How much power does the Indie community hold?

The thread Tough times ahead for indies? even Introversion launches "Save Multiwinia" campaign! got me thinking: How much power does the Indie community actually have?

I think there is a unique "bond" in the indie community. While most everyone here is either attempting to make games for a living or doing so as a hobby the goal remains the same: to make money(hopefully), and be able to continue to invest the time needed into making more games.

In most areas, people would be cut throat about the other businesses yet even though indies are competing with one another, everyone tends to be fairly helpful in offering advice and help when asked for it, and in many cases indies "band" together to sell each other's games.

I think that's fairly unique, and coupled with the "Save Multiwinia" thread popped an idea into my head.

In this market(Well, most ANY market) the "power" is eyeballs. That's what everyone is trying to get a hold of, and it's what the portals have - a large audience that they can put games in front of.

But what about the indie community? Sure, no one of us can reach the numbers of eyeballs the portals have. But how much "power" do we wield collectively?

How much power do twenty of us have?

Fifty?

Hundred?

I'm not proposing an indie portal, Game Trove covers that, but what I am proposing is something different.

An Indie Game of the Month.

Every month, as a community, we vote on a single game that we feel is good enough, has polish and shows off what the indie community can do and for that month everyone affiliates that game and pushes it.

I think there is power in numbers, and I think there is a definite advantage to indie's banding together more and pushing our games further into the mainstream and gamer's minds.

In marketing, ads have a key goal: To expose you to their products, and get you thinking about them. To bury them in your subconscious (Which is why songs/jiggles are so often used) so that when you think "Oh, I could really use some dish soap" you suddenly think, "I'll get some Ivory".

People know indie music, they know indie movies, but I don't think people know indie games yet. This would have the same goal in mind, and why it's important to pick games that is actually good and polished - that shows off the kind of games being made by the community at large.

Now there are several key things to discuss:
I remember when Game Trove was first proposed and people, while supportive of the idea, they weren't really interested in linking to the site and sending their eyeballs to it - and rightfully so.

This idea has none of that. It's all about a collective of developers pushing a product - no linking to any site - and YOU make money off of the affiliated sale.

So by now I imagine a new thought has popped into your heads: But Cody, we're just pushing this Indie Game of the Month to people who are ALREADY indie game fans - not people who don't know about indie games.

That's completely true, you're right, so far the idea I propose is such. However, the real "strength" behind this idea is one thing, and it can be a powerful thing indeed: The Story.

The indie community banding together, making waves, is a story and people like to write, and read, about stories. Stories are powerful things.

"Indie Releases Sim Game" is something that happens, an event, it isn't a story but "Indie Game Community Bands Together To Make Waves" is a story - that's a new article people will click on to see what's happening. Selling "yourself" can be almost as important as selling your game, or at least, something you should be doing WHILE selling your game.

We push this, and make it something news worthy, and it'll be just that: In the news.

I have a secondary motive with this idea, and something I've been thinking about for a long time and pondering: Why don't more indies partner up?

I've been to tons of indie sites, see one or two games affiliated, and I always wonder: Why not more?

Again, power in numbers. Maybe you can't quite make enough sales to continue doing what you want, but what if you band together with a couple of other developer's who make games in the same/similar genre and you form a partner ship where you sell each other's games? Separate you can not make enough sales, but together affiliating one another's games, it might make a difference.

Is this already happening behind the scenes that I'm just not seeing? Just random luck I go to indie sites that just aren't into affiliating much? I've seen posts from time to time here asking for affiliates... But are people actually forming business partnerships behind the scenes?

That's the secondary effect, even if we don't get this idea talked about in major print or sites, maybe it'll show that, collectively, we can get sales counts close to what the portals can sell.

Just some ideas to ponder, if you aren't already doing it, and a topic I wanted to bring to the forefront and get opinions on from you guys(So don't be shy).

Well, I think I got my points across enough and before this post gets too huge and bores you, I will end it with this: I'd love to hear your thoughts on this, good or bad, and get constructive feedback. While I think this is a valid idea, I also know there is a huge difference between an "idea" and something that actually works in the real world.

So I'm all for talking about this idea with people and working it out if other's feel it is valid too.

 

Actually, I address most all of those points in my post.

I admit, my idea is certainly unrefined, but I mainly wanted to start a dialog about the core idea of it.

