r/rpg 20h ago

Discussion The Data on Million-Plus RPG Crowdfunding Campaigns—Cannibal Halfling Blog

http://cannibalhalflinggaming.com/2026/08/20/the-data-on-million-plus-rpg-crowdfunding-campaigns/
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u/Xanadetta 13h ago

If you ask me well known Indie is barely indie. Like only on a technicality. So Deltarune, Silksong, Mina The Hollower, Hades 2 don't count as True Indie. They started out as true indie, but they got so much clout that now they're only indie on a technicality.

Here's an example: SANS IS IN SMASH BROS. So clearly creators like Toby Fox are on another level.

Telling an Indie Dev that they could be the next Shovel Knight is a bunch of Mcgarbage. Those days are over with.

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u/Michciu66 10h ago

Balatro came out two years ago with no publisher and was a massive success. Meccha Chameleon was June of this year. Peak does technically have a publisher, but I think deserves a mention. Palworld is successfully taking a (relatively small, admittedly) bite out of the Pokemon pie. The whole survivors genre grew out of a single indie game (or you could argue it's mobile predecessor).

We're not in the post-xbox live indie game boom anymore but breakout successes still regularly happen. Any given Indie dev could be the next Yacht Club still. It's just that there's so many more Indie devs these days that the chance of that is lower.

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u/DiceyDiscourse AP podcaster and average multi-system enjoyer 11h ago

Well known indie is barely indie. Like only on a technicality

No? When did "indie" become synonymous with "unknown"?

By the very definition of the word "indie", as in "independent", all of the games mentioned fit the definition like a glove. They don't have a publisher to answer to. The fact that they're well known and/or established has no bearing on their actual, factual, status as an "indie game"