IndieGameBusiness®

In this episode of IndieGameBusiness, we’re joined by Benjamin Carcich, Founder of Valarin, Inc., to challenge the game industry’s obsession with process and productivity. Your team can have meetings, tickets, sprints, reports, and a perfectly organized production pipeline, but does all of that activity actually create value? Benjamin breaks down the difference between producing “stuff” and produc...

Rob Carroll is back on IndieGameBusiness, but this time the conversation is very different. When Rob joined us previously, Roll Craft was building the studio and preparing for what came next. Now they’ve actually gone through the fundraising process, and Rob is coming back to talk about what really happened. VCs. Angel investors. Kickstarter. WeFunder. Community funding. They all offer different p...

Join Raven Law for “Learning by Landmines: Pitfalls & Strategies for Publishing” Publishing a game is full of unexpected challenges, especially when you're launching across multiple platforms. Drawing from firsthand experience shipping titles on a variety of storefronts, Raven shares the common obstacles that can derail a release, from changing platform requirements to last-minute surprise...

Join Tara Voelker for “Make Accessibility a Selling Point: Storefronts, Tags, and Discovery” Players need to know if they can play your game before they buy it. Tara breaks down how Xbox, PlayStation, Steam, and the iOS App Store handle accessibility information, what players actually see, and how accurate feature details can support discovery and purchase decisions. You’ll also get a practical ch...

Join Michael Brown for “Nobody Owes Your Game Attention – Why Good Games Still Fail” A great game isn’t enough if no one knows it exists. Michael explores why quality alone doesn’t guarantee success, covering market fit, positioning, launch timing, and store page conversion. Learn why building demand before release is essential and how thoughtful planning can give your game a better chance of stan...

Join Larry Kuperman and Grover Wimberly IV for “Your Game Needs to Be Everywhere: Distribution Channels” Releasing on a single storefront is no longer the right strategy for many games. Larry and Grover explore how developers can approach today's expanding distribution landscape, from Steam, Epic, and GOG to consoles and handheld platforms. Learn how to evaluate your options, manage the added...

Join Alessandro Biollo, Nate Ahearn, and John Nguyen from Xsolla for “Multi Storefront Publishing” Publishing across multiple storefronts can open the door to more players, but it also brings new challenges around distribution, operations, and strategy. This roundtable discussion will explore the realities of multi storefront publishing, with industry perspectives on how teams can approach differe...

The IndieGameBusiness Sessions: The Path from Storefront to Success is over, but there’s still plenty to talk about. Join Ash and INDIE for another After the Event as they sit down and break apart the talks, conversations, and biggest takeaways from the latest IndieGameBusiness Sessions. This event focused on what happens when it’s time to actually get your game in front of players. We’ll discuss...

Join Christian Allen for “It’s Time to Launch: Lessons in Building and Sustaining Momentum” Launching a game is only the beginning. Christian shares lessons from years of working on indie games and supporting developers through launch and beyond, covering Early Access, 1.0 releases, content updates, and community engagement. Learn how to build momentum around your release while balancing ongoing d...

Join Marco Polo Moraga for “Planning for Launch: Wishlists, Visibility, and Timing on Steam” Learn what wishlists actually tell you, which metrics matter, and why a high wishlist count doesn’t always translate into strong first-week sales. This panel also covers when to launch your store page, how to make the most of Steam Next Fest, and why setting your release date early can make a difference. L...

Join Jay Powell for another IndieGameBusiness Fireside Chat, this time with Hugo Castro, CEO of BC Media Lab and co-founder of Gamacon. Jay and Hugo will sit down for a relaxed conversation about Hugo’s journey in the games industry, building BC Media Lab, the story behind Gamacon, and the work that goes into creating opportunities and connections for game developers. They’ll talk about the indust...

In this episode of IndieGameBusiness, we’re joined by Rafael Morgan, VP Partnerships at CrazyGames, to talk about why web gaming is becoming strategically important again for developers. Rafael shares how successful studios are using the web alongside mobile instead of treating the two platforms as competitors. We’ll look at what CrazyGames is seeing across thousands of game submissions and hundre...

