ABSTRACT
The last few years have seen a great rise in popularity for independent games (games created by mostly small publisher-independent teams). This phenomenon can be partially attributed to the emergence of novel distribution platforms and lightweight development tools resulting in a significantly lowered entry barrier. At the same time we see an academic 122focus on independent games manifested through dedicated special issues in journals, 1 the newly coined term indie game studies, 2 and academics advocating for “engagement with the technical, creative and social obstacles independent developers deal with in their productive life.” 3
