Why You Should Make Tiny Indie Games In 2025

[@thomasbrush]

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[@HTFGamesStudio]

Using your idea it can be applied this way: 1) You build a framework with a lot of systems and mechanics with minimum amount of assets in each just to show that they work well and are cool 2) You make a playable alpha version that is interesting for the players and release it for free as Demo on stem during Steam Fest 3) Start a Kickstarter that should launch at the same time as the Steam Fest (End of the Year) and build a UI at the end of the demo that allow people to view the kickstarter. In the kickstarter explain what other things you can add to your project and promise to make them based on monetary goal reached. Even if you need only 20k to make the small version of the game make a list of feature that you will be willing to implement even if it reaches several millions 4) No matter if your kickstarter will succeed or not continue developing the alpha to make a playable experience for at least 5/10 hours and release the beta on steam before the Summer Game Fest or the next Steam Fest trying to get more media attenction 5) If you manage to sell enough copies in beta you can continue developing it until you will reach the minimum required to launch the 1.0 release and do so also during one of the major game fest 6) Then start expanding your game world further and new content release as DLC's or expansions so you can make more money and bring to the table more content. 7) If the game will be successful and your DLC's and expansions will sell well you can invest it in a small team to make the sequel and make a saga like Ubisoft did with AC

[@LoafSimulation]

Hey mate! I'm an Indie dev, I'm all on my own, so needed to cover all the roles in a development team, first I thought it will be easy but after starting I came to know I'm lacking in some area, I need the knowledge about 3D modeling and needed my own textures which I'm currently learning in Blender. it's hard, but I like it, I like to do this, I LIKE THIS PROCESS a Person told me, think 100 times before starting but never question your decision or think to go back after you started

[@lvke794]

1:42 wtf that took me off guard

[@ArksideGames]

same

[@24Players]

I had to watch it again. I found him. lol

[@soykhasai]

11:21 too

[@thomasbrush]

Btw, in the video I mixed up supply and demand. I meant supply. I told you all I'm a dummy

[@ThrillTrekGames]

Hey Thomas Brother, When Twisted Tower Coming, I can't anymore,can you clear the release date soon, 🥺 please

[@SandorClegane-TheHound]

I disagree with you on an early point there mate I'm 38 yrs old I remember PlayStation 1 games being £30 That was for a top studio game back then Most were around 25 or even 20. Nowadays I can go into a second hand store and pick up a relatively.old game for that price The newer ones Maaaaate £70 brand new game out now I don't know what it's like over the pond but I can't imagine a ps1 game from the 90s cost you the same as a ps5 game today Inflation happened yes And I agree by those standards games should be closer to £200 each brand new now So I have some sympathy for the point But it's really not as you said over here at all

[@KristijanKL]

you are on the right track but I would like to add - be a publisher from the start design the game with a recognizable style. even if you dont get netflix show you will make it easier to make recognizable trailers. and even if you dont publish book based on the universe you will improve worldbuilding

[@felipezymor9970]

That's why there are a ton of roguelikes, and even with that we still have successfully launched new ones. Quick games, small runs, perfect for playing while on bus or train. That's my go-to too... Small games, bringing quality over quantity.

[@NinjaGuidesHQ]

so your talking about mobile related games on the go?

[@felipezymor9970]

@NinjaGuidesHQ well... Mobile Single-Player Games are a nice thing to, however, the Google Play Store and Apple Store are not that nice. You can make these type of games and release on Steam, Epic... I think the best idea would be the format that Thomas usually say: make a polished game (not extra small, just not so big that you can't finish in a hyper polished version), try to find a publisher (I think that Kickstarter is not good for someone without social media relevance) and sign a deal. Nintendo Switch and Steam are the cradles of indie games, so maybe having the support of a publisher would be great on those.

[@hambonetunes1988]

Minecraft, Binding of Isaac, Geometry Dash are great examples of small to big (inflated balloon). It is a great approach!

[@mattc9598]

Lethal Company may be there too, i mean, one guy made it over a few months, and he's made $100m before Steam's cut

[@hambonetunes1988]

@ freaking wild. I’m def sticking with smaller scoped project. Increases your chances in every perspective

[@24Players]

My games are in the same universe. I'm designing the sci fi galaxy first. with rules and plotlines. then I design games around that galaxy. First I make them small, with the ability to expand (Never have a "I beat the final boss" type game). I love the "Grow each game at will" mentality. When I add a new plot or or storyline to the galaxy I add it into each of the game designs. Eventually the entire portfolio of games will connect to a larger story. (Maybe even turning it into a book or comic). I fully support the idea of sequels and characters. (BTW: I'm the Designer, I have Freelance Developers working on my small games.)

[@yurig.7120]

Oh, some months ago I've decided to scale back a little, release a early version and if there's demand, then I keep on releasing more content further! My dream project would be a bigger one out of the gate, but with the current financial landscape, I think it will be better for me to self fund a smaller game, with potential to growth, and then see what happens next. Despite being for a while in the industry with a shipped game, this is the first time solo. Well, let's see how it will unravel Thanks for the video!

[@dusandragovic09srb]

Many, many balloons but also love behind what you do💯 No limits.

[@fiddleling]

Absolutely agree with this and it is my strategy for my games :) I released 3 small projects that are in the same universe and am expanding it in new releases. It is a very fun way to approach indie game dev!

[@razvanalexandru9358]

And do you make some money from these games?

[@WizardofWestmarch]

Few thoughts. First, the fantasy books part was a weird thing to say. Fantasy was built on Trilogies for a long time, sometimes with a larger shared universe spanning multiple trilogies (see: Shanara by Terry Brooks). A few series went longer like Chronicles of Amber but those books were so short while Corwyn's arc was 5 books it was more like 3 books worth of story spread across 5 books. That started to change after Wheel of Time kept growing and growing and selling well. Second, on the genre stuff this worries me slightly because the Steamworld developer tried doing it with a lot of different genres and it has not gone well for them.

[@ChrisMuriel1]

What in your mind constitutes a "small game"? Is it a game that takes you a year to develop or less?

[@thomasbrush]

A small game is one that has a tight loop and takes less than a year to make

[@gregorsayers]

I want to say that for all those people who haven't even made their first game or anyone who isn't part of a huge money making company, focusing on all the marketing and stressing about your game fitting into all these different molds is not what you want to be doing. Honestly, the best thing you can possible do, is simply make sure you are having fun. That's most important thing. Just make the game that you want to make, go out and explore! Best of all, if your enjoying it, you'll stay consistent and keep coming back to finish the game. But with that said, I do agree with Thomas here, when starting out, start simple, especially if you want the game to be big. That may sound contradictory. Regardless of the size of your game, my golden rule is to plan it simple, focus the whole thing around one idea, and branch of from there. That is what works best, the simplest premises lead to the greatest potential, and hence the most fun. This is for people who just wanna enjoy making something they can be proud of!

[@yoaty270]

11:21 wtf 😂

[@NinjaBirdStudios]

Bro had his ear on the door waiting for him to say his famous last words 🤣

[@ryanjdevlin87]

Bro the ending omg i jumped i swear that was epic ! Great video

[@facelessanon]

I love videos like these, Thomas. Hope you post similar videos in the future!

[@mattrobb3566]

Excellent, VMT. I especially liked the advice about growing your universe and building each game with key elements from the previous game(s). Thanks

[@brmawe]

Great vid! I've been working a small game, I have it planned out as two small games, then a slightly more bigger game in the future once I'm more comfortable & experienced. I've had trying to make a game since 2017 but I just never really dived in enough, and found the right setting. So many ideas I scrapped until this year. 2025 is the year!!

[@JediMB]

Big games are in more direct competition with each other, since they demand more time from their players. Sometimes they even want _all_ your time. For smaller games, the player can get a complete, satisfying and cathartic experience (that hopefully provides something unique) over a couple of days or a week, and then they can quickly find their next small game.

[@GU__NI]

A great example is Mario, look at where it started and where it's at now.

[@Glaucus-999]

Another great Thomas Brush video to keep me going. today i have gotten my game design document into a new draft of 102 pages of greatness. thank you for the inspiration and information!

[@TheRealJackArthur]

Thomas this was a super informative video man. Some fresh perspectives. Thank you thank you.

[@Chronomatrix]

It's ironic because making tiny games is actually EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.

[@thomasbrush]

Small games aren't easy to make. 100%. I think that's why they should be made :) Less supply.

[@ConorDrew]

I think it’s a good idea, and I’m not a super big fan of applying it to early access, for lots of different reasons (some pros some cons) But you look at a game like stardew valley, it was released, massive success, and he is still putting out updates, the most recent 1.6 is a whole free extension, bringing people back and in turn buying it on new consoles / devices. The subreddit loves it

[@AndrejaPopovik]

Very good video, always thought the same about the bunch of balloons model :)

[@thePadlockesTech]

My first game 'Lockes The Thief' was a big, ambitious game. I should've let it cook longer and grabbed more wishlists. But, the design of it was excellent, 90% positive reviews but very little visibility. My second game 'Orange Soul Brother' will be much, much smaller. But I will market it and try to secure funding. Basically doing the things I didn't do with LTT. It will potentially be more successful!

[@Alvara9]

I have a good analogy for Big game vs Small game development. Let’s say you are a farmer. In time you have to sell the crops to make money. So you can plant a Tree which only grows apple after 2-3 years, or plant berry Bushes, each year a different. After 3 years you have one type of fruit that may sell, may not. Or 3 different types and quality of berries. Maybe I talk bs, I don't know. See game dev like planting and harvesting. But if you just like taste of apples, and can't “plant” a smaller fruit then go for it.

[@phdost3267]

When you see games like Balatro, Vampire Survivor, Crab Champion, etc etc etc that are small and cheap but outsell massive games... it becomes harder to justify making big games unless it's your dream project and you don't care about money

[@AustinBMX]

This is exactly what im hoping to do with my new game - building first small step for the universe.

[@timmygilbert4102]

Okay that was really smart and insightful

[@DJDeon0]

4:30 I like the idea of working on a game to make it good and refined regardless of the time it would take - I feel like in the long run it would make a much better and lasting impression. For example, in my youth I loved a game called Freelancer (essentially the predecessor to Star Citizen) - the scope of that game is so insane it was delayed several years to add as much features and refinement as possible within the given budget. Did Chris Roberts get to fully implement every feature that he wanted to put into Freelancer? No. Did he need the money? Probably. Did he give up on his dream of making the game he planned on making? Nope - hence why Star Citizen has been in development for so long and has racked up an insane amount of money in the process in doing so pushing the absolute boundaries of detail, scale and dedication in computer games that has only been seen previously within the Crysis games(only my opinion). I'd personally say that if your dream game is something you want to make and that you think it's really genuinely good (like Stan Lee would say about his Comic Books) - I reckon it would be good to pursue it if it's genuinely something so close to your heart. Anyways, not ranting - defs think a good financial strategy is key and logical to stay alive and keep making games if it's your only source of income and/or if you have a busy social life, family etc. but I reckon it's better to follow through as that gives you better credibility as a high end game dev + it builds more skill and character anyways :) Circumstance is a thing of course - it's all relevant depending where you are at and what your goals are but I reckon your dream game can and will potentially be something unique that could stand out on the market when marketed well.

[@spruceforester3038]

I think the idea of making a small game which inflates into a bigger game overtime is a solid concept my only question right now though is what constitutes a small game? is the number of mechanics, the number of levels, the expected playtime, the amount of dev time, or all of the above?

[@DemoniumSama]

7:00 that's indeed my strategy XD. It's harder at the beginning cuz you gotta create a lot but eventually I will have a lot of reusable content and will be fine cuz the games are a diff experience etc. Edit: The bunch of balloons strategy is indeed what I aim for, and I remember talking about it with friends long time ago, indeed, but sadly I didn't release a single game yet cuz lack of time haha full time job and 12+h a week gym and other reasons. Hopefully soon...

[@komakaze1]

inflation has skyrocketed but wages have not kept up with inflation.

[@dabmaster6874]

The genre of Vampire Survivors, bullet heaven, horde survivor, it has many names and subgenres. Could a game in that genre that a visual hook and a gameplay twist in mechanics as a hook, be something that falls under the umbrella of the balloon model. Or at least be the first balloon in the list?

[@TUKMAK]

What is this horror film you posted? All these jump scares. I'm just tryina be a cozy game dev here

[@beardordie5308]

You might've mixed up demand with supply. Both have increased but it is supply that has skyrocketed. I think.

[@thomasbrush]

That's right! I got it wrong, apologies!

[@NorthGameStudio]

2025 I’m coming for you.

[@tivasthegamer9817]

Since I have developed boardgames and gamification projects for some companies, I have ideas for games and a basic understanding of unity development, I lack on C# coding though. What website or platform is recommended to connect with people to join in and to develop indie small games?

[@a6gittiworld]

Well about pricing there is also the fact that games is digital now and not cd/cartridge. Lower cost etc 3:14

[@games-from-elvis]

I thought there will be another Jumpscare at the end of the video 🤣🤣😂

[@thenoobdev]

@4:15 text book AAA 🎉

[@AydenYe]

very insightful❤

[@kawakami_idv]

Hey Thomas! Could you cover multiplayer games please? Is it worth making them opposed to single-player? For example, I see AmongUs as itself a pretty small game, though in my opinion any multiplayer game requires constant updates, otherwise people will get bored or just the game would stop making money (if it's free to install), and the servers fee might still grow over time...

[@Aquilasdev]

1:43 Is that... Gavin? From Two Star? Are you safe? 😆

[@thegoodace4606]

Is there examples of the stradegy of making a bunch of games in the same world, I like the idea but am struggling to get inspiration of it.

[@gameswithfrank]

ok I had to watch this twice because I was anticipating a jump scare the first time... -_-

[@joshua42777]

Make a simple prototype for a big game, shelve it then finish a small game

[@flamart9703]

Wow, well... I'll finish my current small game in a few months and I've planned already to start a medium-sized game in 2025, which can be inflated endlessly until it bursts. :) Of course, I won't wait for it to burst, because there's no way I'm going to become a slave to one game, and I'll move on to the next more exciting and bigger "balloonable" (Inflatable) project. Yes, I know, it'll be hard to work on big project, but who cares if I don't care?

[@SandorClegane-TheHound]

It's a big idea But a small game currently Hopefully in a week or so I'll have enough down to secure an audience. From there I do hope you get a chance to look at the game and at the least mention it We shall see.

[@blasterxt9]

Thanks buddy Thomas brush

[@jessedv5915]

Great concept but you didn't get into the negatives for the audience. A lot of people have been complaining about live service games id be interested in hearing how this differs to that introducing live service to indie games a place where people go to escape it might be a bad idea even though profitable

[@badscotsman]

With small games on Steam, is there any worry today that players will refund if the gameplay isn't 2+ hours?

[@silchasruin4487]

What would your idea of a small game be? Anyone serious about making a game usually doesn't want to make the next MMO/MOBA or Skyrim. I don't want to fall into the trap of making another clone of something already out there but worse. Fresh ideas are difficult to come by, I wouldn't say because of market saturation but when you look at what has been made you don't know what else you could do. I don't even think fresh ideas are important but what is important is for each developer to be able to differentiate what they are making compared to what's out there. Cultic for example as compared to previous boomer shooters.

[@FillMakesGames]

What is better? Making a bunch of games with the same world or making a bunch of games in the same genre? Which will retain the same audience?

[@MrJayakumar21]

unreal is good for indie devs?

[@DeputyChiefWhip]

Helldivers (top down) to Helldivers 2.. AAA third person...

[@BlackJar72]

I don't remember games costing more than $20 in the 90s -- Doom and Hexen cost me 19.99 as I recall.

[@gameboardgames]

Those were both not average games. Average games, the majority of games, were not 20 bucks and not shareware like doom originally was.

[@rafavico2684]

but what exactly is a small game. Which point traces the difference in scope between something small or large.

[@thomasbrush]

You know what is small for you

[@MichaelCoorlim]

I make small games. Week-long dev cycles. Maybe I should make slightly larger games.

[@occupationalhazard]

Big game it is!

[@calmhorizons]

I think Hyper-Realism has become stale for a lot of gamers too (The every UE4/5 games looks and feels the same comments you see) - so there is a natural reversion to older art styles - since those older art styles co-existed with simpler game experiences, there is a kind of association/halo effect were people, when they see simpler art, naturally accept simpler core gameplay.

[@Xapilos]

First of all, how do you define a big game vs a small game? Let me explain my question: I’m working on a 3d horror game. The only thing that I consider “Big” about that game is the graphics, which we are aiming to look alike a AAA. (And we are doing it because it has the second goal to serve our art portfolio). But we have a short but meaningful story, a small single environment. Too simple gameplay mechanics and no cinematics. Yet, some people would consider just for the art scope this is a big game.

[@24Players]

I think he was talking about length of loop, not Level of Detail. If your game can eventually have more levels and mechanics, then the LTV (Long Term Value) will make it big. So I would argue that your game is small ("Single Environment").

[@kadermardle2670]

انا متحمس جدا ولكت حاليا لا املك وقت بعد ٣ تشهر انشالله سوف اشترك شكرا جزيلا لك انت مبدع

[@lvlndco]

I may be not normal....I don't care for the early access games. I've bought 3 or 4 over the years and it gets very disappointing when the devs make a huge deal about their updates, but it's just one little thing you may encounter once.

[@Elefsinian]

Dummy or not the last 2 videos were awesome. That’s your cult calling man. The only reason ever I would ever build a game is how much I hate working with randos… people I did not chose. Imagine this we have to spend our working lives with people we hate, or at least don’t like; what on earth…

[@24Players]

I agree 100 percent. That's why I am the Designer, not the Developer. I work with freelancers that I chose. They make my small game designs, and I deal with everything else.

[@RangTangStudios]

Let's be honest. Most games are not worth 60 dollars.

[@wfam9609]

It must be a small game like rimworld that you can play for hundreds of hours.

[@OnyeNacho]

Dear Void... You actually just gave me another reason to bother with that damned Qore World project. I was already doing this, except no longer for the money and I gave up on any hope of an audience. It is solely for my personal entertainment. Let us see if this franchise of mine actually gets anywhere.

[@ZedNerdStudios]

I just realized you are mainly talking about indie games on "Steam/Consoles" I don't see this applying in the platform of mobile game development 🤷🏾... Because a big mobile game = a small "Steam/Console" game

[@mythrilage5053]

Ok, but what is considered a small game?

[@24Players]

I think: - Small = Single screen mobile game (connect 4) - Big = Open World PC (Skyrim) - Your level = Where you personally draw the line between them.

[@BrickGriff]

Let's not commodify and monetize our own time like this, please. Let's just make games that matter. Getting away from money seems like the only sustainable approach.

[@elbow005]

😂 dude I don't mean to scare you but there is something creepy going on in your house

[@jonasqueiroga5106]

Lots of youtubers defend a small game, but what is a small game in terms of gameplay time?

[@RealityRogue]

I think it’s more about scope, like game features rather than play time But obviously something like a platformer would be a small game compared to an mmo

[@thomasbrush]

You know what is small for you

[@JamesArndt]

Inflation isn't skyrocketing. In fact it's been consistently going down due to good policies. The US's inflation rate is 2.60% compared to the long term average of 3.28%. Inflation is down to a historic low, at least for the US. Now the cost of consumer goods and services is another thing, but that's a different discussion outside of inflation. I want folks to understand that inflation is not the primary source of our economic woes. Your wages don't have enough buying power for a new TV, let alone a home. Ask yourself why your wages have no buying power. Next year may be absolute economic hell for working class folks in the US with additional tariffs, cutting of corporate tax rates, the gutting of student loan income-based repayment plans and the mass deportation of undocumented workers who literally power multiple industries in the US. Folks are going to wish for a 2.6% inflation rate next year.

[@shakazulu3253]

[@WeekofRain_hr]

haha its hard when you aim for a scope of a small game but want to keep adding things and it ends up big 🤷

[@thegames7038]

cool

[@adamrushford]

just use almond engine

[@Glaucus-999]

Thomas instead of buying the game course would you like to give me access in exhange for a percentage of my game idea? i have nothing but time and a nice computer i would like to turn this game design document into a demo asap.... as you say i am wasting lots of time on endless tutorials by wannabe game devs..... if i had the extra money i would buy the course sadly i do not

[@bovineox1111]

Nobody is along 5 small games in a year, not polished at least. Probably at the level of game jam++

[@ollie80]

no

[@clifforderskineart]

So just make games

[@BLUEBLY487]

you say Make Tiny Indie Games to much, i stopped watching your videos because it got boring, this hate comment will sadly help this video

[@thomasbrush]

This isn’t hateful. Thanks for the comment :)

[@jackcarren8781]

Whole video is a voting system, then he just throws in a vote that suddenly is worth more than all the others to call it a tie and say it depends. Waste of time 🙄

[@omerfarukbykl6097]

Now let's have Jonas talk about what kind of games could be in the "buncha-balloons" business model.

[@Wineblood]

9:05 oh the money focus again, sometimes I wonder why I watch these videos.

[@peacemaster8117]

It's a career focused channel.

[@thomasbrush]

I make videos about making a profitable game studio. If you don’t like it you don’t have to watch :)

[@madaraainna]

Just like any WOKE video make it TIE. So coward move.

[@TwoPillarsGames]

how small is small though?? @thomasbrush

[@thomasbrush]

You know what is small for you