My Wife and I Made an Indie Game and it Made Millions!

Summary

The speaker recounts the daring journey of quitting stable jobs to develop an indie game, 'Eastshade,' for five years. With life savings depleted and a move to the speaker's grandmother's house, the game eventually shipped, earning millions and changing their lives. The narrative details the game's evolution, from solo development to a full team effort, the innovative painting and inspiration mechanics, and the challenges of marketing and launch day. The story is a testament to the power of ideas, commitment, and the transformative impact of pursuing one's passion.

Takeaways

• 💡 The speaker and his wife quit their jobs to pursue an indie game development dream, investing all their savings and eventually achieving success after five years.
• 🎮 The game 'Eastshade' was inspired by the desire to create a strong sense of place and was developed with a focus on a cozy, safe environment for players.
• 🔥 A pivotal moment in the game's development was the 'painting mechanic', which was designed to reward players for exploring and experiencing the game world at a leisurely pace.
• 💡 Another innovative feature was the 'inspiration mechanic', tying player actions like reading, relaxing, and listening to music to the game's core gameplay loop.
• 👥 The development team grew over time, with significant contributions from the speaker's partner Jacine, a composer, a character artist, and additional contractors for specific tasks.
• 🏆 Despite facing financial challenges, the team managed to complete and launch the game, which has since made millions and changed their lives.
• 📈 The speaker emphasizes the importance of marketing, detailing various strategies such as creating polished assets, hiring a PR company, and being active on social media.
• 🏠 A memorable anecdote from the script is the team living with the speaker's grandmother during the final stages of development to save costs.
• ❄️ The launch day was fraught with challenges, including a massive snowstorm that threatened to disrupt the game's release, but was resolved just in time.
• 🍰 A touching moment was the 'Eastshade Pie' made by Jacine as a special gesture for the launch day, highlighting the personal investment in the project.
• 🚀 The success of 'Eastshade' has allowed the team to become a self-funded studio, with the freedom to pursue future projects without financial constraints.

Q & A

What was the motivation behind quitting jobs to create an indie game?

The motivation was the desire to create their own game, inspired by the success of other indie developers who managed to create impressive games solo or with minimal teams.

How did the initial development phase of Eastshade compare to later years?

The first year was filled with pure inspiration and a burning desire to create, which gradually turned into commitment as the project progressed and financial investments grew.

What role did Jacine play in the development of Eastshade?

Jacine started contributing significantly in the second year and by the fourth year was working full-time on the project, responsible for design, writing, UI art, in-game illustrations, and the conception and design of key game mechanics.

How did the team address the issue of survival mechanics conflicting with the intended feel of the game?

They introduced the painting mechanic, which rewarded players for taking their time and immersing in the game world, aligning with the game's theme of a strong sense of place.

What was the inspiration mechanic and how did it impact the game?

The inspiration mechanic involved creating paintings that cost inspiration, with new experiences in the game world replenishing it. This mechanic harmonized the game's theme and mechanics, encouraging players to engage in cozy activities that rewarded inspiration.

What promotional strategies did the team employ for Eastshade?

They created polished marketing assets, hired a PR company, carefully planned timing for releases and announcements, actively participated in social media, wrote articles on gaming sites, streamed development, attended conventions, and conducted interviews with various websites.

What challenges did the team face during the launch of Eastshade?

They faced financial challenges, requiring them to move in with family to save costs. Additionally, a major snowstorm during launch week caused power outages and threatened the timely release of the game.

How did the Russian localization issue affect the game's reception?

An issue with the Russian localization caused text fields to shrink with each repopulation, leading to illegible text. This was quickly fixed, but pirated versions without the update continued to circulate, making the bug more noticeable.

What emotions did the developer experience on the eve of the launch day?

The developer felt a mix of worry about the power outage and the inability to fully enjoy the momentous occasion due to the focus on ensuring a successful launch.

What was the significance of the Eastshade Pie made by Jacine?

The Eastshade Pie symbolized the special effort Jacine made to mark the launch day, despite the challenges they faced, and it brought emotional significance to the developer.

How does the developer view the success of Eastshade and its impact on their future projects?

The developer is immensely proud of Eastshade's success and fulfillment from its completion. The financial security it provided allows East Shade Studios to self-fund future projects, giving them the freedom to pursue their creative whims without external funding pressures.