GamesIndustry.biz has released an article that asks, "Is the Switch a new home for indies?" James Brightman notes that Nintendo has not always had a warm relationship with independent game developers; the approach the company is using with their new Switch console seems to be changing that. Nintendo has even taken to giving these developers the nickname "Nindies" to further solidify relationships with these developers. Damon Baker, head of Publisher & Developer Relations said, "We have been working with indie developers and publishers for a really long time, back to the Wii days...They create edgy content, they [offer] a really cool, unique perspective on how they utilize the technology of [our systems] as well". He goes on to say, "What we've got here is we've identified a bunch of those developers that we think taps into what resonates really well with the Nintendo audience in particular and showcasing why that content fits so well on Nintendo Switch specifically." Baker suggests that the Switch is not necessarily in direct competition with other platforms, but rather it compliments the industry by allowing players to game on the go from an array of games developed by Nintendo itself to small and independent developers; the unique design of the Switch will theoretically allow gamers to play anywhere they happen to be from a pool of games that may even contain titles from the PC space to Microsoft and Sony games as well.
Nintendo's stance is to make developing games for the Switch as painless as possible. Developer kits are "quite affordable" and the certification process has been streamlined to help developers get their games to market quickly. This is a potential boon for small developers as their games can be created, tested, advertised, and put up for sale in a shorter time which should lead to better profit margins. More money in a developer's pocket means continued support of current games and more time to develop new ones. According to Brjann Sigurgeirsson, CEO of Image & Form Games, the company behind SteamWorld Dig and SteamWorld Dig 2 (a Switch exclusive), said "We've been treated like royalty. And I would be saying that even if we weren't sitting in this room. We've always felt special...[If] you treat an indie studio like the way you'd treat a bigger studio or publisher, that indie studio is going to love you and do stuff for you forever. And that's exactly the feeling we've had with Nintendo the whole time."
Other developers who lavished praise upon Nintendo and the way they've been treated while working for games on the Switch include Sumo Digital, Yacht Club Games, Zoink, and Tiny Build. These developers also expressed frustration with Steam, Google Play, and the App Store, marketplaces that have become overrun with indie games, some of questionable design, poor customer support, and clear pump and dump schemes at work. They're looking forward to having a new platform to develop on, one that may not be flooded with games all at once, pushing their work further into an abyss and with a company that seems determined to give each game a chance to have the spotlight. Brightman concludes that, "[As the Switch] ecosystem grows, it will be incumbent upon Nintendo to manage the eShop effectively. Finding a careful balance between curation and making the platform accessible to a large number of indies will be key." For now, everything points to the switch being a popular video game platform that may be a new place for independent game developers to bring their creations to market and into millions of homes around the world. The full article is certainly worth a read, especially if you're excited about this new and dynamic independent game platform that let's you take your games everywhere you go. As always, happy gaming!
Christopher Sadlowski
Nintendo's stance is to make developing games for the Switch as painless as possible. Developer kits are "quite affordable" and the certification process has been streamlined to help developers get their games to market quickly. This is a potential boon for small developers as their games can be created, tested, advertised, and put up for sale in a shorter time which should lead to better profit margins. More money in a developer's pocket means continued support of current games and more time to develop new ones. According to Brjann Sigurgeirsson, CEO of Image & Form Games, the company behind SteamWorld Dig and SteamWorld Dig 2 (a Switch exclusive), said "We've been treated like royalty. And I would be saying that even if we weren't sitting in this room. We've always felt special...[If] you treat an indie studio like the way you'd treat a bigger studio or publisher, that indie studio is going to love you and do stuff for you forever. And that's exactly the feeling we've had with Nintendo the whole time."
Other developers who lavished praise upon Nintendo and the way they've been treated while working for games on the Switch include Sumo Digital, Yacht Club Games, Zoink, and Tiny Build. These developers also expressed frustration with Steam, Google Play, and the App Store, marketplaces that have become overrun with indie games, some of questionable design, poor customer support, and clear pump and dump schemes at work. They're looking forward to having a new platform to develop on, one that may not be flooded with games all at once, pushing their work further into an abyss and with a company that seems determined to give each game a chance to have the spotlight. Brightman concludes that, "[As the Switch] ecosystem grows, it will be incumbent upon Nintendo to manage the eShop effectively. Finding a careful balance between curation and making the platform accessible to a large number of indies will be key." For now, everything points to the switch being a popular video game platform that may be a new place for independent game developers to bring their creations to market and into millions of homes around the world. The full article is certainly worth a read, especially if you're excited about this new and dynamic independent game platform that let's you take your games everywhere you go. As always, happy gaming!
Christopher Sadlowski