Skip to main content

My First Game Will Flop

And so will my second, and my third. I have to make peace with that fact.

  • Flying Padre (1951)

  • Day of the Fight (1951)

  • Fear and Desire (1952)

  • The Seafarers (1953)

  • Killer's Kiss (1955)

  • The Killing (1956)

  • Paths of Glory (1957)

  • Spartacus (1960)

  • Lolita (1962)

  • Dr. Strangelove (1964)

  • 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

  • A Clockwork Orange (1971)

  • Barry Lyndon (1975)

  • The Shining (1980)

  • Full Metal Jacket (1987)

  • Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

I’m sure you’ve got this fantastic idea for a game — your masterpiece, your magnum opus. But your first game doesn’t have to be the one that defines your entire career. Look at Stanley Kubrick’s filmography above. His first seven films were box-office flops, until he scored a major success with Spartacus.

Nobody expects a director to hit it big with their debut film. Why would indie game development be any different? Instead of betting the farm on your first game, why not start with something smaller, something you can release in 3 months?

Every game adds to your journey. Build. Ship. Learn. Repeat.