Though “out of control” isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Over the past few years, the independent gaming scene has erupted thanks to services like Steam, WiiWare, XBLA, and the PSN. One indie developer, though, thinks that this is a bit of a double-edged sword: On one hand, the general public is getting some great games, but there’s a lot of junk to sift through in order to find a real gem.
Alex Neuse of Gaijin Games (the developer behind WiiWare hit BIT.TRIP.RUNNER) recently sat down with GameSetWatch to talk about the matter. When asked about the current state of indie games, Neuse said, “I think that the indie scene is out of control. There are SO many games being made, it’s hard to keep track of them all. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but as a gamer who loves to play a game through to completion, I find it hard to set aside the time to give these games the play time they deserve.”
Neuse also pointed out that a lot of these games tend to be rushed into publication, which is something he hopes to change in the future: “I hope to see more games actually get finished and make it to market. I’m sick of playing half-done games that are riddled with bugs. Like all consumers, I like products that work and that are complete experiences.”
While I don’t disagree with Neuse’s wish for more finished products being released, I wish he had a suggestion for how quality games could stand out from the crowd for public attention. Neuse clearly doesn’t have to worry about his game getting overlooked by the masses. BIT.TRIP.RUNNER is currently nominated for the “Excellence in Visual Art” award in the 2011 Independent Games Festival.
Source: GameSetWatch via GamesIndustry.biz