In this episode of IndieGameBusiness, we’re joined by Georgina Ovassapian, Founder of Winter Schloss Studios and developer of Night Shift: 1999, her first game. Georgina shares how her experience migrating from Switzerland to Australia became the foundation for a supernatural game set in 1999. We’ll explore how Night Shift: 1999 uses monsters, mythology, and supernatural elements as metaphors for...

In this episode of IndieGameBusiness, we’re joined by Joe Dietsch, CEO, Creative Director, and Co-Founder of Wolf Haus Games. Joe shares his unconventional path into game development, starting as an outsider with no formal game development background and learning Unreal Engine through YouTube before eventually founding his own studio. We discuss the journey of building Wolf Haus Games around an or...

Join Jay Powell for a special IndieGameBusiness Fireside Chat with Julia da Silva Brito from Indie Hero. In this conversation, they’ll discuss the indie game industry, supporting developers, building communities, and the challenges and opportunities facing indie studios today. Julia will share insights from her experience with Indie Hero, thoughts on the evolving indie landscape, and perspectives...

In this IndieGameBusiness Fireside Chat, Jay Powell sits down with Fedor van Herpen, Co-founder and Partnership Director at MeetToMatch, for a conversation about networking, events, and building a company in the games industry. Fedor shares the story behind MeetToMatch, how it has grown into a key platform for connecting developers, publishers, and industry professionals, and what it takes to run...

In this episode of IndieGameBusiness, we’re joined by Charlie Brandick, Founder of Quetzal-Core Games, for an honest conversation about the realities of building a career in game development. Charlie’s journey is anything but traditional. Before games, he was an elementary school teacher and aspiring professional musician. He eventually broke into the industry through a chance conversation that le...

In this episode of IndieGameBusiness, we’re joined by Darren Williams, Founder & CEO of MinMax Game Consulting, to explore a question every developer should ask: why do some great games fail to find an audience? Using Bayonetta as a case study, Darren breaks down the lessons indie developers can learn from games that were critically acclaimed but struggled to achieve commercial success. We dis...

Join us for an IndieGameBusiness Fireside Chat with Guy Blomberg from Games Industry Gathering. In this conversation, we’ll discuss building communities within the games industry, creating meaningful networking opportunities, and the evolving challenges facing developers and industry professionals today. Guy shares insights from organizing and growing Games Industry Gathering, along with lessons l...

In this episode of IndieGameBusiness, we’re joined by Rob Carroll, CEO of Roll Craft, to break down what it really takes to start an indie game studio from the ground up. Rob walks through the key decisions founders need to make early, including choosing the right company structure, deciding whether to go solo or bring on co-founders, and where to form your company. He also shares the story behind...

In this episode of IndieGameBusiness, we’re joined by Mercedes Boberg, Sales Manager at Pragma and Firstlook, to break down how indie developers should approach working with creators from day one. Mercedes shares why thinking about creators early, before launch, is critical and explains the difference between paid creator campaigns and organic creator growth. We’ll talk about what actually makes c...

Join Patrick Sweeney for “Working with Publishers: Lessons Learned from 3,000 Agreements” Publishing deals can be complex, and small misunderstandings can lead to big problems. Drawing from experience across thousands of agreements, Patrick breaks down common myths, recurring pitfalls, and what developers often overlook when entering partnerships. This session offers clear guidance on how to appro...

Join Katherine Vildoso for “Building International Networks: Ambassador & Partnership Strategies” Expanding beyond local reach can be one of the biggest hurdles for growing organizations. Katherine shares how to build and scale an international network, drawing from her experience launching and formalizing an association within a year. This session covers how to develop a strong ambassador pro...

Join Eline Muijres for “Your Publisher Is Still Judging You: How Trust Is Built, Lost, and Repaired in a Publishing Relationship” Signing a publishing deal isn’t the finish line, it’s the start of a long-term relationship. Eline draws from her experience as a Publisher Producer to explain how trust is built, tested, and sometimes broken throughout development. Using real-world examples, this sessi...

Join Jay Powell for “Finding the Right Publishing Partner for Your Game” Not every publisher will be the right match for your project, your goals, or your team. Jay breaks down what publishers actually bring to the table, how to evaluate potential partners, and the warning signs developers often miss. This session covers the key questions to ask before signing an agreement and how to find a publis...