Written by Maikel de Bakker

Maikel de Bakker examines the two main approaches to videogame development; the high-budget big-name studios and the low-budget independents and questions which approach is more likely to succeed.

High-powered rendering computers are almost overheating the render network room. In the meeting room people are talking about problems and solutions at hand for the game that they are developing. In the artists room several artists are looking at the new level design created by one of their colleagues. This is all in a day’s work of the next generation game developer. While the publisher is pulling their strings more and more the budget developers get for games is also increasing by the year and so does the personnel of the developers. In addition to this every time the console manufacturers think of a new console to set on the market, the developers have to educate their personnel to the new programs, as well as also needing to get familiar with the new hardware.

At this same time three friends came together, after building their game from their own houses for three years, to work on the final touches. It’s simple 2D fun built on a standard game engine. While one guy is working on rocks and other environmental architecture in Photoshop and Illustrator the other is composing music on his synthesizer. The third person is on the phone, while programming and taking a sip of his coffee to ease the tension, trying to find a publisher for their game. This game has taken 3 years to make on a budget of cups of coffee, slices of pizza and no funds but their own bank accounts.

One year later the big developer, with its two hundred-man team and high concept games, is still struggling to regain the losses they suffered by making the million Euros costing game. Not because the game was not good, but simply because it was released at the wrong time as Halo stole their shine. The small indie developer (the three friends) finally found a publisher who was willing to publish it on WiiWare and Steam, with all the costs deducted. The unexpected, yet hoped, profit of the Wii version sales helped and they thankfully still had enough to left to start their own studio.

Yes, I know being a small indie developer isn’t as easy as it sounds, for they will be doing things in their spare time and this often ends up with half made games or the team breaking up due to someone’s personal problems or a conflict within the team. It’s more likely that ninety-nine percent of indie developers die a premature death because of these circumstances and other similar ones. While many dream of creating their own game, many will never see their dreams come true.

Which begs the question; what is the biggest risk? Losing millions of Euros or throwing away a great idea?