1: Well, one example right off the bag of a way to expose a larger audience that is non-indie is digging stories such as The November Indie Game Round Up. This has only 19 diggs. What if we actually banded together and made an effort to really push news stories like this?

THAT is the power of the community I am wondering about. Alone, none of us is ever going to get that anywhere near the front page of Digg.com, but what can the indie community as a whole do with that and similar things?

2: Actually, my whole idea is about NOT directing anyone's traffic to a website - I'm not looking for Game Trove Part 2. It's about indies banding together more and making the community more well known in the process if possible.

3: That is actually one of the reasons I started dreaming up this idea. They might not review non-AAA games, but if you can create a buzz and a story big enough - they're going to likely shine some type of light on it.

If you can get gamers talking about indie games, and having an interest in it, then the big review sites are going to have second thoughts about removing their coverage(Or getting it back).

Actually, entertainment industries are rarely affected much by recessions. The movie industry was thriving during the Great Depression, in fact.

Analysts: Recession can't keep game industry down(Oldish article)
Blizzard Unaffected By Recession

Of course, there is the big question of: What is your market? If it's young males, you should be fine. If it's house wives or older folks, the recession might have some type of impact on your sales.

The Wii shares a similar audience to casual gaming, so their sales could be a decent indication of how casual games can do in a recession. The answer? The Wii is doing very well.

The point being, entertainment industries are NOT hit like other industries, so don't assume there are less opportunities. In fact, let other's assume that and you take advantage of the fact if possible.

People WANT to escape from the recession worries, and games allow them that(As do movies and sex, two other industries largely unaffected).

Edit: Here are some articles people might find useful.
Casual games may be recession proof companies report record revenues and some surprising trends
Credit crunch won't affect us say casual leaders

 

This is an example if true, I think, where we as indies could help one another out.

Now, I have no idea about your business, Jeff, or your newsletter size or anything about your company at all - but damnit, that won't stop me from using you as an example!

Right now, for argument's sake, the best option is likely for Jeff's company to get on a portal if he really wants to sell copies. That is where the most eyeballs are, and he, alone, can not compete with those numbers.

But what if Wolffire Games partnered up with other indies that sold similar games?

By partnering up with each other they are continuing to make money while they can developing their next game, while at the same time they are helping a fellow indie out - all while NOT linking or diverting traffic to anyone else's site.

I liken it to a spider's web. I think the indie community COULD become a huge spiderweb of companies selling each other's games, actively, and helping other companies out by helping their own sales out at the same time. It's a win for both parties.

THAT is one of the areas I wonder about what kind of power the indie community can have.

If I had a choice between choosing to go on a portal that takes most of my revenue or partnering up with ten-twenty(Just to toss a number out there) other indies and making the same kind of money, I know which choice I'd make.

I'd do both, actually. But my point is, we know what the portals have to offer.

I'm not sure we really know about what the potential of a Indie Spiderweb of Developers is.

What kind of power/potential does that Spiderweb have?

And this isn't a hidden advertisement for Spiderweb Games, although I do enjoy them.

 

This is exactly what I was interested in hearing about. From what I saw, people would just randomly post "Hey, got a game to affiliate on RegNow. Go for it." on these forums. I always thought it was a little odd, and I wondered if people were actively seeking out other indies with similar games behind the scenes.

So my question to you both are: Did you both do so? Or did it just kind of happen out of the blue? Do you still look for other indies to affiliate with that you think will be a good partnership or is it just kind of, if it happens, it happens?

Right now on our site The Indie Developer's Guide, I have a Distribution List that has Portals, Affiliates and Developers listed. Would people be interested in a thread on these forums as well that lists ALL Developers(Who are interested, anyway), their game(s) genre and their e-commerce choice?

What other "stats" or items would be useful to have listed?

That way it'll be easier to find other developers to connect with and form working relationships.

Good point. I'm not really big on arguing about who isn't, and who is indie. I just figured that those who are actually big enough to not be considered "indie"(Or to start the argument of "Hey, they aren't indie!") would have no interest in putting time into a project/movement like this so it wouldn't be an issue.

I'm not sure if that's completely true. Do a large number of people not care if it's an indie or an AAA title, as long as it's good? Well, yeah. But there are certainly fans of "Indie" games, just as there are fans that'll check out any FPS or RTS, and they care.

