Tomorrow’s Games, Today
This article was written by: Cooper BibaudHalo. Call of Duty. Grand Theft Auto. Those names carry a lot of weight in our industry. Upon release they break records and sell to millions of frantic fans who’ve been waiting for the next release since they bought the previous iteration. Now let’s try this: Machinarium, VVVVVV, Small Worlds. Heard of them? Perhaps.
If not, it’s probably because they’re what make up a tiny fraction of our independent gaming industry. Where an entire development team can consist of just one man, or one woman. Where it’s not all about the prettiest graphics, or epic online multiplayer but rather fresh ideas, and innovative gameplay. Why is this important? Because these are the same people that could be giving you your next World of Goo, or Castle Crashers.
There are festivals, like the IGF (Independent Games Festival) that cater strictly to this industry. Think of it as the Sundance or Cannes but for indie games. Hundreds of titles are divided upon a panel of judges that grade them, and give the developers direct feedback on how to improve. At the time of submission they may consist of a single button, placeholder graphics or sounds, and most may not even be completed yet. But with the feedback and support they may go on to eventually become the next Fl0wer.
It’s a really interesting side of the video game industry that I encourage everyone to look into. It’s a place where taking risks is encouraged, rather than recycling a winning formula. Sometimes it really pays off. For example, a game that proudly sits amongst my favorite games of all time (#2 to be precise) came from such a place. It was a little title called Braid. To me that game was a welcome breath of fresh air.
The best part is that we today, have the tools more so than ever before to expose ourselves to some of these great games. From the early stages like on Microsoft’s XNA on XBox Live, to some really solid final content like the PixelJunk games on PSN. We’ve also got the Virtual Console and most of all the App store.
I think it’s important to educate yourself and expand your gaming pallet. Give it a try, you’ll be surprised at how much time you’ll end up sinking into a game consisting of a few dots.
ABOUT THIS AUTHOR
You love World of Goo!