The Rise of Indie Gems: How ‘Balatro’ and Similar Titles Outshine AAA Games

The gaming industry is currently experiencing a crisis. The expenditures for significant releases are escalating uncontrollably, with titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020) incurring costs of up to $700 million to create. The developer workforce has been severely impacted too, with numerous studios shutting down, leading to over 10,000 job cuts in 2024 alone. Adding to this predicament is the reality that several titles have performed poorly — for example, Concord, whose servers barely endured longer than a complimentary Hulu trial — raising significant questions regarding the vitality and trajectory of the gaming sector, and the future of it all.

However, in the midst of one of the most challenging years the AAA sector has ever encountered, an unforeseen benefit has emerged: indie games are thriving. Although their popularity has been on the rise over the years, independents have taken the spotlight in recent discussions, with games like Balatro and Palworld swiftly achieving millions in units sold, and anticipated launches such as Hades 2 attracting hundreds of thousands of participants, even while still in the early access phase.

While AAA games are struggling, independent developers are flourishing with significant movements occurring in terms of creative breakthroughs and promoting healthier work conditions for creators.

One notable studio is Strange Scaffold, launched in 2021 under the direction of Xalavier Nelson Jr., who formerly contributed to projects like Hypnospace Outlaw (2019) and Stranger Things VR (2024). Their mission was to establish a healthier, sustainable model for game creation, resulting in 12 releases in only four years. This endeavor positioned Nelson on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list and secured Strange Scaffold a collaboration with Paramount to develop the upcoming Ninja Turtles title, Tactical Takedown.

Yet, although AAA titles and indie games might appear to be completely distinct realms, they constitute two sides of the same coin that share similar challenges, particularly concerning how a game’s budget and production processes are designed. “The unfortunate reality surrounding titles like Suicide Squad and Concord is they serve as prominent red flags for a developmental trend that is prevalent at various tiers within the industry,” Nelson explains. “The notion that, unless you produce a project that is considered too big to fail, you will fail. It turns into a self-fulfilling cycle, from AAA to AA to indies; the scales vary, but the repercussions of failure remain concealed.”

As indie titles like Among Us continue to become sensational hits and social media phenomena, the demand for success has only intensified, prompting many to discover creative methods for adaptation. Rolling Stone recently engaged with developers from studios Strange Scaffold, Aggro Crab, and Sunset Visitor to explore the challenges confronting the industry and the ways smaller teams are navigating them.

Maintaining the momentum

Strange Scaffold has gained recognition for producing unconventional games that require only a few hours to complete. Clickolding (2024) presents an odd experience where you only need to click a counter for a brief period while a cloaked figure watches you in a hotel room. An Airport For Aliens Currently Run by Dogs (2021) is an adventure game focused on addressing the issues faced by traveling dogs depicted through stock images. El Paso, Elsewhere (2023) is a gritty shooter inspired by Max Payne, where you confront a vampire overlord.

The studio’s development approach focuses on transparency with both gamers and the financial backers of their projects. Strange Scaffold’s mission is to establish the “sustainable” creation of smaller games characterized by manageable budgets, timelines, and scopes. For Nelson, it centers on managing a studio that can maintain itself by producing innovative games with potential for viral success and that don’t necessitate long-term commitments to complete. Despite most of Strange Scaffold’s games receiving positive feedback, crafting these experiences has not been without its challenges.

“The Strange Scaffold ‘formula’ tends to be highly susceptible to mythmaking,” states Nelson. “Ultimately, it boils down to treating individuals with respect, creating a substantial experience for your gamers, and adhering to your schedule and financial plan. There’s no sorcery involved. We’ve persevered, and we’ve also been capable of earnestly learning from each release we’ve executed, which is one of the chief threats of this era when we don’t allow developers to evolve from one release to the next.”

Massive games frequently require over five years to develop, alongside investments in the nine-figure range and countless hours of labor. Once those undertakings are completed, teams transition to the next project; developers often receive limited opportunities to learn or innovate as companies fixate on producing sequels or pursuing the next major trend. 

Nelson’s strategy involves utilizing compressed development timelines not merely to conserve funds, but to motivate his team to function within artistic limits as a method to refine their abilities, leading to the more innovative creations for which Strange Scaffold is well-known. “The notion that you’re going to create a five-year game instead of a two-year one [implies that] inherently you are going to produce something that is more exceptional and of greater quality than the two-year game,” Nelson asserts, “even though we have numerous instances that prove otherwise.”

A significant challenge for Nelson has been securing financial backing for some of their smaller projects. It’s difficult to convince someone to commit to something unconventional like Clickolding, which lasts roughly an hour. Nelson likens the state of the industry to a form of “systematized gambling,” where even novice developers are making substantial bets on their debut release, pouring everything into crafting a broadly appealing super-game, rather than a thoughtfully designed experience aimed at being innovative. 