While a large chunk of people might not "care", people do have opinions on what certain terms mean. Indie games I don't think has a real solid image of what it means to many gamers(Or a true image) - I think one of the "biggest" advertisement for indie games is on G4 with that 30 second block that they show off a free, but ultimately simple, browser based indie game. So people think of indie games as that. That's what they are exposed to.

Brand recognition is a powerful thing, and part of the goal would be to give "Indie Games" a broader and more true image. Indie games aren't just little simple things - there's sim games, adventure games, RPGs and so on and so on. It's about exposing people.

So, we can either;
A) Stop using the "Indie" term.
B) Work on making the "Indie" term have a better image.

If B the question is then, is it worth it?

But ultimately, the point of this thread is to start a dialog on what we can as a community do to help ourselves? What kind of power do the whole lot of us wield together, and where can we focus it that'll help all of us out?

I know one thing, and you can take this to the bank: Portals and publishers are COMPLETELY uninterested in helping out indies in many ways, and they shouldn't be interested, either. Their goal is to make indies NEED them.

My goal is to explore other avenues and give indie's options.

So, a question for those who have newsletters and/or forums: Have you ever asked your fans to help you in any way? To vote for your game or digg an article? If so, what was the reaction you got?

If you haven't done that, maybe it's something we should all consider. I point you towards this article. Did you know Introversion's Uplink is the 9th best game of all time? No?

Well, it is... According to PC Gamer's top 100 list.

It was a vote in list, you see.

Introversion got their core fans motivated and voting.

How can we, respectfully, use that power to spread Indie news on sites such as Del.icio.us, Digg, Slashdot, Reddit and gaming forums?

How can YOU use that power to spread news about YOUR products on sites/forums?

Have you ever asked your fans to spread the word on your newest game?

Great posts so far guys, good or bad, I wanna hear it all.

Remember, No Input, No Output.

 

I encourage your's, and anyone else's insight and opinions, it can only help.

So just to get back more onto the heart of the idea, I know my posts might be a bit on the rambling side, I'd love to hear some thoughts on the questions in my last big post.

 

I hope everyone, who celebrates it, had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Okay, back to the discussion at hand.

The main question on the board: How can we help ourselves?

Del.icio.us, Digg, Slashdot, Reddit:

The above directory sites are a wonderful way to get tons of people to look at your link - if you can somehow get it to the front page.

What can we do to increase the likelihood of getting onto the front pages of those sites when we post Indie related stories?

This works behind the same ideals of making sales - you need a BUNCH of people who receive your Shouts, not just the 30-40 developers we currently have on the on the Indie Digg List. We should look to increase the number of people who can digg it(IE, people who are 'friends' to our digg accounts).

How many of you, with loyal fan bases who enjoy your games, have made it known you have a Digg account or have you tried what Interversion has?

Again, the theme of my posts: Power in numbers.

If each of us gets 5 people friended to their digg accounts from your fan base, well, 5 people doesn't matter. It's a drop in the bucket.

But 5*30? 150 people, now that's a start of something.

The Community:

Cliffski and Jack Norton both mentioned how affiliate sales can be very profitable - if you can find other people making the right game for your audience. So I propose a listing of either all developers who are interested in being affiliated, or a list of all games that can be affiliated(Thanks, Christian).

I've worked on these two templates, let me know, first and foremost, if you think this idea is any good. Secondly, which template idea you like better.

Developer Template:
Name: Company Name and link to company's page
Games: Game Name(Genre), Space Invaders From Doesn't Exist 4(Shooter)
E-Commerce Service: BMT Micro(Vendor ID)

Game Template:
Game Name: Game Name and link to game
Genre: The Genre.
Description: Short description about the game.
E-Commerce Service: BMT Micro(Vendor ID)

I lean towards, personally, the game template. I could set up a thread, here, and have all the different genres listed. So if you're audience is geared towards RPGs, just click on the RPG list and there you go. It would be an easy way to connect developers to one another.

Thoughts? Ideas? Any other categories you'd like listed? Date of game's release? What operating system(s) the game runs on?

Kneehat also has some interesting ideas about bundle deals and the like. Certainly an avenue developers might want to explore if they form some partnerships with other developers.


As always, No Input, No Output - I wanna hear all your ideas, thoughts and feedback. Bonus credits for class participation.