Indie Games Rock the Boat with Fresh Talent

Scott Steinberg explains why game studios don't need million dollar budgets, celebrity developers or even the latest and greatest graphics to shake up the industry.

There’s no question that gaming has its blockbusters. The recent release of high-profile, high-budget titles like Halo 3 and Grand Theft Auto IV set sales records and captured as much publicity as their big-screen brethren, but is it really these megagames that are driving the industry forward, or smaller indie studios? Scott Steinberg makes the argument for the little guy in this week’s episode of Player’s Only.

As many industry experts point out, digital game distribution networks like Steam, the PlayStation Network and WiiWare have opened new doors for smaller developers to get their games where they belong – in the hands of gamers. And this may have big consequences for the entire industry. “You get all these new people, these young kids taking risks that the mainstream companies just won’t touch,” said Dave Gilbert, founder of Wadjet Eye Games. “You get new ideas, new types of game play, new everything.”

New episodes of Players Only, Digital Trends’ ongoing video game industry series, are released every Thursday, running up until June 6. The final series will comprise 10 episodes, spanning topics from the artistic merit of video games to the latest industry trends, like casual gaming.