Summary
In the video game industry, big players such as EA, Ubisoft, and Nintendo consistently spoil players with many games that possess sprawling open worlds, epic narratives,and online experiences. These AAA developers find themselves in a brilliant position to create video games crammed with content while being released frequently, relying on large budgets, subsidiary companies, and name recognition to keep the conveyer belt moving.
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There does, however, exist a subset of video game developers that, despite a distinct lack of support from publishersboth financially and practically, create experiences that are on the cutting edge of video game ingenuity. From small teams of developers to individuals, the “indie” game sphere is packed full of brilliant and progressive developers that, by all accounts, have grasped their independent label and run with it, creating their own successful, respected, and unique section of the market as a result.
10Hello Games
One cannot enter into a conversation about British developer Hello Games without the dialogue being centered around 2016’sNo Man’s Sky. The reason lies in the lead-up to the release of the game, which was bursting with speculation and hype. This anticipation was stoked by co-founder Sean Murray, who appeared in numerous high-profile interviews detailing features that did not end up appearing in the game at launch.
Despite this stumbling block, Hello Games have been adamant and rigorous in their post-launch support ofNo Man’s Skyand, in doing so, patched in promised features and repaired their relationship with the player base. This determination and reliability, coupled with the sheer innovation ofNo Man’s Skyin scope and vision, has positioned Hello Games as a popular and ambitious indie developer, regardless of prior grievances.
9Night School Studio
American developer Night School Studio finds itself in an enviable position as an indie developer. After its debut gameOxenfreequickly became a critical darling upon release, Night School Studio created critically acclaimed worksAfterpartyand sequelOxenfree 2: Lost Signals.
Whether it be communicating with spirits through radio signals or attempting to escape Hell by besting Satan in a drinking competition, Night School Studio masterfully places players at the heart of its stories, providing them with unique experiences through branching narratives and dialogue choices. Gifting gamers full autonomy when engaging with stories, Night School Studio continuously innovates the gaming experience and shows no sign of stopping.
8Larian Studios
It would not be outrageous to claim that Larian Studios have carved out a comfortable niche within the RPG game market, with the Belgian developer having released ten games in the genre since 2002. Known predominantly for creating theDivinityseries, Larian Studios saw a renewed interest in their work with the release of the rebootDivinity: Original Sinin 2014.
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A further renewal in gamers' interest in Larian Studios came with the studio’s release ofBaldur’s Gate 3, with the developer continuing from where Bioware left off. Based on the table-top RPGDungeons & Dragons, which itself has seen a massive spike in popularity within the cultural zeitgeist,Baldur’s Gate 3was met with unanimous acclaim, cementing Larian Studios as a top player in theRPG development sphere.
7Giant Squid
At its inception, Giant Squid already had a head start in the form of staff that understood and excelled in the creation of smaller-scale games. Compiled of ex-employees from other indie developers, Giant Squid found itself in a prime position within the indie market when it began work on its own IP.
Its first effort, 2016’socean-exploration gameAbzu, was extremely popular with gamers and critics alike, being praised for its unique art style and simplistic yet satisfying gameplay. This was followed byThe Pathlessin 2020, in which the player is cast as the Hunter as she attempts to dispel a curse placed on her island. Giant Squid is placing itself as a unique adventure game developer, and its next projectSword of the Sealooks to be just as artistic and individual as ever.
6Playdead
One only needs to mention the gamesLimboandInsideto any indie game fan to prove the respect and acclaim felt for Danish developer Playdead. Founded in 2006, Playdead has arguably been on the front line of creating the (albeit extremely niche) video game subgenre that concerns a young child navigating a dark and oppressive world.
Whether it be a young boy pursued by a giant shadowy spider inLimboor navigating a dystopic world ravaged by an unknown disaster inInside, Playdead takes its time focusing on player experience and weaving intricate narrative threads instead of concerning itself with releasing projects quickly.
5Telltale Games
Ironically, the story of developer Telltale Games is somewhat of a tale in itself, twisting and turning through humble beginnings, rampant success, and eventual deterioration before a rebirth to wipe the slate clean. Video game industry business and politics aside, Telltale Games made a name for itself by developing episodic games with branching narratives based on popular IPs such asThe Walking DeadandGame of Thrones.
While Telltale Games have ebbed and flowed in and out of the admittedly gray area that is the independent developer classification, its roots as a company outside the mainstream have remained throughout its almost 20-year history, making them a favorite of gamers worldwide.
4Mediatonic
With a deep history ofdeveloping flash games, Mediatonic has always been at the forefront of creating projects tailored for the indie market. Indeed, the company’s body of work includes over 100 releases, including unique and off-the-wall games likeFoul PlayandHatoful Boyfriend.
These types of games have solidified Mediatonic’s quirky sensibility which fits so perfectly into the indie gaming scene, one that was swiftly mixed with enormous commercial success after the release of 2020’sFall Guys. Players were enamored by controlling little bean people as they navigate dangerous obstacle courses, plummet into abysses, and endlessly compete for crowns.
3Young Horses
If an award existed for the mostbizarre yet charminggames ever created, one could bet good money that developer Young Horses would win it by a landslide. Bursting onto the professional video game scene withOctodad: Dadliest Catchin 2014, Young Horses stole the hearts of gamers by putting them in control of an octopus masquerading as a suburban father.
Wearing its quirkiness on its sleeve, Young Horses went on to releaseBugsnaxin 2020, where players are cast as a journalist who is called to an island populated by half-bug half-snack creatures. With its genuine care for innovation and creativity, as well as its clear player-first philosophy, Young Horses are an indie developer with a bright future in front of them.
2Hazelight Studios
Hazelight Studios were formed in 2014 after the success of creative director Josef Fares' first foray into video games,Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. The relatively young developer has gone on to amass a substantial amount of clout in the industry with subsequent releasesA Way OutandIt Takes Two.
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Although gamers will most definitely recognize Fares for his impassioned and unconventional speech at the 2017 Game Awards (which became a meme online shortly after), this did little to overshadow the work itself, withIt Takes Twowinning multiple awards at the 2021 Game Awards, including the coveted Game of the Year honor. Despite its eccentric leader, Hazelight Studios is in a prime position within the indie video game market.
1Supergiant Games
In a market brimming with massive open worlds, extensive online multiplayer, and blockbuster-budget narratives, developers like Supergiant Games not only move against the grain but prove that this is just as viable a journey to make when creating a video game. One only needs to look at the critical and commercial acclaim of all four of the developer’s releases:Bastion,Transistor,Pyre, andHades.
From isometric RPGsset against backdrops of high fantasy and science-fiction to ritualistic sporting events and escaping a procedurally generated underworld, the backlog of Supergiant Games is among the greatest of creative, unique, and quality experiences released by an indie studio. Indeed, with a sequel toHadeswell into development, the star of Supergiant Games will not be extinguishing any time soon.
