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[Success]

EDIT: Think back to the Wii era of shovelware games. Yes the Wii had some really good non-Nintendo games but the amount of shovelware crowded out the real gems. This is what is happening with indie games at the moment, too many undeserved indies are getting too much of the spotlight.

EDIT 2:

THey are definitely killing my brain cells from appearing on all these shows. State of play. Summer Game fest. Xbox fuck fest. They are all the same. No one wants to play them even if everyone here will say indies are saving the industry. If they were saving the industry there wouldnt be a thread on the main page everyday about how this industry is worse than ever and how Geoff Keighley's indie filled shows are all Ds and Fs.

EDIT 3:

it's not that indies are some terrible gaming subsect as a whole
it's the fact that the only games that get shown at these showcases are often super samey pastel junk with deep sentimental stories that no one talks about in a year meanwhile Steam's indie showcases end up getting all the popular fun ones- either these showrunners have some deep connections to the devs in particular or they are PAYING to be there which is very un-indie. A whole bunch of nepotism the way I see it

Low quality indie games are taking more and more stage presence while high quality indie games are getting mixed in with low tier ones.

 

[BennyBlanco]

They’re carrying the industry.

I enjoyed Balatro and Chrono Ark more than anything from any big publisher this year.

 

[TintoConCasera]

No. Shit games are killing gaming, there's tons of good indies out there and I'd argue they are saving gaming actually.

Just try and don't focus too much on those shitty shows, there's much more stuff out there that what's usually shown here.

 

[Represent.]

They’re carrying the industry.

I enjoyed Balatro and Chrono Ark more than anything from any big publisher this year.

The answer is yes then. Imagine if indie arthouse movies were carrying Hollywood instead of big blockbusters, we would all be saying its dead.

 

[Success]

They’re carrying the industry.

I enjoyed Balatro and Chrono Ark more than anything from any big publisher this year.

I am not talking about the high quality indie games. I am talking about the literal shovelware level of indie games.

 

[adamsapple]

Hard disagree.

 

[Lokaum D+]

Big companies and share holders are killing gaming.

 

[TintoConCasera]

The answer is yes then. Imagine if indie arthouse movies were carrying Hollywood instead of big blockbusters, we would all be saying its dead.

If someone shits on your steak and all you have left are some fries, it's not the fries fault.

 

[Markio128]

Indie games were cool when they were selling us a unique story/experience. Now they all look so fucking devoid of originality.

 

[MiguelItUp]

No. Shit games are killing gaming, there's tons of good indies out there and I'd argue they are saving gaming actually.

Just try and don't focus too much on those shitty shows, there's much more stuff out there that what's usually shown here.

100%.

I am not talking about the high quality indie games. I am talking about the literal shovelware level of indie games.

Probably should've changed the thread title honestly.

"Shit" indie games aren't killing gaming whatsoever, because there are still good, great, and outstanding indie games. It depends on what you're into, but there can be a LOT of "shit" indie games. But hey, they're bringing us experiences that the AAA industry won't even bother trying.

 

[Ge Os]

Oh, I get it, it's Horrible Take week.
Go on.

 

[Kssio_Aug]

What the fuck. Anyone that believes that is being ignorant. If anything, indies are saving the industry with some actually fresh air.

 

[MagiusNecros]

Indies are saving Gaming actually lol

 

[analog_future]

 

[Yoboman]

I agree

Indies should stay in the shadows with some random gems to emerge from the piles of trash

We used to get conferences with 5 minute indie segments. Now the conferences are 95% indies with 1-2 AAA at most

And they are all just depression simulators or farming games. Nothing in between

 

[BennyBlanco]

If someone shits on your steak and all you have left are some fries, it's not the fries fault.

This might be the best food analogy Ive ever seen

 

[TintoConCasera]

We used to get conferences with 5 minute indie segments. Now the conferences are 95% indies with 1-2 AAA at most

That's not the fault of the indies, it's the fault of the big studios not being able to put out a game unless they work on it for 5+ years.

 

[March Climber]

I agree

Indies should stay in the shadows with some random gems to emerge from the piles of trash

We used to get conferences with 5 minute indie segments. Now the conferences are 95% indies with 1-2 AAA at most

And they are all just depression simulators or farming games. Nothing in between

Based on your last sentence, this feels like an elaborate troll post lol.

 

[digoutyoursoul]

To me they are a nice starter to compliment the main meal. My issue more often than not is the main meal is either undercooked or we are still waiting for it so the starter becomes the focus and after watching that tonight, they are becoming as samey and uninspired as the AAA space

“ROUGE”

 

[TintoConCasera]

Having a thread like this just a few days after Selaco's release sure makes me think some of you have tunnel vision when it comes to games.

 

[ungalo]

it's the fault of the big studios not being able to put out a game unless they work on it for 5+ years.

There are not that many big studios left, and almost no average-sized studios.

And they are certainly being replaced by indies. So objectively this kind of economic model is taking over. It's not a value judgment.

 

[majorgamer10]

I think its interesting that AAA games are now more a narrative than a reality.

