The indie game scene is buzzing with the likes of Schedule 1. But Chris Zukowski, a Steam marketing expert, thinks this might be a bad thing. He spoke to Gamesradar+ about how games like Schedule 1 can set unrealistic expectations for indie game devs.
Zukowski says, “You can make a lot of money from games, and that’s great. But it’s also making devs think they need to create a game that sells millions.” He remembers when $20,000 was a huge deal for an indie game. Now, games like Schedule 1 are making millions, and that’s changing the game.
Schedule 1 is an outlier. It made a ton of money from day one, and it’s the first game from the team at TVGS. Zukowski thinks this is warping devs’ minds. “Some indie games take too long to develop because they’re aiming too high. They should start with smaller goals, like making a game that sells for $10,000 to $20,000, and then build from there.”
Unrealistic expectations
Zukowski’s point is that devs are getting caught up in the idea that they need to create a million-seller. They’re forgetting that making a small, interesting game is just as valuable. Even if it doesn’t sell as much, it can still be a success and lead to more games in the future.
Zukowski sums it up: “The most successful games are giving people the wrong idea about what they should be doing. They’re making devs think they need to aim for the stars, when really they should be focusing on making a good game, no matter how small it is.”
In short, the success of games like Schedule 1 might be hurting the indie game scene. Devs are aiming too high and forgetting about the importance of making small, interesting games. Zukowski thinks this needs to change if we want to see more innovative and successful indie games in the future.