Exploring the Realm of Indie Role-Playing Games

[junsey]

Hello everyone!

My name is Rodrigo, and I come from Argentina. For some years now, I've been working on a role-playing game called Trotamunda. In broad strokes, it's a medieval fantasy game where the protagonists are anthropomorphic animals. The premise is to play as your own pet in a satirical world that reflects, with a touch of acidic humor, our reality. The game is designed with a broad combat system, but without losing sight of the importance of narrative.

This project is a passion I develop in my spare time, based on a board game I published some years ago in Argentina. I share this here because I'd like to hear your opinions in terms of commercial viability. Do you believe there's room for independent games today? Is it possible to launch new role-playing games, or is the market already too saturated? We all know that role-playing enthusiasts tend to be creatures of entrenched habits, and it's common for a gaming group to stick with the same game for years. While the pandemic has seen a surge in new games, is this trend changing?

Projects like Critical Role generate a lot of interest, but how many independent games disappear without a trace? And how do they compare to board games, which in my opinion are more popular?

I'd like to start a debate on this topic. I'll leave the link to my game's website in case anyone is interested. Although, for now, it's only available in Spanish, I haven't yet decided whether to launch it outside Spanish-speaking territories. Since my second language is English, I'm considering the idea of translating it, but I haven't made a decision yet.

Trotamunda | Trotamunda

 

[Nakana]

i do think there is room for indie rpgs. But I think you need to have a good/smart/clever marketing campaign to reach your target audience (which needs to be clearly defined) and pique their interest. Then hopefully develop a small but loyal following and then focus on keeping them.

Without a huge budget for marketing, I think it will be highly unlikely for any indie rpg to go mainstream and fit in the tier as the big popular ones.

I think tons of indies come and go. I also think there are a good number of indies that are successful because they achieved that following I talked about but haven’t achieved “common” status so you just haven’t heard of it yet. I’m discovering games all the time that have been out for years and have a strong community, but they’re new to me.

Also important, is what you consider “success”. Revenue, profit, player base, etc. This is where logistics and operations play a huge factor. Some of the reasons why indie games disappear is because they did get popular but poor planning meant they actually lost money on the product, couldn’t sustain operations, and went under.

Other things to consider is similar products (aka competition) and emphasizing how you differentiate. From your description of your game the last thing you’d want someone to think is “sooo… basically Root?” Keep in mind, I’m not trying to marginalize your game, rather I’m pointing out potential blind spots so others won’t.

Lastly, I’ve heard everywhere that a successful rpg still doesn’t really take in a lot of money. So let that help define what success looks like for you. I’m developing a game myself and my goal when I launch is if I make just $100 and those customers are happy with their purchase then I’ve achieved my goal. (Incredibly low expectations, but hopefully realistic).

P.S. I really like your cover artwork.

 

[Morrus]

A small company doesn't need to be the size of Google to be successful.

It's possible to make more money as a one-man band than as a salaried corporate employee--even the big ones. Sure, not everyone can do it, but overheads are waaaay lower, and the '1000 true fans' theory isn't all hot air. Forget international fame--you don't need 50M people playing your game worldwide/ 1,000 people who spend a hundred dollars a year on your stuff is a pretty decent living, and if you can get 5,000 people? You're doing damn well.

So I guess, how do you define successful? There are small company owners in this industry making more than famous designers at the multicorps... but they are not common.

And yes, board games are a 10 times larger industry, and the big players there are generally way bigger than the big players in TTRPGs. But that also means it's 10 times more difficult to get noticed. There's something to be said for being a big fish in a small pond.

But yeah, it's a gamble.

 

[RangerWickett]

I wrote some adventures, and have heard from a few dozen people who've played them. Maybe I'm not rich from it, but I feel good to know that my art was enjoyed by others.

 

[Composer99]

I mean, basically almost the entire opus at itch.io is indie designers who are happily publishing what they love without much expectation of making big sales. Most are in the same boat as @RangerWickett I'd imagine.

 

[Anon Adderlan]

Yes, the market is saturated, and already full of cute animal games. So if you expect your game to be popular or profitable it will be an uphill battle requiring skillsets beyond simply game design. The 'indie' market is also very insular and consists mostly of other designers buying each other's products in support, often without the intention or ability to actually play them. If you find any of this discouraging then you should probably stop now.

However if this is a constant buzz in your ear that screams for its existence to be made manifest then boy howdy you're in good company.

I mean, basically almost the entire opus at itch.io is indie designers who are happily publishing what they love without much expectation of making big sales. Most are in the same boat as @RangerWickett I'd imagine.

And those games are often bought in low cost charity bundles so massive that customers don't even realize which games they already own.