 

[Senua]

14 votes for yes lmao wtf

 

[T4keD0wN]

Guys, maybe the thread title is accidentally right. Indie games like baldurs gate 3, hades and dead cells are killing gaming because they make everyone else look bad by comparison.

 

[Fbh]

Nah they are making some of the most fun games out there.
There are a lot of shitty ones though, and they are hurting the good ones by making them harder to find, but they aren't "killing gaming"

We used to get conferences with 5 minute indie segments. Now the conferences are 95% indies with 1-2 AAA at most

Because games take forever to make now. When most big devs only release 1 or 2 games in a gen you aren't going to get as many announcements.
No indies wouldn't mean 90 minutes conferences full of AAA games. No indies would just mean 15 minutes long conferences with 2-3 trailers.

 

[Sanepar]

For me indies are worse than gaas. I hate them.

 

[butane bob]

These days, Indie games seem to be doing really well by poorly imitating 20-30 year old Japanese games. Eg - Bum Thrush Cyberjunk, Sea of Stars etc.

 

[TintoConCasera]

There are not that many big studios left, and almost no average-sized studios.

And they are certainly being replaced by indies. So objectively this kind of economic model is taking over. It's not a judgment value.

I don't think they are being replaced. Big games keep coming out, just at a slower pace.

If that model isn't sustainable, then AAA studios should scale down on graphics and super-realistic assets and go back to make fun games that just look nice enough.

But again, indie studios are not to blame. AAA studios are, imo.

 

[tmlDan]

People who hate indies are killing gaming, aka you, OP.

 

[SHA]

Luck isn't everything, you can't just rely on luck to build your fortune, that's not how it works, each game has to take its own place, there has to be a place for each game, existing isn't enough cause that's not how it earns recognition.

 

[The Infectious Paradox]

Indies are saving gaming and will continue to do so. It's just frustrating for people that they are highlighted at events like these now

 

[Rentahamster]

Awful games are killing gaming.

 

[Robb]

 

[[Sigma]]

Nope

 

[Revolutionary]

Wtf? No

 

[NeverYouMind]

If someone shits on your steak and all you have left are some fries, it's not the fries fault.

 

[LakeOf9]

You're an idiot

For me indies are worse than gaas. I hate them.

You're an even bigger idiot

 

[Yoboman]

That's not the fault of the indies, it's the fault of the big studios not being able to put out a game unless they work on it for 5+ years.

I disagree

Big Devs have a "we don't need to show up" attitude now so that's a problem

But the real problem is SGF is just a big pay to feature advertisement special. They aren't picking the best 10-20 games possible to show, they are picking the ones who pony up cash to be featured. And it's heavily slanted to indies who overpay to get a moment in the spotlight

 

[Guilty_AI]

You can always leave gaming OP, i'll be playing Selaco to mourn your departure from the hobby.

 

[TintoConCasera]

I disagree

Big Devs have a "we don't need to show up" attitude now so that's a problem

But the real problem is SGF is just a big pay to feature advertisement special. They aren't picking the best 10-20 games possible to show, they are picking the ones who pony up cash to be featured. And it's heavily slanted to indies who overpay to get a moment in the spotlight

In that case the problem is SGF going for the money rather than trying to show actual quality indie games.

 

[Humdinger]

No. I think you meant, "Are shitty indies killing game showcases like Summer GameFest?" If you put it that way, then ... I don't care.

 

[FoxMcChief]

Big companies and share holders are killing gaming.

Yup. That’s why two of the big companies has to put their games on PC and Nintendo.

 

[Markio128]

They certainly killed Summer Snoozefest.

 

[Mr Moose]

I might not play them a lot, but no absolutely not.

 

[March Climber]

On a side note I'm hoping this is the year where GAF collectively realizes that TGA is the better show than SGF. I've known it for about 3 years now.

 

[STARSBarry]

 

[JCK75]

No - Almost every interesting idea in the last 20 years has come from Indy devs.. As a PC gamer most of the biggest franchises began as mods for big games.
AAA are just putting out bloated overprices dog shit and indy devs are showing up how you deliver quality with a small budget..
I can think of no better use of my money than a game such as stardew valley where the dev cares about the players

 

[rkofan87]

Oh, I get it, it's Horrible Take week.
Go on.

this and saying sgf sucked bad takes all around gaf today.

 

[SlimySnake]

THey are definitely killing my brain cells from appearing on all these shows. State of play. Summer Game fest. Xbox fuck fest. They are all the same. No one wants to play them even if everyone here will say indies are saving the industry. If they were saving the industry there wouldnt be a thread on the main page everyday about how this industry is worse than ever and how Geoff Keighley's indie filled shows are all Ds and Fs.

 

[Guilty_AI]

There are not that many big studios left, and almost no average-sized studios.

Eh, out of the top of my head i can remember Rockfish Games, Ghost Ship games, SCS software, Beamng, Nightdive Studios, Vanillaware, Crate Entertainment, New Blood Interactive, and probably a lot more i can't remember right now. The line between "indie" and "AA" is pratically non-existent these days.