK's Digital Entertainment and Retail Association said in July that game sales had fallen sharply compared to the same period last year.

This has not only affected the distribution of high-quality games, but also made games cheaper for smaller studios, making it difficult to find an audience.

The current state of the indie game industry

"You can have the best marketing, you can have the best game, you can get rave reviews, and you still can't predict whether it's going to be successful," said Adam Riches, an indie developer.

Adam sees "discoverability" - getting players to discover and notice your game - as one of the biggest challenges for indie developers.

Steam is the main trading market for PC gamers. It is run by developer Valve and sells a wide variety of games, from games developed in individual bedrooms to blockbusters made by teams of hundreds of people. Countless excellent games are showcased on the same platform, which has also led to intense competition in the gaming industry.

According to Steam, more than 14,000 games have been released on the platform this year, with 2024 already surpassing the 2023 total.

Indie game developers are competing with AAA and other independent studios, competing not only for players' attention, but also for their release time.

It is very difficult for an indie game to win in such a fierce competition. Even a big launch like Sony's failed. Sony's online shooter "Concord" was forced to shut down just two weeks after its release. The reason was that the game was too similar to the existing hit games in the market.

The huge problems facing the indie game industry

This year, another major challenge for developers is finding funding.

The financial requirements for developing a stand-alone game vary depending on factors such as the type, scale, and technical difficulty of the game. Labor costs, technical costs, art resource costs, and marketing activity costs must be invested before the game can generate benefits.

GameIndustry's analysis shows that many developers cannot survive due to a lack of funding and exposure. Finji CEO Rebekah Saltsman mentioned that long development cycles and budget pressures make indie game studios more vulnerable.

Reasonable control of game development costs has become a skill that many indie players must learn.

The future of the indie game industry

Despite the many challenges facing the indie game industry, the data shows that the enthusiasm of global players is still high. As the industry continues to adapt to changing economic conditions and market demands, the rise of indie games is no accident.

According to the latest report from VGInsights, according to the data of the first three quarters of Steam in 2024, the revenue of indie games on the platform is surprisingly close to 4 billion dollars, and the market share is expanding. This phenomenon not only marks the success of indie developers, but also indicates the impact of indie games on the entire industry landscape.

According to statistics, the total sales of games on the Steam platform this year are expected to reach 504 million, of which indie games account for 98.9%. Such data undoubtedly shows that indie games have become an important source of vitality for game platforms. Many indie games have successFully attracted a large number of players and gained market recognition through unique Story narratives, novel gameplay and distinct art styles.

SUMMARY

With the emergence of more and more excellent independent game works, as well as the efforts and contributions made by all parties in the industry to the development of independent games, future independent games will continue to occupy a place in this diverse and rich market. The rise of independent games has also brought new vitality to the diversity and creativity of games.

The development of independent games is a true portrayal of the transformation and development of the game industry, and the future will be full of more surprises and possibilities.