The Challenges Faced by Independent Video Game Creators

The editorial team advises you

For a month, thanks to the Booster prize – which allows you to integrate the Wizz incubator at Eurekatech in Saint-Michel – they have made three round trips to Angoulême. Like them, there are thousands of creators who handcraft their video games, hoping to one day see them on screens. Far from the behemoths Ubisoft, Electronic Arts or Nintendo which generate billions of euros and employ thousands of people in France.

Flavien Courbier and Rémi Blanc were rewarded for their game Fufufu.

Renaud Joubert

Multiple jobs

“Succeeding in making a living from video games independently is very complicated”, underline Tom and Bastien. “These are two professions. It takes one talent to create the game and another to set up your company and convince the banks”, summarizes David Beauvallet, communications director at Magelis, a few minutes before the ceremony. Tom and Bastien do five or six jobs. Coding, music, development and graphics to build the game. Communication and marketing to sell it. 35 hours a week, they are respectively a music teacher and an IT developer.

We oscillate between periods of hope and enormous doubts.

Being rewarded this Thursday is the promise of visibility, a communication campaign of €45,000 and financial support of €25,000. “ It’s one of those moments of hope, one of those moments where you tell yourself it’s worth itrejoice Tom and Bastien. We oscillate between periods of hope and enormous doubts. »

Many independents are on the RSA.

For Bastien Giafferi, 29, perfectly tailored suit and tie, this Thursday evening feels like a hangover. For two years, this former Cnam-Enjmin working on the game Project Operator. He benefited from an unemployment insurance program allowing him to create his business and receive benefits. “It stops this month. €25,000 would have helped me a lot. » Two choices: persevere or take a job to save and reinvest in Project Operator. « Many independents are on the RSA », Says the young man, who remains motivated.

Costly freedom

« The independents, we have 50% of the market in value, but we are many more players and we must share », explains David Elahee, who co-founded his studio Headbang Club in the Charente capital. None of the creators present in the Cnam-Enjmin premises is guaranteed to come out on top. Tonight, there are eight finalists. Around sixty had submitted files.

The editorial team advises you

« Out of the hundred projects that fail, there will be one that succeeds », decide Rémi Blanc and Flavien Courbier. At ages 38 and 35, they embarked on Fufufu, a cooperative game and “ crazy “. For two years, they have been refining their project. They have just won the Newbie competition, which was aimed at smaller structures. They worked for 7 and 5 years respectively at Ubisoft. “ At Ubisoft you have security, you meet more people, but you are not creative, you do not have the final say. » On the independent side, it’s the opposite.

The editorial team advises you

The animation studio transformed the Barrault wasteland in L’Houmeau. A temple of technology that attracts talent. By focusing on well-being at work and increasing the number of projects.

Instability, lack of funding, tortuous path: despite the difficulties, creating your game remains the Holy Grail for many enthusiasts. “ When you are independent, you have artistic freedom, you build what you want », assures Valentin Lopez, who with Bloomin’Studio won the Booster prize last year. In Angoulême, emulation exists. “ There were four of them ten years ago, now there are 25 studios”, estimates David Elahee. With Headbang Club, il worked on around fifteen games for other studios. In seven years, they have only made one in their name. With a budget of €112,000. A second is in preparation, with a quadrupled budget. €500,000.

(1) National school of games and interactive digital media of the National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts.

Mario arrives in Saint-Cybard

“It’s the biggest tournament we’ve organized since we started.” Samy Guerben is a happy president. 52 players will compete this Saturday on Super Smash Bros Ultimate, at MJC Rives de Charente. With some great people: Momon, who is returning from the biggest world tournament in the United States, Wayn, one of the best Bordeaux players and some of the Parisian players.
Behind this nice move, the Angoumois association SHIELD, which for two years has regularly organized video game tournaments. “ It’s open to the public. You don’t need to be an expert to watch. If we summarize the game, it’s Mario who hits Pikachu, that speaks to everyone. As for the details, the uninformed will not understand everything, but can have fun. » From 5 p.m., beginners will also be able to compete. As long as you bring your own Nintendo Switch controller.
5 rue du halage in Angoulême. From 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Free admission. Refreshment bar on site.

2023-10-07 16:51:18
#Independent #video #games #creators #struggle