“If you find yourself in Hollywood, even if you yield successes, the conversation in many public discussions suggests you’re regarded as a liability if you fail to meet your deadlines or budget,” Nelson expresses. “In the gaming sphere, it’s quite the opposite; if you’ve received accolades and the game has sold copies, you will, in fact, be granted the ability to influence even more people’s lives and undertake even larger risks, provided that outcomes are ultimately favorable. This implies we’ve transformed into an artistic form that is increasingly brilliant in various sectors of the world, yet we are dreadful at producing them.”

The idea of risk management is standard for AAA publishing, yet this mindset has permeated developers at all levels within the industry as more games begin to achieve breakout success. Strange Scaffold’s firm commitment to concise timelines and resource allocation has ensured that their moderate achievements justify continuing this method. Nelson observes that each of the studio’s games has generated enough revenue to validate this approach, and the output of his studio now nearly triples that of their contemporaries, which has aided in securing publishing partners. However, other developers have chosen diverse self-publishing approaches. 

Self-assurance

Aggro Crab is the studio responsible for Going Under (2020), where players take on the role of an unpaid intern exploring the remnants of terminated tech startups. Their latest creation, 2024’s Another Crab’s Treasure, offers a vibrant spin on Soulslikes (a subgenre influenced by the Dark Souls series) focusing on a diminutive crab navigating a trash-strewn underwater environment. This engaging game provides the often challenging Soulslike experience with numerous accessibility features while also embedding an ecological message. 

The head of Aggro Crab, Nick Kaman, was determined from the outset to deliver a cheerful style of game that players hadn’t encountered before, yet working in anew category wasn’t the primary transformation for the studio; it was the act of self-publishing and promoting the entire endeavor internally. “You can observe the outcomes. It was worth it and we figured it out,” states Kaman. “I don’t believe self-publishing is suitable for every independent developer, as for us, a core aspect of our studio is that marketing engine, and that has driven much of the game’s achievement.”

In this particular circumstance, managing everything internally was beneficial for Aggro Crab, and Kaman emphasizes that self-publishing is now an option the studio can always keep “in reserve.” However, it represents a significant risk for a modest company with 13 full-time staff members, and one they’d prefer to avoid, particularly since Kaman highlights the team’s desire to be ambitious with their forthcoming project.

Despite the triumph of Another Crab’s Treasure, the studio’s future remains uncertain. After losing their publisher for the next release, Aggro Crab is on the lookout for a new collaborator. The small crew is located in Seattle, Washington, and like many others, they’ve been dealing with a significant rise in living expenses. Maintaining a studio and funding projects independently becomes challenging when all expenses are escalating, which is why support is crucial.

“We must discover a method to secure the necessary funding for these projects to thrive. Perhaps there’s a way to create games more economically,” Kaman expresses. “There’s a saying, ‘I desire shorter games with lesser graphics.’ There is some truth to that. We’re witnessing games with diminished graphical fidelity still achieve greatness. Ambition is essential, and I aspire to see indie games receive recognition for that.”

Whether it involves entirely original ideas or reinterpreting established categories, the indie sector has become rich ground for games that advance the industry beyond mere sequels. In the case of Another Crab’s Treasure, Nick and his team were weary of seeing “knights wielding swords,” and aimed to blend a colorful Spongebob-like visual style with the existential dilemmas surrounding life and death prevalent in Soulslike games. Maintaining that equilibrium between classic and contemporary was vital.

“You don’t need to entirely reinvent the game from ground zero. In some respects, games are creations people engage with for comfort,” Kaman remarks. “After a long day, you wish for something familiar. “However, if you can deliver both the recognizable and something innovative, that’s ideal. I’ve described it as the peanut butter and pill you give to a dog.”

Through its visual style and inclusive design, Another Crab’s Treasure can serve as an entry point, a Soulslike title that novice players need not find daunting. It expands the very understanding of what that genre entails, much of which stems from Aggro Crab’s previous experience in various categories. However, such innovation can also arise with first-time developers who possess just the right concept.

Pushing limits

1000xResist (2024) is a sci-fi narrative exploration game with an captivating story that received near universal praise upon its release last year. More importantly, it stands as one of the rare instances in gaming representing the Asian diaspora — addressing the experiences of Asian immigrants. The studio behind 1000xResist is Vancouver-based Sunset Visitor, established by composer and media artist Remy Siu.

The game was always intended to be narratively bold — it’s a totally combat-free experience that conveys its narrative through dialogue, environmental interaction, and visual storytelling, resembling a visual novel. Set in a dystopian future where an alien force nearly annihilates humanity in 2047, you step into the role of a clone of one of the few remaining humans, exploring and reconstructing her shattered memories through a nonlinear storyline filled with choices.

