Good morning. It’s Tuesday, 16th October. Breaking into the saturated gaming market isn’t easy—most indie titles flop. In today’s feature, Harish Chengiah, Founder of Outlier Games, shares essential strategies for first-time developers. Learn how simplicity, focus, and smart scoping can help your game stand out, even with limited resources.
We also cover the India Development Foundation’s new report, which introduces a quantitative framework to assess skill in online games—a move that could shape future policymaking. Plus, catch the latest on Microsoft’s settlement over its Activision deal and other key updates.
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Scoping for Success – An Indie Developer’s Survival Guide
In a market flooded with over 1,500 new titles on Steam every month—and even more on Google Play—standing out as an indie game developer has become a formidable challenge. The harsh truth? Most games are destined to fail. Whether they’re low-budget hobby projects, poorly executed concepts, or overambitious efforts, the result is often the same: a commercial flop. But how do you increase your odds of success without burning through resources?
Our feature article by Harish Chengiah, Founder and Studio Head of Outlier Games, takes a deep dive into the art of scoping—the essential strategy of narrowing focus and maximizing output to build games that succeed, even with limited resources. For first-time developers, Chengiah warns against overly complex genres and urges studios to avoid the pitfalls of feature creep and mounting tech debt. Instead, success lies in simplicity, laser-focused concepts, and continuous iteration.
Chengiah outlines the do’s and don’ts for new developers, offering practical advice on choosing manageable genres, setting realistic schedules, and keeping your vision clear. Whether you’re building a first-person puzzle adventure or a cozy 2D platformer, careful scoping can mean the difference between a memorable debut and a title lost to obscurity.
India Development Foundation Unveils Framework to Assess Skill in Online Games
The India Development Foundation (IDF), a private non-profit research organization, has released a report titled “Modeling the Role of Skill in Online Games” during the Indian Gaming Convention 2024, which began on October 14. The report introduces a quantitative framework to assess how skill influences outcomes across different online gaming formats.
This study marks the first effort to create a theoretical framework for understanding how skills develop through experience and impact a player’s likelihood of winning. The IDF’s new model offers a “game-agnostic” scoring system, applying seven statistical tests to analyze skill dominance, irrespective of whether real money is involved.
Professor Shubhashis Gangopadhyay, IDF’s Research Director, emphasized the importance of distinguishing skill-based games from chance-based ones to safeguard legitimate gaming and protect consumers from illegal betting platforms. "Our statistical methodology provides a reliable framework for policymakers to classify games accurately," he said.
The seven tests include key measures such as whether experienced players consistently outperform random strategies, whether winning probability correlates with skill, and whether skill improves with experience. According to the report, passing any one of these tests qualifies a game as skill-based.
The IDF believes the framework will support evidence-based policymaking, ensuring legal clarity and fostering sustainable growth within India’s online gaming industry.
Quick Bytes
Microsoft Settles Gamer Lawsuit Over Activision Deal
Microsoft has settled a 2022 lawsuit filed by gamers challenging its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, citing concerns that the merger would reduce consumer choice, raise prices, and make popular titles exclusive to Xbox. On Monday, both sides informed the court of a deal to dismiss the case “with prejudice,” preventing it from being refiled, though the settlement terms remain undisclosed, with each party covering its own costs. The settlement follows Microsoft’s legal victory against the Federal Trade Commission, which failed to block the merger, allowing the tech giant to move forward with the acquisition earlier this year.
Report: Children’s In-Game Spending Drops Across Europe
A new report from Video Games Europe, conducted by Ipsos (via Games Industry), reveals that children’s average monthly spending on in-game extras has fallen from €39 to €31. Based on a survey of 2,772 parents and guardians, 73% said their children spend between €1 and €20 per month, primarily on gameplay-enhancing items, with cosmetic purchases at 30% and loot boxes at 21%. While 76% of respondents reported their children make no in-game purchases—a figure unchanged since 2020—many parents have spending agreements in place, with 49% requiring permission and 27% setting limits to manage costs.
Alpine Unveils Indiana Jones-Themed Livery for U.S. Grand Prix
Alpine is showcasing a special Indiana Jones-themed livery for the United States Grand Prix in Austin, celebrating the upcoming video game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, slated for release in Spring 2025. In partnership with Xbox, the car features a “sunset orange” design with ancient maps and red travel routes inspired by the iconic films, while the driver suits include world maps with golden notes. “The new look will be right at home in Austin,” said team boss Oliver Oakes. Earlier this year, Alpine debuted another movie-inspired livery at the Belgian Grand Prix featuring Deadpool & Wolverine.
Game Freak Confirms Data Breach, Leaks Include Employee Info and Game Projects
Pokémon developer Game Freak has confirmed a cyberattack resulting in a significant data leak, exposing over 2,600 records, including names and email addresses of current, former, and contract employees. The breach also leaked source code and beta builds of HeartGold/SoulSilver and Black 2/White 2, along with details of cancelled Pokémon projects, such as a Splatoon-style multiplayer game. Additionally, concept art and assets related to "Ounce," the codename for Nintendo Switch 2, were revealed. Game Freak apologized for the breach, pledging to contact affected individuals and enhance security to prevent future incidents.
Did You Know
Gaming Consoles Improved Mental Health During COVID-19 Lockdowns. A unique study in Japan, published in Nature Human Behaviour, leveraged the COVID-19 pandemic's console shortages to explore the impact of gaming on mental health. Researchers studied individuals who won lotteries for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 consoles, providing a rare opportunity to examine gaming’s effects free from bias. The results? Reduced psychological distress and improved life satisfaction among console owners.
The study’s lead author, Hiroyuki Egami, acknowledged that while parents feared gaming would harm mental health, the findings challenge this belief. In fact, children benefited more from gaming on the Nintendo Switch, while older participants saw greater improvements with the PS5. However, researchers found that playing for more than three hours per day diminished these benefits, underscoring the need for moderation.
During lockdowns, gaming offered stress relief, cognitive engagement, and social interaction—key factors that contributed to mental well-being. Though the researchers cautioned that pandemic conditions may have amplified these positive effects, they emphasized that gaming’s benefits extend beyond these circumstances.
The findings provide a more nuanced understanding of gaming’s role in mental health, encouraging parents to adopt balanced approaches to gaming rather than imposing unnecessary restrictions. Researchers aim to explore further how personalized gaming experiences could enhance well-being across different contexts.
Quote of the Day
from AFK Gaming https://ift.tt/4puefjU
Hello, my name is Jack Sparrow. I'm a 50 year old self-employed Pirate from the Caribbean.
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