There are such a lot of video games that I performed and I’m actually undecided which I’d placed on the highest. However I do have a prime Indie expertise of 2024.
I actually hate the thought of “prime video games of 2024”. In a yr when solely 15 p.c of Steam video games performed had been from 2024, it simply feels type of foolish to have prime video games for the yr.
Additionally, the top of 2023 was arduous for the video games trade, diving proper into an especially troublesome 2024. It was a yr of layoffs, funding decreases, and the top of a whole lot of firms. AI began rapidly changing issues and all of a sudden the top of lockdown appeared to not be the beginning of hope. 2024 was troublesome for everybody.
That stated, I discovered a lot of areas the place indies had been stuffed with hope and adapting to the altering local weather. I spent the yr attending occasions – one thing I haven’t carried out beforehand. I went on a sequence of talks in Scotland the place I noticed a lot of college students and younger builders absorbing info and feeling good about their futures. There was a lot hope!
I then discovered myself at Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki the place I noticed a handful of indies showcasing, excited to indicate off their initiatives. I used to be working the Large Indie Pitch the place I bought to listen to about indies speaking about IPs and increase their model in a brand new manner, clearly adapting to the altering local weather of the video games trade. Although there are tons of people that may actually use funding and are searching for it, there are lots of people nonetheless centered on creating video games.
Indie Dev Day actually opened my eyes to how improbable an indie gaming occasion might be. You see, the place I stay in England, there haven’t been many video games showcases. 2024 noticed the top of Insomnia, AdventureX moved to digital, WASD had its final exhibiting and EGX mixed with MCMComiccon (and turned out to be fairly disappointing). There simply weren’t very many locations left for video games to showcase, and the explanation appeared to be due to excessive venue prices and lack of curiosity.
Nevertheless, Indie Dev Day confirmed an enormous, indie-only showcase – no huge AAA video games prompting your entire occasion up – which was stuffed with video games, trade members, and most of the people. They even had two annuals the place you might acquire thriller sticker packets after which fill out the books. I’ve truly by no means seen an indie-focused occasion so nicely accepted by the general public. I bought the prospect to satisfy so many improbable indie builders and canopy their video games.
This was such an enormous turning level for me and my look on the indie video games area. In fact, GDC and Gamescom had been a consistant solution to meet indie builders and see their video games, however seeing an occasion that was simply indie centered was improbable. Dann, Quang and I ran Sensible Indie Treasures in the course of the yr. It was a free-to-showcase-at, free-to-attend occasion throughout Develop: Brighton. It was improbable to provide again to the indie group and assist present a spot to showcase for them.
In 2025, I do really feel we’re over the worst of the worst and are heading in the direction of a greater yr for indies. I’m excited to host one other free-to-showcase, free-to-attend occasion and create extra alternatives for indie builders in 2025. I additionally can not wait to see what new video games come out of 2025 and what occasions present up out of the ashes of 2024. I do not need a finest video games of 2024 record, however with these experiences, I do have a whole lot of hope for the video games of 2025.
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