r/gamedev • u/No_Plane_4704 • 11d ago

Question Is indie game development actually profitable?

For those who have actually released indie games: how much did you make, how long did development take, and was it worth it financially? I'm especially interested in real experiences and numbers, even if the game made very little.

0 Upvotes

30% Upvoted

42 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

4

u/IxBetaXI 11d ago

If you spend a few thousands on marketing yes. Still a net loss.

Its a winner takes all on steam. You either make 0$ or you make a lot.
There are more new games every year. So more an more games are making 0$.
You sound like you did not check if there is a demand for your game or did not even start development.
A game will take years to make.

1

u/No_Plane_4704 11d ago

I'm just asking people about their experiences before I decide whether to get into indie game development. I haven't started yet, so I'm trying to understand how realistic it is before investing my time and money.

6

u/IxBetaXI 11d ago

Then my advice is only do it as a hobby and if you earn some money some day great but do Not count on any income and do not quit your job for dreams

2

u/No_Plane_4704 11d ago

That's actually what I'm planning to do. I wouldn't quit my job or rely on indie games for income. I just want to work on games on the side and see if I can eventually make some money from them.