ABSTRACT
For indie developers, networking is framed as an unqualified good: the bigger network you have, the better off you are in terms of economic sustainability. In this chapter, we use both qualitative and quantitative data from PAX East, PAX West, and GDC to critically examine whether networking – and the resources it demands – really is a universal good. We first turn to theories of Social Network Analysis (SNA), defining what we mean by networking and highlighting how SNA theories can be applied to indie development. In the second half of the chapter, we use survey data to discuss the differences in both economic stability and networking practices that are linked to one’s geographic location and whether one has access to a local network or not. While quantitative analysis is somewhat novel for indie game studies, this empirical data helps us understand more about how both creative ideas and funding opportunities circulate within indie networks, as well as the limitations of events and online communities as stand-ins for long-term face-to-face communities of practice. In short, the ability to maintain a long-term career in games is linked to where a developer lives.
