MoonWalkiee
Exiled
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2024
- Messages
- 1
Hope this is the right place for this kind of discussion. I've been working in the game industry for a few years now, mostly on the larger studio side of things. Like many, I imagine, the allure of going indie – having that creative control, building something from the ground up – is definitely strong and something I'm seriously considering down the line.
I understand the pipeline, the work involved, the different roles from my current experience, but one area where I have less visibility is the actual financial reality for indie developers. We all hear the breakout success stories, but those are obviously outliers.
So, I'm trying to get a more grounded perspective. When people successfully go indie (whether solo or a small team), what does the income realistically look like? I know it varies wildly based on the game, platform, marketing, luck, etc., but I'm trying to understand the common scenarios beyond just "starving artist" or "overnight millionaire."
Are most sustainable indies making something comparable to a junior/mid-level studio salary, or is it typically much lower even when successful? How long does it usually take for a project to potentially generate a liveable wage, assuming it finds some audience? Is the reality for most surviving indies based on one modest hit funding the next attempt, or are there ways to build more consistent, albeit smaller, revenue streams?
I'm not looking for exact figures (unless people are comfortable sharing ranges!), but more general experiences and realistic expectations from those who've made the jump or have good insight into the indie scene. Trying to weigh the creative dream against the practical need to, well, pay the bills.
Any honest perspectives or shared experiences would be hugely appreciated. Trying to gather as much info as possible before making any big decisions about moving into indie game dev.
I understand the pipeline, the work involved, the different roles from my current experience, but one area where I have less visibility is the actual financial reality for indie developers. We all hear the breakout success stories, but those are obviously outliers.
So, I'm trying to get a more grounded perspective. When people successfully go indie (whether solo or a small team), what does the income realistically look like? I know it varies wildly based on the game, platform, marketing, luck, etc., but I'm trying to understand the common scenarios beyond just "starving artist" or "overnight millionaire."
Are most sustainable indies making something comparable to a junior/mid-level studio salary, or is it typically much lower even when successful? How long does it usually take for a project to potentially generate a liveable wage, assuming it finds some audience? Is the reality for most surviving indies based on one modest hit funding the next attempt, or are there ways to build more consistent, albeit smaller, revenue streams?
I'm not looking for exact figures (unless people are comfortable sharing ranges!), but more general experiences and realistic expectations from those who've made the jump or have good insight into the indie scene. Trying to weigh the creative dream against the practical need to, well, pay the bills.
Any honest perspectives or shared experiences would be hugely appreciated. Trying to gather as much info as possible before making any big decisions about moving into indie game dev.
