A few years ago, when the Epic Games Store was just getting off the ground after launch, Tim Sweeney and his team tried to attract studios with very lucrative exclusivity deals. Microsoft also engaged in similar practices with its Game Pass. However, times have changed – and for the worse.
During GDC 2024, PC Gamer journalists spoke with the authors of Slay the Spire and Darkest Dungeon. They noted that the situation on the market is now deplorable – Casey Yano from Mega Crit Games, for example, admitted that in the indie segment there are similar problems as large companies, that is, cuts and a sharp cessation of funding at the most inopportune moment.
Darkest Dungeon creative director Chris Bourassa also noted that exclusivity offers for various services (for example, the aforementioned EGS and Game Pass) have become noticeably scarcer – they are no longer as profitable as they used to be. Moreover, Bourassa noted that he made a deal with Epic Games at the right time – today an early release on the company’s site would have been much cheaper. But once upon a time, with the help of such agreements it was possible to cover a considerable part of production costs. “The gold rush is over,” the developer sadly summed up.
Let us remind you that in the coming weeks Mega Crit Games, Red Hook Studios, Heart Machine and other indie teams will hold a 45-minute presentation of The Triple-i Initiative. It is scheduled for April 10 and will begin at 20:00 Moscow time.
