Indie Video Game Devs Are Struggling To Survive

The video game industry is grappling with a severe financial downturn that's hitting independent developers particularly hard, as exemplified by Necrosoft Games' recent brush with bankruptcy while developing their upcoming title 'Demonschool.' Brandon Sheffield, the studio's director, managed to secure a temporary contract to keep the company afloat, but he acknowledges the precarious nature of their situation, telling Reuters, 'It was the only way to survive, because nobody was funding anything. It's also better than what's happening to a lot of people, where they just have to fold,' he told Wired.

This struggle is emblematic of a broader trend in the industry, with experts cited by Wired in a story warning that 2024 could see numerous small studio closures as traditional funding avenues dry up and larger companies tighten their belts. The ripple effects of this contraction extend beyond immediate job losses, with industry veterans like Victoria Tran from Innersloth expressing concern that the challenging climate could deter new talent and stifle the creativity that often emerges from smaller, more experimental game projects.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.