Surviving the Indie Game Development Landscape: Expert Advice

The concept of the 'indiepocalypse' has been a topic of discussion within the game development community, referring to the unsustainable nature of the indie game market due to its rapid growth. Rami Ismail, co-founder of Vlambeer, addressed this issue during a talk at the Reboot Develop Blue conference in Croatia, offering valuable insights and advice to indie game developers on how to navigate this challenging landscape. Ismail emphasized the importance of understanding risks, not chasing market trends, and testing business cases to ensure the viability of a game project. He also stressed the need for indie developers to build their brand, be sincere, and avoid obvious ideas, instead focusing on creating unique and original content. Additionally, Ismail encouraged developers to fail faster, learn from their mistakes, and be open to luck playing a role in their success. Ultimately, he believes that the key to surviving the indiepocalypse is to focus on consistency, building a strong brand, and creating a loyal audience, rather than aiming to be the next big hit.