How Much Does It Cost To Develop An Indie Game?

Indie games are the most recent trend in the gaming industry. On average, a famous game development company invests $250,000 to develop a 3D game with complex mechanics. Indie games can be developed with little capital; limited resources and a workforce are the primary characteristics of indie game development.

Game development is a very expensive project. AAA titles invest millions of dollars in the development of a game. On the other hand, indie games generally have a low budget and have a hard time making any profit because of market standards. If you've got a great idea and want to start developing your own indie game, you must be thinking, "What is the cost of developing an indie game?" There are certain factors to take into account before we can figure out the cost of developing an indie game. But first, let us know more about indie games.

What Is an Indie Game?

"Indie" stands for individual. An Indie game typically means a video game developed by an individual developer or a small team. An indie game is developed without the help of a big publisher. The size of an indie game development company rarely exceeds 10 people. Most indie game projects use crowdfunding as their primary source of funding. Sources like Kickstarter and Indiegogo are used by indie developers to raise funding. Indie games have unique concepts and are often the trendsetters of the gaming industry. Indie games have seen massive success in the gaming industry. Some indie games that revolutionized the market were Minecraft, Fall Guys, and Among Us.

Who is an Indie Game Developer?

Indie game developers are programmers who don't work for big gaming conglomerates like EA or Activision. They are skilled developers who work on their own ideas rather than those of a large gaming corporation. Indie game developers are very creative and passionate about the field, and most developers work in the gaming industry because of their passion and not for fame or money. Indie game developers enjoy creative liberty and work with limited resources. Because game app development is an expensive and time-consuming endeavour, this can sometimes become an impediment during the development phase.

The Development Cost of an Indie Game

You must be curious, "What is the game development cost of an indie game?" There is no right answer to this question, as the numbers vary substantially. There are various factors that affect the cost of indie game development. The cost to make an indie game can range from $50,000 to $250,000. It's not necessarily cheap. Game development requires a lot of resources and time. $50,000 is at the lower end of the spectrum, and it is the expense of solo developers working as well as sustaining themselves for over a year.

Most indie games cost around $200,000 in the development phase. This is the cost of a small team working over the span of a year. Developers will have to spend another $250,000 on the testing, marketing, and PR of the game. Marketing requires a lot of investment and is equally necessary because, without proper marketing, you can't expect your product to catch people's eyes. Most projects fail because of improper marketing strategies.

The development cost of an AAA game

On the other hand, AAA games need a substantial amount of capital to develop and usually have a team of more than 100 people under a big gaming company working hard to develop the game. AAA game development takes years because the game is so intricately created. Specific teams are intended for each element of a game, like art, sound, graphics, narrative, etc. On average, the development cost of an AAA game is between $60 million and $80 million. 

Development Tools of an Indie Game

With the rise of technology, anyone can start their own development with appropriate tools and a bit of technical knowledge. Game development is an arduous task. However, thanks to game development tools, game development has been significantly simplified. 

Here is a list of game development tools that are favoured by indie game developers all across the globe.

Game Maker Studio 2

This tool is a blessing for amateur developers. It uses a drag-and-drop interface for variables and even provides a free trial. It provides a simple interface that is easy to use and uses its own language, which is a C-like scripting language with a lot of accessibility. It is one of the most prevalent and flexible game development tools available in the current market.

Unity

Unity was supposed to be a 3D engine, and it started off that way. 2D support was finally added to Unity in 2013. It is one of the most versatile tools out there that allow developers to create games of all genres. From a simple 2D game to an immersive 3D graphical masterpiece, Unity is used in the development of all types of games. A basic understanding of the C# language is required to use Unity. The interface is fairly complex, but with the abundance of tutorials and guides available online, you won't have any problems. 

Godot

Godot uses a drag-and-drop interface and uses its own language called GD Script. It can be used to develop both 2D and 3D games and comes with a simple interface that is easy to get familiar with. Godot uses a hierarchical design approach, which makes it easy to modify elements without much hassle.

These are some of the most popular and widely used game development tools on the market. These development tools are fairly easy to use but also require some basic knowledge of programming. If you're thinking of pursuing game development, you should focus on programming and hone your skills.

Read Also - The Pros and Cons of Indie Game Development

Conclusion

If you're looking to start your own indie game development, there are a lot of variables to consider. There are a lot of obstacles on the road to indie game development, from limited resources to an oversaturated market. One of the main problems developers face is the issue of funding. Many indie game projects are halted because of financial constraints. If you're looking to develop an indie game, the above information is of great relevance to you. You should also analyze the market and figure out what the audience is interested in the present scenario.