Indie Games – What is Going on in Asia?

Ever miss games that are played old school, like the ones that have been embedded in our childhood memories? Indie games, games developed by independently small companies devoid of any publishers, summon nostalgia in gamers that have been playing games since the 80’s. It seems that Asia is taking a new look on Indie games.

Not only are Indie games selling well in Asia, but they are also being developed. Probably the most popular game and most talked about game on the mobile market is Flappy Bird. For those who have never heard of this game, it is a game that is played on a touchpad or phone and requires a tapping finger to control a bird from running into oncoming obstacles. The game becomes more challenging as the bird appears to be moving faster and faster, hence, the name Flappy Bird. Even though a lot of people know this game, where it was developed is rather surprising – Vietnam.

The first time I’ve heard about this game was when I was watching one of my favorite commentators on YouTube getting frustrated from just playing the first three minutes of the game. It was fun to watch him lose his temper, but it was a completely different story when I played it myself. The game was aggravating and painful but somehow fun as well. It was just as addicting and fun as any other mobile games that I’ve played.

It doesn’t just stop there. The developer of Flappy Bird, Dong Nguyen, went on to create another agonizing game called Swing Copters. Instead of having their character move to the side of their screen, players have to move up and avoid obstacles. This time, the character gathers momentum through swinging side to side. Talk about having carpal tunnel in the thumb!

Moreover, it has been suspected that one of the reasons why Playstaton 4 has been selling very well is due to their welcoming of Indie games, which they give out for free to PSN members. Playstation knew from the very start that games don’t need to have high-end graphics to be considered a good game. What’s a better narrative-driven game than an Indie game? Games like Fez and The Road Not Taken have been offered for free on PSN.

Speaking of consoles, a micro-console that hasn’t been getting the spotlight that it deserves is the Ouya. The Ouya enables people to play their Android games on their television while also bringing some multimedia functions. Some games don’t feel right when there isn’t a physical controller. Games like Shadowgun and Bombsquad work really well when there is a controller in hand. I think that one of the biggest draw for me about the Ouya is its emulator. Games from the N64 or NES can be loaded up, but sometimes the games may not be the full version. It is said that the Ouya is turning to Xiaomi, an electronic company established in China, for assistance in the mobile gaming market. Xiaomi is planning on helping the Ouya develop mobile games, expanding the market for the Ouya. A few more Indie games will be expected from Xiaomi.

In addition, the game developing engine Unity3D has made a Chinese version of one of my all-time favorite mobile games – Dead Trigger 2. I fell in love with this game right after I downloaded it. The control schemes and the gameplay is very immersive. Dead Trigger 2 is one of the very few games that make touchpad controls to feel more intuitive and natural. Unity has localized the game to the Chinese market by adding a new Chinese environment in its single-player story. Through localization, games can be easily related due to its culture and familiarity.

A number of free games are on multiple platforms, but most of them can only be downloaded digitally. It is said that digital distribution of games will be inevitable in the future. With a large amount of digital games being downloaded, that means the greater the storage will be needed. Therefore, sales in tablet devices will likely increase due to their roomy storage capacity and high-power graphics cards that will be made to be more suitable for playing games. With that being said, the next five years will be crucial for independent game developers. By then, only about 6% of mobile games will need to be purchased. Using advertisement revenues and crowdfunding will play key factors in monetizing upcoming Indie games. It was just in the middle of August that Steam was having a discount on Japanese Indie games. Even game hardware manufacturers are adjusting to the digital distribution.

Some people may find tangible items reciprocate to what they pay for and not find the weight in digital games. However, purchasing digital games may be ideal for Asia, because of the limited space in residential buildings. Indie games will definitely be held high in Asia due to their iconic vibrant colors and immersive gameplay, since many independent game developers all started in Asia.

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