Why Indie Developers Should Charge for Their Creations
Posted by rvertulo on August 21 2024 16:46:56
One of the driving forces behind the creation of the Internet was the possibility of freely sharing information and collaboration among academics and researchers. Over time, this culture of knowledge exchange without cost became ingrained in the collective unconscious, leading people to believe that if something is on the Internet, it must necessarily be free. This mentality was reinforced by the emergence of various services offered at no direct cost to users, such as email, discussion forums, and others, which are mostly supported through sponsored advertisements. Additionally, more recently, the Open Source software movement, which promotes the free distribution of software, further contributed to this vision of obligatory free access. Unfortunately, this ad-supported business model doesn't work for everyone. You need a massive audience to make it financially viable. Many small digital business entrepreneurs, especially those catering to relatively small niches, can't ensure the financial health of their ventures solely through the sale of advertising space, and this reality also applies to indie game developers.
Indie game development is a task that blends art, science, and engineering, especially when the term "indie" is taken to the extreme, meaning the entire game production is done by just one person. Creating the narrative, aesthetics, sounds, and programming of the game is almost like a craftsman's work, but in this case, a game craftsman. For those who create these games, the production is a task that is both enjoyable and exhausting, demanding a lot of time and dedication.
If all that was required of these game artisans was time and dedication, the mentality of obligatory free access by internet users would only make their work very difficult. However, creating digital games also requires technical and financial resources. There are expenses such as development tool licenses, appropriate computers, equipment maintenance, books and courses, website hosting, marketing, and more. Additionally, passion for a craft doesn't pay the bills at the end of the month, and often, many good game projects must be abandoned so that developers can pursue activities that provide some financial support. Not charging for their games makes it impossible for these professionals to sustain themselves.
When we support the work of these digital artisans by contributing with often symbolic amounts, we demonstrate how much we value their efforts and fuel the passion of these artist-engineers to continue their work. In the end, everyone wins—both the players, who are constantly treated to new releases to enjoy, and the developers, who feel appreciated for all their effort in creating their art.
Moreover, it is not uncommon that during the development of games, professionals create new tools, methodologies, mechanics, and many other resources that, in one way or another, end up being used by the entire indie dev community for new creations, keeping all these gears turning in a very cool virtuous cycle.
One last point I think is important to mention is that once the developer starts charging for their work, in addition to valuing their own effort, they ensure that those who consume their production are also people who value that work—not just curious individuals who will download the games, play for less than a minute, and in the end, may even criticize a piece of work that was often created with much love and dedication, just for the sake of belittling others' efforts. When someone buys a game, we can be sure that this person is genuinely interested in appreciating what was made, and even if the product isn't exactly what they expected, they can be sure that they helped the developer continue their professional evolution, keeping the community active and always creating better games. Often, all this can be obtained for the price of a cup of coffee!
Developing indie games is science, engineering, and also art, but above all, it is passion! When we support the work of these digital artisans, we ensure the continuity of their work, keep communities active, and help nourish the market with constant innovation. The mentality that everything on the Internet should be free is harmful to everyone because, unless someone is supporting us, it will always be necessary to prioritize activities that allow us to pay the bills, and good projects that have the potential to succeed end up being shelved due to lack of support.
When we value people's work—in this case, indie game developers—everyone wins!
If you'd like to learn more about my indie games, entirely created by one person, visit my website at https://tooizzi.com.