What it's Like Making Money with Indie Game Dev

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As many of you know, over two years ago, I quit my job and sold my house to start this Indie dev studio with my wife. Like many of you, our dream was to make games full-time.
But the reality is, our journey has been a mixture of joys and challenges. We're not where we want to be just yet-we're still working on our first game and juggling a lot of tasks to pay the bills.
Starting a game studio is tough but also rewarding. It sometimes means facing business aspects you might not enjoy, like budgeting and finding funding. For us, it’s been about managing time between making our game, Samurado, and generating income through other means like our KZbin channel while still being available for our kids.
Despite the struggles, I love what I do and believe in the long-term growth of our studio. It's not just about coding your dream game all day-there's a lot of work that goes into running a profitable business. But for me, it's been worth it despite what often feels like slow progress as it's a dream I've had for over 20 years.
Indie game dev is notoriously known as a difficult industry to get started in, but with a lot of creativity, and a bit of willingness to dip into an entrepreneurial mindset, there are many ways to support yourself as an indie developer.
If you're new to our channel, we're Brandon & Nikki from Sasquatch B Studios. We sold our house to start our game studio, and work full time on building our business and making our game Samurado.
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#gamedev #indiegame #gamedevelopment

[@3hourgames]

Really appreciate the reality and sincerity in your vids. As someone who is trying to just convince myself to give up some of my non-full time job time to prioritize learning and making gamedev I can't even imagine the added stress of trying to manage it all and make ends meet. Appreciate the journey you share here.

[@jimkurth]

Great video as usual. I like your message and I'm glad you made this because there are so many people out there that needs to hear this. I will say, though, that a lot of people who shouldn't take a leap to make their own indie game studio won't heed your advice or won't look at things at the macro-level. Naivete and stubbornness gets us into predicaments that we have to learn the hard way on. I have quite a bit of respect for KZbinrs/streamers who are developing indie games (or working on any project that will generate future income but currently is accruing debt) because it is 2 businesses: an indie game business and an influencer business. From your performance of working on both, It sounds like you have a good working routine that works for you and your family, so I am happy for you. I feel that 90% of influencer/indie game developers need to watch this video with an open mind because it could help them consider if they're prepared for that leap to entrepreneurship or if they've overlooked something after taking that leap already. Keep up the good work.

[@CuppaDev]

Thanks for making these videos they are really refreshing in this space. I have just handed in my notice to pursue game dev full time and its so great to have your journey documented as a runway for my own.

[@davidhursh2582]

I wish I could help more, your videos are what started me making games, I've been learning for a couple of months and I keep running into your tutorials. Great content and really relatable. I can't wait to play samurado. Keep up the good work!

[@derekcoppinger4472]

I really appreciate the "Truthbombs" that you placed in your video. I think it is important to know these things when getting into something and to also know that others deal with the same things. Great video!

[@Lazzarus7]

Great content as usual, wish you the best. I will be among the people getting your game day one, I follow your journey since the beginning, keep it up!

[@MarushiaDark316]

One of the most important things you can do is schedule rest time and also something called "active recovery," which is not work but also not relaxation. It's being physically active on something that isn't your actual work. So for instance, going for a walk or meditation. It's not sleeping or watching TV or taking a nap.

[@Skeffles]

Great video! It's really helped me get a better view of what you've got into. When hobby developers say they want to quit their jobs to make their games full time, it's always about making the game and never those other activities.

[@SoulEngineDev]

I feel this so much. Thank you for the inspiration!

[@ludomancerstudio]

Awesome video, I notice it is something few indie devs actually talk about. I started in the beginning of last year my own solo dev journey after a layoff and was only able to get by due to freelancing and contract work being done along my game. Government fund is something I'm also actively looking forward and I think a few countries offer it as well.

[@dancingdoormanable]

Having been educated in gamdev, but having moved to IT and having had a fintech startup, I can concur that the money hustle and freedom are things that greatly impact the technical aspects of developing a product. Hobbyist gamedev's should NEVER BE ASHAMED that they are not full time. Hobbyists can FULLY FOCUS in the fun of making a game, finding the right gameplay, making the art have impact, making it technically excellent, making the overall feel great and learning everything you need to know for your next project. Going full time or even scaling up, does make one ABLE to do MORE, but a lot LESS then you would EXPECT. In my opinion you should give yourself every ADVANTAGE you can get before going full time, because organizing and business will take a large chunk of time and stress you out. Become a MASTER of the technical side of things, so you don't have to learn much, Preferably have multiple projects in an ADVANCED state so you only have to customize and tune them for the business to move along. Maybe even have some CONNECTIONS lined up, like freelance or hobbyists, that can help you out. Going pro is a career choice. Give it some thought.

[@andrescolognesi2496]

I love your content! You are a big inspiration! Keep up the great work :D

[@HatcherTechnomantics]

Solid guidance for indie devs. :) - That is why I do a full time job or more to pay bills. Part time development is all I can currently do.

[@malindukumaradasa3851]

I kinda felt like I was watching my future self talking. The way you arrange your day, the way you feel about being indie and the fact that you said that you're "a creative" and don't want to get into business stuff, I can truly relate with. I am starting this journey much earlier because getting into any job right out of university had been a broken hope at this point. I realized that someone like me, is best fit for being his own boss and not getting bossed around for a paycheck for a job that doesn't even matter to me. If I get a full-time job on the game dev industry, I'd happily accept it since I need money as soon as I leave this house and start my own family. But until then, I'd rather spend time getting good at things that matter to me, and maybe earn some money along the way. Thank you for this awesome video!

[@masoudmousavi923]

I extremely like your video vibe... wish u all the best 🙏

[@Bazerath]

You live a pretty unique life, I'm glad your in a position that makes it sustainable. I find it a dream of mine to focus on my creative side and quit the old job. The point you made on tasks completed in a day makes sense if your pressuring yourself to do multiple things in one day. But if you break the tasks down, by doing game every other day and KZbin on opposite days, the tasks and progression both become more managable. Keep that dream alive, work hard, play hard!

[@CappicheGames]

Awesome video dude. I'm sure it's all gonna pay off for you 💚

[@NjecolinaHranjec]

Thank you for being honest!

[@Shifae_]

Coming from a person who did not have insurance and also wears glasses, mine were broken to the point that I had to get new ones. If you call around to the local optometrists you can get an appointment for just a basic check. It'll cost you about $55ish and then you can actually go online with your prescription and order glasses for you know 40 $50 also so you can actually get brand new glasses in a good prescription for less than $100 and they're good glasses

[@dogmuncher_69]

what country do you live in where glasses aren't free?

[@mrrobot-mn6re]

I'm not a game dev,just a software engineer but I like watching you guys, might retire early and go into game dev

[@techdave99]

Good video. Would like to see more interview videos. Git-amend (Adam) would be a good choice. Would like to see a video about someone starting a yt channel and is making intermediate/advanced videos; something not done very often.

[@RatchetEden]

This is so relatable cant wait to work on the game everyday regardless

[@gbeebe]

Great vid, I feel like you're finally getting comfortable with being real and, more importantly, honest. As a tip, I separate my life into factions. When I'm at work, I'm a software engineer. When I'm at home working on my game, I'm a gamedev. When I'm with my wife, I'm a husband - I try not to think about my game, I don't check the socials, and I don't talk about work too much. I think keeping each faction out of the other helps me focus on being who I need to be when I need to be it. Also, try not to let your wife go to bed alone. If the only time you have to dev is while everyone is sleeping, then try that in the morning before everyone's awake.

[@KuittheGeek]

Man, you took quite the leap of faith, didn't you? Personally, I am still working my normal 9-5 to keep the lights on. My plan is to start making smaller game, polishing them, and releasing them. I'm not there yet, but I do think that releasing games is the way to find success. And if you end up with a handful of fair games for people to play, you can at least start bringing in some extra income. So if you do decide to go full-time with a publisher or something, you can point to a back catalog and show you have a history of making and releasing things. But it's good that you have been able to find some success with KZbin and tutorials and such. I wish you the best of luck.

[@VSalgc]

❤I send some indie energy to get it done. i do it as a hobby, less money conzern but yet still a behemoth of tasks to send.

[@melasa1852]

nice boardgame colletion you have there

[@jimmytucker2949]

I hope your game end up as a great success.

[@jaulloa21]

I’m in the process of making a game mostly for the fun of it. If it can make money great.👍

[@marcomoutinho7611]

2 years with this routine? Is this correct? 2 years developing a game with economy and a little more, isn't that risky and even stupid, maybe? You may like your routine or what you do, but will it work in the long term? To be honest, I wonder how it is possible to have savings to be "unemployed" for 2 years... IDK I'm from Portugal... It seems 2 too different realitys

[@jurandfantom]

2:35 or pension?

[@marcmustermann1676]

Hey mom, I'm on tv xD

[@baldchessman]

How does it feel to be famous?🗿

[@marcmustermann1676]

@@baldchessman It's just like I always imagined!

[@Digildon]

Top 10 moments when fame spoiled people.

[@Shellll]

Bro when are you ever going to actually release a game

[@TESkyrimizer]

a lot of gamedev youtubers are primarily youtubers rather than gamedevs. brandon is a competent dev but unfortunately games are very hard to make and very hard to sell and neither Veil of Maia or Samurado look like they will break even on opportunity cost

[@IdleLegacy]

⁠@@TESkyrimizer 100 percent agree, but at least he was very honest about this in the video. At one point even uses the term ‘Indie Studio’ which is very vague but very accurate in that they are just an independent studio trying to become profitable just like any business would. Whether it’s through actual game sales or not may not matter to them. In the end, being your own boss > working for someone else.

[@Lucy-R2R_Happiness]

Not you questioning why this man's got to put food on table 😭 I mean in the sense of he's working on the game but the game isn't profitable which all of this is stated in the video so he's working on what brings him money and you're asking when this game going to get released but he can't release the game cuz it's not making the most money this was all in the video why am I repeating this

[@GiantsOnTheHorizon]

@@IdleLegacyunless you’re going broke.

[@_Quazarz]

@@TESkyrimizerI mean they don’t care about opportunity cost. He literally said he makes way less money as a dev, he’s not in it for making tons of money, he’s doing it because he loves it, so as long as they can live off their game it’s a win

[@drekex6767]

Glasses are expensive!

[@aj08coder]

hi

[@Anonymous-yv7rh]

Wait, how does the healthcare system work in Canada re: the conversation about your glasses? Have you just been avoiding going to the doctor? Are there no healthcare assistance programs for low income ppl in Canada?

[@CMDEditsz]

first

[@Coco-gg5vp]

First

[@nelluc7488]

do yourself a favor and get some new monitors my man

[@burnheart2965]

The title is a bit misleading. As it stands, you're more of a KZbinr than a game developer. A more accurate title would be "What It's Like Making Money with KZbin, Focusing on Indie Game Development." You heavily rely on Patreon (which provides a pretty stable and substantial paycheck for you at the moment), along with sponsors and some merchandise/asset packs. Thus, you speak from a perspective that is quite different from that of a pure indie game developer with an established track record, such as Pontypants. You mention the need for immediate income. If that was the case, you either had to continue working a part-time job to bring in cash, or you had enough savings (possibly from a house sale) to fully commit (which I believe you did). The essence of being an indie game developer lies in creating and releasing commercial games to generate revenue for the studio. It's evident that your cautious nature has led you to seek immediate, tangible sources of income to alleviate anxiety. Ironically, this short-term strategy sacrifices the significant commercial potential that games can offer, resulting in a more grind-oriented, self-employed job. So the real question becomes: How confident are you really about the commercial success of your games?

[@hotworlds]

"how to get a full time job as a motivational speaker to support working part time as a game developer"