Nowadays, games are bigger and better than they’ve ever been. We’ve got hyper-realistic graphics, top-notch voice actors, sweeping, operatic musical scores and epic plots that span galaxies, worlds, and universes. The sky’s the limit- gaming’s never been better. Right?
If all that is true, why do so many people seem to be feeling such a deep-rooted, general malaise when it comes to gaming? Why do so many AAA titles feel so much like more of the same, another rehash by stockholders and developers who are afraid to take a risk, scared to take a chance and do something different; something amazing? Why do so many games feel so…bland? For the amount of money we spend on games these days, you’d think more of them would do something unique, right?
That’s where the indie genre comes in.
It’s pretty easy to see why people love the indie developer- their games are cheaper, they often hearken back to that nostalgic simpler time, and they ultimately tend to be every bit as enjoyable (and artistic) as some of the titles put out by the world’s best studios…all on less than half the budget. Plus, the fact that we can put a face to them as fellow gamers and enthusiasts, rather than faceless corporations and out of touch executives really helps.
With all the craze that’s grown around the indie genre, we’ve seen some pretty big changes in the way games are designed. The easy, connective nature of social media spreads news about the latest independent developer like wildfire. Crowd-sourcing websites such as Kickstarter make indie development easier than ever before, allowing developers who once had to take needless risks to fund their projects through the people who’ll be buying them. Movements such as the humble bundle support both independent developers and charities. Steam Greenlight gives developers the chance to establish a discourse with the community while they work on their project, submitting their development ideas to the Steam community for review.
And Minecraft currently stands as one of the most popular games in the world.
So where am I going with this? What’s my point?
It’s pretty simple: Independent gaming has essentially become what gaming set out to be in the first place(even if it didn’t know it). It’s something personal between the developer and the player. It’s a discourse; a conversation, featuring games created by people who truly care about the experience- and aren’t just looking for a quick buck. Basically, it’s molded itself into the idealized vision of what gaming should be.
That’s why so many people love independent games, and that’s why the landscape for development has changed so much in just a few short years.
Image Credits: [Romhack]
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