Beyond its futuristic backdrop, 1000xResist was also designed to reflect the realities that Siu and others have encountered, interweaving the political and social challenges.

Asian migrants and their offspring encounter when relocating to vastly contrasting cultures. To Siu’s astonishment, that diasporic journey was strikingly alike to the universe-building required in crafting science-fiction narratives.

“Our segment of the Hong Kong diaspora is seldom depicted in media,” Siu expresses. “There are representations based in Hong Kong, but the experiences of Hong Kong immigrants in other locations, particularly among an older generation now, remain largely unacknowledged. We also lack this in science fiction; vast nations persisting in the future are not showcased.”

Since its debut in May 2024, 1000xResist has garnered immense attention, including a victory for “Best Narrative” at the 2024 Indie Game Awards. Although the subjects it delves into are relatively fresh for the medium, Siu notes that the world and aesthetic of 1000xResist draw inspiration from earlier masterpieces, particularly Square Enix’s sci-fi RPG NieR: Automata (2017) and the dystopian shooter BioShock (2007). These titles grapple with similarly profound concepts concerning culture and identity; however, by concentrating less on violence, 1000xResist’s narrative explores areas that those larger franchises cannot. Gamers typically anticipate blockbuster titles to feature action-genre violence.

“I frequently encounter interviews in which Yoko Taro [the creator of NieR] despises violence. Yet at some juncture, someone insisted [he must] develop an RPG, leading to creations like NieR: Automata, where you wander around, eliminate robots, and feel remorse,” Siu comments, “For us, no one was mandating combat. So let’s explore that theoretical path; what if we ventured in a manner that others wouldn’t dare, or lack the financial backing to do so.”

Siu asserts that the essence of indie game development fosters more personal and genuine portrayals of what their creators wish to share, free from the corporate pressures that often hinder AAA titles.

“It fundamentally revolves around the financial aspects and various structures and distribution avenues,” Siu remarks, “With print [media], there tends to be a challenging distribution framework, and you generally don’t encounter these narratives in film due to the high costs; even an indie film is frequently pricier than an indie game. Indie games occupy a perfectly suited niche where creators can articulate their lived experiences, find opportunities for funding in some manner, and enjoy robust distribution.”

Platforms such as Steam, GOG, and Itch.io have streamlined the distribution of games — and finding hidden treasures is not just feasible, but encouraged through various tags and community discussions. Discoverability is crucial for indie games, yet aside from organic recommendations, this can prove challenging, frequently due to the vast diversity among indie titles. There is no definitive guideline for crafting and marketing a small game, which can lead to misunderstandings among investors, making it difficult to acquire funding when your game doesn’t resemble something that’s already established as a success.

“The challenging aspect of indie games is that each one is distinctly unique, necessitating marketing and introduction to the market in such varied manners. Different backgrounds and teams require various kinds of support,” Siu elaborates, “Even though 2024 may have represented a pivotal year for indies, the subsequent one might fall short, primarily because funding was not accessible or challenging. I hope that, similar to the AAA sector, we’re gaining insight into the need for diversified funding.”

A way forward

It is indeed a fact that 2024 marked a significant year for smaller developers, with titles like Balatro — crafted by a solo developer — achieving three accolades at The Game Awards 2024, along with a nomination for “Game of the Year.” However, in spite of these triumphant tales, there remains a multitude of other indie developers battling against the current. For every AAA title that incurs costs nearing half a billion dollars, there are countless indie games lacking recognition or solid support.marketing.

An alteration is essential to ensure indie games attain the recognition they merit. The sector requires enhanced networks and systems to assist smaller developers in flourishing, along with additional avenues for consumers to find what might become their next beloved game.

“On paper, 90 percent of games are indies,” Siu remarks. “I aspire for it to evolve into a notion that is more integrated into the cultural consciousness, as indies are the industry now, and from an artistic viewpoint, I believe indies serve as the medium.”

Similar to cinema, it is independent projects that are advancing the video game medium, resurrecting vintage trends and creating experiences that seem nonsensical until experienced. Who would have anticipated that the most discussed game of 2024 would center around poker without gambling? Yet, in spite of these advancements, a sentiment resonates across the industry — indie developers require additional support and particularly, greater opportunities to develop, separate from the predefined ideas of what recent trends might be profitable.

“There’s no feasible way to establish a quality indie publisher while adhering to the same principles and logic [as AAA],” Nelson states. “Unless developers function in opposition to the culture, and a publisher chooses to operate on different values than their outcomes and associates, everyone will eventually converge into resembling each other in a few years due to compulsion.”