A Million-Selling Indie Dev's Advice for Aspiring Creators

We sought out the creator of the acclaimed Kingdom series, which has sold over a million copies, to get his number one piece of advice for those dreaming of making indie games. His perspective was surprisingly relieving and offers a way to quell some common fears as you continue on your indie game journey.

Keep It Simple and Personal

There is one piece of advice that holds true for solo developers. If you have the skills, even remotely, to build a game by yourself, recognize that doing so is incredibly cheap, which makes the risk remarkably low. Sticking with that approach is often the smartest path.

When you see someone building something and the question arises, "Should I take this bigger? Should I accept money from a publisher and hire five people?" you have to pause. You must first think, "Is there a way I could just build this thing by myself and release that?"

That is the recommended avenue. Your risk remains low, and you're creating something extremely personal. There's no guarantee that the risk-reward ratio improves as you accept more money from a publisher, hire more people, or invest more time. If you create something great, honest, and beautiful in two months, the return on your invested time can still be excellent. The core advice is to keep it simple and small.

The "Keep It Small" Cliché

While "keep it small" might sound like a cliché that everyone repeats, it's advice that many developers, even experienced ones, often learn the hard way. One can spend half a lifetime making games without ever consciously telling oneself to keep it small.

For instance, a third commercial game can balloon to a massive scale, where opening a level in the engine takes over four minutes. While the game might end up being good, the development process can feel like living in hell for years. If you can handle the ballooning scope, that is one path to success. However, for many, a more sustainable approach is needed.

Find the Spark and Embrace Discovery

A more reliable path to success for many people is to find something that has a spark. Just experiment, learn some new skills, and make something that you find fun.

If you create something that has that little spark—perhaps you've animated a weird little character who is now running around in a world—just go with that. It's crucial to maintain that sense of fascination and discovery throughout the process.

Attempting to make a game systematically, with a rigid plan from the start, doesn't work for everyone. It has to be a discovery process. It has to be fun. If you're not having fun while making it, the game itself won't be fun.

If you give yourself a to-do list from the beginning, you're going to become demotivated very quickly. In contrast, if you have something that feels like you're playing with it as you're building it—like a fun character or an engaging little mechanic—just roll with that. That will get your creativity going, and that is a recipe for success. It's not a guarantee, but it is a viable path.

Ultimately, you should be playing with your game while you're making it. If you aren't, people won't want to play with it when it's done.