How do I start making indie games?

If you love games, you've probably thought about making your own.

What if the next big game everyone's playing is made by you?

Photo by orva studio on Unsplash

You don’t need a big budget or to be a coding genius — just time, effort, and a good idea.

If you love the idea of creating worlds people can get lost in, then indie game development could be for you.

Some of the most popular games around us are indie games: Among Us, Undertale, Five Nights at Freddy's, Stardew Valley...

"Indie" is short for independent. Any game made by a solo creator or small team, without the financial support of a big studio or publisher. This means full creative control! That’s why indie games are often highly creative and connect with players on a deeper level.

The best thing is, there’s no strict definition of what an indie game has to look like. Any genre or style works:

• 2D

• 3D

• platformers

• visual novels

• tabletop games

• and more!

As resources are limited, it’s common to have to wear multiple hats. So, whatever your talents are, there's a place for you!

Art

• Illustration, concept art, 3D modelling, animation

• Designing characters, environments and UIs (user interfaces)

Narrative Design & Game Writing

• Writing the story and all in-game text

Programming

• Writing and testing the code that makes everything work

Sound Design

• Creating music, sound effects and voiceovers

Every game begins with an idea.

For your first game, you’ll want to start small and keep it simple. It’s easy to underestimate just how much effort even a “simple” game takes to make.

Once you’ve got an idea, it's time for a Game Design Document (GDD). Think of it as a production plan for your game — a document that lays out your concept, gameplay mechanics (the rules, systems, and interactions that define how others will play your game), story, characters, and art style.

To help with this, you'll need to start thinking like a game designer. The TikTok video below shows a little of what that involves!

Game engines are the software you'll use to actually build your game. You'll need one that supports your idea, like whether you're making a 2D or 3D game.

You can easily find engine comparison lists that will help you decide which works best for you.

Here are some popular options:

• Godot, Unity, and Unreal: Used by pros, but all have free versions for beginners. Great for 2D and 3D games

• GameMaker and Construct 3: Affordable and beginner-friendly with free versions

• RPG Maker, Ren'Py and Twine: Great for story-driven games

• PICO-8: Ideal for simple, pixel-art style games

Once you’ve got an idea and your tools sorted, you can finally start bringing your game to life!

At this stage, you should narrow your idea down to just the basics needed to make your game playable.

Building a quick, rough draft of your game— a prototype — lets you test if your core mechanics work before investing tons of time.

No art or sound just yet! Figure out what's essential to test and cut everything else.

It's also the perfect time for player testing. Get anyone to play and give honest feedback. This helps you spot problems early and see if your idea is worth developing further.

Platforms like Steam, Itch.io, and game consoles are common choices for publishing a game.
Itch.io is probably the most accessible option if you're just making games for fun. And it's also a great place to discover and play other indie games.

Photo by Felipe Vieira on Unsplash

And if you're dreaming of commercial success, then building an audience and marketing your game matters almost as much as making it!

There's a huge, passionate community of indie game makers out there as a source of support.

Don't be afraid to get involved. Join a Discord community, attend events, and engage with others. You might find some new collaborators or friends!

When you feel ready (or not!), try joining a game jam: an event where people make games together, usually with a tight timeframe and limited scope. It's a great way to gain experience and meet others, whether online or in person.

My first game came out of IndieCade’s Climate Jam.

Others include:

• Global Game Jam

• itch.io's Game Jam page

It's totally normal to feel like an imposter when you're first starting out. But if you're making games, then you're a real game designer.

You don't need to know everything. Plenty of game makers use pre-made assets or borrow code (with the right permissions!). Everyone starts somewhere. And if you keep at it, you'll get better with time.

Ready to start making games? Here are your next steps: