openindie - your indie game podcast

You've poured your heart into developing your game, a publisher shows interest, and suddenly you're staring at a contract full of terms you've never heard of. Our guest today is there to help you in that situation.To kick off our brand-new format Behind the Build, Sarah sits down with René Otto, attorney and founder of Deviant Legal, a law firm built entirely for the games industry. René works with over 300 developers and publishers, and he's written a free, 20,000-word guide to help indie devs actually understand what they're signing.You can get the guide here - no strings attached: https://deviantlegal.com/guide/game-developers-guide-publishing-agreements/They break down the clauses that matter most: royalties, recoupment traps, perpetual licenses, and the confusing world of first negotiation, first refusal, and last refusal. René explains not just what these terms mean, but how they quietly work together and why a deal that looks fine on the surface can cost you everything.Plus: the publisher who hid Easter eggs in their contract template, the developer who lost both their money and their game in a single deal, and why some publishers get suspicious when you don't negotiate.A must-listen for any indie dev who's ever received a publishing offer, dreamed of one, or just wants to know what they're getting into before signing on the dotted line.Episode Timestamps:Intro: 0:00Guest Intro: 1:38Topic Overview: 5:48Guide for Publishing Agreements: 12:26Typical Red Flags: 15:08Typical Legal Terms: 19:55Important Sections in the Guide: 27:30Owning IP Rights: 33:27Negotiating Money: 36:05Crafting Milestones: 42:33Dealing with License Fees: 46:26Handling Marketing: 49:28Community Questions: 54:56Example of a Great Publisher: 1:06:04A Guide for Devs Worldwide: 1:09:24Making Contracts More Accessible: 1:10:29How René Became a Video Game Lawyer: 1:12:21René's Law Firm: 1:19:48The Pros and Cons of Being a Lawyer: 1:28:24Sending a Message Back in Time: 1:31:25Memorable Career Moments: 1:35:03Advice for Devs Looking for a Publisher: 1:39:41René's Next Steps: 1:42:31Outro: 1:44:59As always, have fun listening! If you like what we do, tell your friends (and enemies) about us.

Sarah & iV sit down once again for a cozy chat about the indie games they really enjoyed playing in 2025 and the games they're most looking forward to in 2026.If you're looking for great indie games to play, give the ones mentioned here a shot. We're pretty sure you won't regret it.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━EPISODE TIMESTAMPS━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━TypInc.: 0:25Blue Prince: 10:03Keep Driving: 20:48Dredge: 29:46Vikings on Trampolines: 37:51Shroom and Gloom: 41:50Outro: 46:52━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━GAMES FEATURED━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━⌨️ TypInc.Developer: Game Game GamesGenre: Deckbuilder Typing Gamehttps://store.steampowered.com/app/3230090/TypInc/👑 Blue PrinceDeveloper: DogubombGenre: Strategy Roguelike Puzzle Adventurehttps://store.steampowered.com/app/1569580/Blue_Prince/🚗 Keep DrivingDeveloper: Y/CJ/YGenre: Management RPGhttps://store.steampowered.com/app/2756920/Keep_Driving/🎣 DredgeDeveloper: Black Salt GamesGenre: Mystery Fishing Strategy Adventurehttps://store.steampowered.com/app/1562430/DREDGE/🛝 Vikings on TrampolinesDeveloper: D-Pad StudioGenre: Co-op Party Gamehttps://store.steampowered.com/app/748810/Vikings_On_Trampolines/🍄 Shroom and GloomDeveloper: Team LazerbeamGenre: Card-based Roguelike Strategyhttps://store.steampowered.com/app/3271280/Shroom_and_Gloom/━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━What were the games you loved in 2025? Did our recommendations help you discover your next favorite game? We'd love to know!If you like what we do, tell your friends (and enemies) about our show!

In this episode, we are trying something new! Instead of our usual developer interviews, Sarah and iV are sitting down to give you a dedicated review and deep dive into the unique indie gem, Cryptmaster.We spent 30+ hours snooping around dungeons, typing frantically, and laughing at the Cryptmaster’s insults so you don't have to (but you definitely should).Episode Timestamps:The Cryptmaster is back: 0:00Why this episode: 0:46What is Cryptmaster: 1:30The devs: 2:02Gameplay mechanics: 2:45Typing for treasure: 6:38What makes it special: 8:18Developing Cryptmaster: 11:06Magic moments: 13:44Conclusion: 17:48Your thoughts: 19:33The New Format: Why we are shifting gears to talk gameplay and personal reviews.The Mechanics: How playing a game only with a keyboard (no mouse!) creates a frantic, fun, and immersive experience.Real-Time vs. Turn-Based: The stress (and joy) of typing "HIT" or "ZAP" before a mosquito bites you.Behind the Scenes: The fascinating story of how Cryptmaster originally started as a pirate game.Voice Acting: How developer Lee Williams ended up voicing the sarcastic Cryptmaster himself.Magic Moments: How not to Tomb RaidGame Info:Game: CryptmasterDevelopers: Paul Hart & Lee WilliamsGenre: Dungeon Crawler Puzzle AdventurePlatforms: PC & ConsolesLinks & Resources:Full Interview with Developer Lee Williams: Episode #42Find us hereHave you played Cryptmaster? Type your favorite word in the comments.If you like what we do, tell your friends (and enemies) about our show!

Sarah sits down with Lee Williams, one half of the duo behind Cryptmaster, the word-based dungeon crawler that mixes 80s gamebook visuals with dark humor into one of the year’s most original RPGs.Lee talks about his journey from teacher to game writer, voicing the Cryptmaster himself, and collaborating remotely with co-developer Paul Hart across time zones. Expect behind-the-scenes stories such as the placeholder voice that became permanent, a bug that turned into a sea witch summoning feature, and a collectible card game that unexpectedly became a fan favorite.He also offers advice for fellow indie developers, and gives a sneak peek at what is next: a wizards’ tower simulator packed with puzzles and twisted humor, along with possible updates for Cryptmaster including a New Game Plus mode.Episode Timestamps:Intro: 0:00 How Lee feels about the release of Cryptmaster: 1:12 The gameplay of Cryptmaster: 2:07 How Paul and Lee came up with the idea: 5:39 The voice and character of the Cryptmaster: 10:34 Why talking with the Cryptmaster feels natural: 15:17 Choosing the art style of the game: 23:12 Lee's favorite feature: 26:03 It's not a bug, it's a feature!: 29:38 How Lee got started as a game developer: 33:41 Magic moment in game development: 41:05 Best part / worst part of making your own game: 42:05 Lessons learned while being a game developer: 44:37 How Paul and Lee organize their work together: 46:17 Are there plans for a game studio?: 49:48 Game development scene in the UK: 51:38 How the Cryptmaster found its publisher: 53:27 Lee's advice for fellow game developers: 55:45 First details about Lee's and Paul's next game: 57:27 Outro: 1:00:32As always, have fun listening! If you like what we do, tell your friends (and enemies) about us.

Your host Iv sits down with solo developer Sydney, the creator of Qualia, a text-based philosophical game where players must figure out which of two participants is human and which might be AI. Built in the Twine engine, Qualia uses a retro computer interface, atmospheric sound, and embedded video to create an experience that questions consciousness, identity, and artificial intelligence.Sydney talks about how her background in film shaped Qualia's distinctive aesthetic, blending text and visuals into a world that feels clinical and unsettling. We get into her move to full-time development, the realities of working solo, and her choice to release Qualia for free to build an audience and gather feedback.We also dive into some behind-the-scenes stories, including the "CSS coin flip" coding challenge, the accidental educational features players love, and the story behind her studio name, CMY2K, a clever nod to color printing and tech anxiety.If you are into interactive fiction, AI storytelling, or are curious about how narratives change when you mix filmmaking with game design, this episode is for you.Episode Timestamps:Intro (0:00)Meet Sydney & CMY2K (1:06)Feelings on Releasing Your First Game (Happy Enough) (1:36)Gameplay, Atmosphere, and Aesthetics of Qualia (3:33)Engaging with Philosophical Themes and finding Easter Eggs (8:14)Sydneys Favorite Feature (15:33)The Strategy Behind Releasing Qualia for Free (18:49)Most Memorable Moments as a Game Developer (27:56)Lessons Learned from developing Qualia (33:01)What's in a Name? (The Origin of CMY2K) (36:11)Funding, Community Support, and Future Projects (38:48)Are You Active in the NYC Indie Scene? (40:35)The Vision for Qualia's Future (42:55)Outro (45:52)As always, have fun listening! If you like what we do, tell your friends (and enemies) about us.

Your host Sarah sits down with Norwegian brothers Erlend and Kay, the duo behind Skogdal, a roguelike deckbuilder set in a '90s small town where everyone’s slowly losing their minds. With hand-drawn art, a quirky card system, and a love letter to strange corners of Norwegian life, this is their first game together—and it’s already something special.They discuss how the idea came to life on an 8-hour car ride, Kay’s hand-drawn “slacker style,” and combat followers like “Pizza Friend” (who serves Swedish banana slices). We also get into what it’s like building a game as siblings, killing your darlings, and how a placeholder death animation accidentally became canon.If you’re into Slay the Spire, comic books, Magic cards, or games with a strong point of view—this episode’s for you.Episode Timestamps:Introductions: Meet the Brothers (0:00)Development Status & Dev Feelings (2:46)Skogdal Deep Dive: Gameplay World & Mechanics (4:41)Art Style: Hand-Drawn Slacker Style & Naming (8:30)Inspirations & Influences (15:49)Favorite Feature in the Game (21:12)It's Not a Bug It's a Feature! (22:59)Playtesting Feedback (25:01)Post-Release Plans & Vision (28:11)Origin Story: How the Collaboration Began (32:08)Magic Moment as Game Developers (38:22)Challenges & Joys of Indie Dev (As Brothers) (39:40)Lessons Learned During Development (45:32)Advice for Aspiring Gamedevs (49:37)The Team & Future Studio Plans? (52:14)Funding Community & Norwegian Scene (58:40)Outro (1:04:31)As always, have fun listening! If you like what we do, tell your friends (and enemies) about us.

Your host iV sits down with Juan (Pirijuamps), the writer and narrative lead, and Pablo (Tucky), the 3D artist from Recurring Dream, to discuss their upcoming game, Desktop Explorer. This detective-like puzzle game lets players explore a recreated '90s operating system, uncovering a mystery hidden within cryptic files, chat rooms, and nostalgic mini-games.They discuss the challenges of recreating the eerie charm of old-school computing, from OS-based puzzles to late '90s-style 3D environments. We also dive into the game’s storytelling, particularly its unique Chronolog, which slowly reveals past users' lives as puzzles are solved.Beyond the game, our guests open up about indie development struggles, including self-promotion and the pressure and joy of creating something truly special.Episode Timestamps:Intro (0:00)The Current State of Desktop Explorer (2:05)Desktop Explorer Release Date and Features (3:07)Inspirations for the Game (4:53)Gameplay of Desktop Explorer (6:29)From Childhood Puzzles to Desktop Explorer (8:08)The Dev's Favorite Feature (9:50)How Does Player Feedback Shape the Game? (14:21)Post-Release Plans (18:28)It's Not a Bug, It's a Feature! (19:18)How Did You Get Started as a Game Dev? (21:22)Magic Moment as a Game Developer (24:33)Challenges and Victories of Developing Your Own Game (28:37)Lessons Learned While Developing Your Own Game (33:38)Advice for Fellow Game Devs (34:39)Who Is Recurring Dream? (36:58)Funding, Community Growth, and Publishing (37:32)Are You Active in the Indie Scene? (39:24)Recurring Dream's Vision for Desktop Explorer (41:52)Outro (45:04)As always, have fun listening! If you like what we do, tell your friends (and enemies) about us.

Sarah sits down with game dev and content creator Emily, aka SonderingEmily, to talk about Lily’s World XD—a psychological horror game that turns early 2000s internet nostalgia into something far more unsettling. Set entirely on a young girl’s cluttered desktop, her game brings back the days of AIM chats, personal blogs, and art created in MS Paint—only this time, someone’s watching.Emily shares how her own internet memories shaped the game, from digging through old blog posts to revisiting the charm of early social media. They discuss the joys (and struggles) of solo game development.A must-listen for anyone who ever lived through the golden age of ICQ and AIM, spent way too much time on their Myspace layout, or felt like the internet really knew them before social media took over.Episode Timestamps:Intro (0:00)The Current State of Lily's World XD (2:09)What is Lily's World XD? (3:11)Inspirations for the Game (5:13)Emily's Favorite Feature & Feedback (9:02)It's Not a Bug, It's a Feature! (12:52)Plans for Post-Launch Support (14:10)Emily's Journey into Gamedev (16:26)A Magic Moment as a Game Developer (21:24)Challenges and Victories of Developing Your Own Game (24:34)(Mostly) Solo Dev – Who's Helping Out? (27:03)Lessons Learned While Developing Your Own Game (27:58)Advice for Fellow Gamedevs (30:06)Story Behind the Name SonderingEmily (32:32)A Taste of the Past – Emily's Previous Game (34:44)How Emily Finances Her Game Development (39:16)What’s Unique About LA’s Indie Dev Scene? (41:28)Emily's Vision for Lily's World XD (43:52)Outro (47:50)As always, have fun listening! If you like what we do, tell your friends (and enemies) about us.

Episode 37 of openindie is a treat for 2D Platformer fans! iV sits down with professional Graphic Designer gone Indie Game Developer Shphrd from Creative Waste Studio to talk about the ups and downs of solo game development. After a decade in graphic design, Shphrd is now tackling his biggest creative challenge yet: making a cosmic horror-inspired pixel art platformer, "The Old One." Expect stories about an old wizard with bad knees who gets around using a clever teleportation mechanic, the rollercoaster that is Kickstarter, and the daily chaos of being a solo dev. Shphrd shares his passion for creating a 2D adventure, balancing deep combat with eerie atmosphere—all while keeping his sanity intact. If you're into indie games, game development, or just enjoy hearing people talk about things they love, this episode has something for you. Episode Timestamps: Intro (00:00) The Current State of The Old One (01:24) What is The Old One? (04:35) Inspirations for the Game (07:02) Shphrd's Favorite Feature & Feedback (08:59) It's not a Bug, it's a Feature! (13:15) When will we get a Demo? (15:10) Why Did Shphrd Want to Become an Indie Dev? (16:36) Magic Moment as a Game Developer (18:18) The Best Part of Developing Your Own Game... (23:58) ...And the Most Challenging Part (26:11) Lessons Learned for the Kickstarter Re-Launch (28:46) Story Behind the Name "Creative Waste Studio" (32:29) Indie Games Community (34:50) If You Are Looking for a Talented Designer, This Chapter Is for You (35:49) Shphrd's Vision for His Game (37:15) Advice for Fellow Game Devs (39:56) Outro (41:58) As always, have fun listening! If you enjoy what we do, tell your friends (and enemies) about us.

Join your host iV as he chats with Christopher and Josef from Swedish indie studio Y/CJ/Y Games about their latest game, Keep Driving. This road trip adventure took over five years to make, evolving into a unique journey filled with hitchhikers, resource management, and a soundtrack featuring local bands.The Gothenburg-based duo shares stories from their indie gamedev journey, how they met, why they decided to make games together, and the lessons they picked up along the way. Expect creative detours, hard-earned wisdom, and a few roadside surprises.Episode Timestamps:Intro (00:00)Keep Driving Gameplay (01:44)Keep Walking EP and Iterations of Keep Driving (06:15)Favorite Feature of Keep Driving (12:26)Player Feedback on First Showcase and Demo (17:04)It's Not a Bug, It's a Feature (21:50)How Josef and Christopher Got Started in Game Development (22:26)Best Moment as a Gamedev (24:41)Previous Games: Post Void and Banana Boy (28:23)Best Part of Working as a Duo (29:22)Mistakes and Lessons Learned (30:27)Why Y/CJ/Y: Studio Name Lore (33:28)Funding and Support (34:13)Indie Scene in Gothenburg (37:10)Sweden - A Good Country to Develop Games (40:06)The Future for Y/CJ/Y Games (40:53)Outro (41:43)As always, have fun listening!If you enjoy what we do, tell your friends (and enemies) about us.

In this special New Year episode 35 of openindie, your hosts Sarah and iV discuss their favourite indie games of 2024 and some of their most anticipated, wishlisted games for 2025. Timestamps to the games we talked about: Ballionaire - iV´s 1st pick (1:14) Element TD 2 - Sarah´s 1st pick (13:34) Factorio Space Age - iV´s - 2nd pick (23:46) Portal Revolution - Sarah´s 2nd pick (36:40) Desktop Explorer - iV´s pick 2025 (47:35) Mandragora - Sarah´s pick 2025 (55:02) Thank you for sticking with us and let´s have an awesome 2025 together! As always, have fun listening! If you enjoy what we do, tell your friends (and enemies) about us.

Before diving into video games, Elli created the successful board game "Worldbreakers: Advent of the Kani," which gained significant attention and praise from industry veterans. Now, discover how Elli's unique background in computational biology and board game design shaped their approach to game development. Get an inside look at "Flocking Hell," where players navigate fog-covered maps, manage resources, and prepare for inevitable demon invasions across 80 crucial turns. The game launches on Steam in March 2025, complete with nine language options. Episode Markers: What is Flocking Hell? (01:06) How Elli feels about the upcoming release of Flocking Hell (01:39) A typical run of Flocking Hell (02:32) Ideas that inspired Flocking Hell (05:19) Elli´s favorite feature in Flocking Hell (08:02) Feedback from the Demo (10:21) Playtesters? Wanted! (12:58) Long term plans for Flocking Hell´s development (14:09) Controller & Touch support? (17:24) From Bio Science to board game to video game (19:01) Elli´s life and research done during COVID (21:22) Reason to go develop an Indie game (23:31) A moment as indiegamedev Elli will always remember (24:47) The best part about developing your own game... (26:48) ... and the worst part about it (28:55) Elli´s advice for aspiring indie game developers (30:21) Are you a solodev? Who´s helping to make Flocking Hell (33:47) Story behind the Name Sextant Studios (39:50) Funding for developing Flocking Hell (41:57) Does Flocking Hell have a Publisher? (43:28) Elli´s take on the indie dev scene in the US (44:42) Challenges and chances of developing games in the US (46:40) Whether you're a strategy enthusiast or just love the idea of sheep battling demons, this episode offers a delightful glimpse into the mind of a talented and creative developer. As always, have fun listening! If you enjoy what we do, tell your friends (and enemies) about us.

In this episode of openindie, we sit down with newobject, the indie developer behind the upcoming roguelike game Ballionaire. After spending two decades in the corporate world and experiencing the 2023 tech layoffs, newobject returned to his lifelong passion for game development. He shares his journey from corporate life to indie dev, the creative process behind Ballionaire, and the challenges of balancing work, family, and crunch mode. We dive deep into the unique mechanics of Ballionaire — a game inspired by Pachinko and Luck Be A Landlord — where players build chaotic synergies on a static board. newobject also opens up about his favorite features, the joys of watching players discover unexpected synergies, and his advice for aspiring indie developers: "Make weirder, shorter games and let's experiment more." Whether you're an aspiring developer or a fan of indie games, this episode is packed with insights, personal stories, and practical advice. Tune in to learn more about Ballionaire and why it’s set to be a standout in the indie gaming world! As always, have fun listening! If you enjoy what we do, tell your friends (and enemies) about us.

In episode 32, we dive into the world of chess and Autobattlers with our guest, PlistA, a talented developer from the Netherlands. He is currently working on AFK Chess (check it out in ⁠here), an innovative game that seamlessly blends the strategic depth of chess with the laid-back mechanics of Autobattlers, all wrapped in a beautiful art style. AFK Chess offers a unique experience that you can enjoy for free on Steam and in your browser. Join us as we explore PlistA's journey, the challenges of solo development, and the inspiration behind this captivating game. In our talk we mention a Indie Developer Meetup in Amsterdam - you can find more infos here: ⁠Amsterdam Indie Developer Meetup⁠ As always, have fun listening! If you enjoy what we do, tell your friends (and enemies) about us.

One topic we never expected to explore on openindie? The unlikely game dev origins of solo creator Leo, who used PowerPoint to craft point-and-click adventures way back in kindergarten! Today, that precocious creative spark has culminated in RollScape - Leo's dice-rolling adventure hitting Steam on May 22nd, just a week away from this recording. We're thrilled to sit down with Leo and unravel the inspiration behind this addictive indie gem. He'll share his motivation for RollScape's unique premise, his journey as a solodev before this debut release, and his ambitious plans for evolving the dice adventure concept. From PowerPoint tinkering to bringing RollScape's innovative dice gameplay to life, it's a path few could foresee. Tune in as we go behind-the-scenes with Leo on this rollicking ride through the challenges and rewards of indie game development in Belgium. As always, have fun listening! If you want to find more info about RollScape and our previous guests, visit us at www.openindie.eu and tell your friends (and enemies!) about our little indie podcast to help us grow.

In episode 30, we explore the development journey of Thronefall, a captivating kingdom builder/tower defense game seamlessly blending key elements from classics like Kingdom, tower defense titles, and real-time strategy games. Thronefall has taken Steam by storm since its early access launch in August 2023, garnering over 8,000 overwhelmingly positive reviews for its innovative hybrid genre approach. We sit down with Paul, indie dev and co-founder of Berlin-based Grizzly Games. We chart Thronefall's evolution from an overscoped fantasy card game to the tight, tactical experience winning acclaim today. Paul gives insights into Thronefall's design, his accidental origins in indie gaming, and the ups and downs of game dev life in Germany. Your host Iv engages Paul in a fascinating discussion unraveling the story behind this breakout indie hit. Learn about the creative process shaping the game, balancing life as a compact two-person studio, and Paul's hopes for the future of the German indie scene. As always, have fun listening :) If you want to find more info's about this game and our previous guests, visit us at ⁠www.openindie.eu⁠ and tell your friends (and also your enemies) about us to help our little indie podcast grow.

In this episode of our podcast, we delve into the captivating world of Tiny Rogues, a game that seamlessly blends gameplay elements from iconic titles like Hades, Dark Souls, Diablo, and Binding of Isaac. Tiny Rogues made waves on Steam, amassing over 3,200 reviews with a staggering 97% positivity rate. Join us as we sit down with Benji, the talented indiedev and founder of Studio Pixlpunk from Austria behind this gem. We explore the journey of Tiny Rogues from its Early Access debut to the highly anticipated massive update released just before the year (2023) ends. Benji shares insights into his gaming career, the challenges of game development, and what it's like crafting games in Austria. Iv, engages in a conversation with Benji, unraveling the story behind Tiny Rogues and the creative process that led to its success. As always, have fun listening :) If you want to find more info's about this game and our previous guests, visit us at www.openindie.eu and tell your friends (and also your enemies) about us to help our little indie podcast grow.

In this exciting episode of openindie, join us for an one-on-one interview with James Letherby, co-founder of CATASTROPHIC_OVERLOAD, an indie game dev studio located in Bristol, UK. Discover the fascinating journey of CATASTROPHIC_OVERLOAD, co-founded by James Letherby and Josh Burr, as James shares their passion for crafting captivating co-op experiences. Learn about their creation "Drink More Glurp," which was released in August 2020 during the pandemic as a unique co-op adventure. James gives us an insider's look into the upcoming release, "Bish Bash Bots," a fusion of casual tower defense and intense brawling action that promises an adrenaline-pumping delight and co-op fun. Join us as James shares his personal journey into game programming, the challenges he faced, and the triumphs that fueled his dedication to creating unforgettable gaming experiences. As always, have fun listening :) If you want to find more info's about this game and our previous guests, visit us at www.openindie.eu and tell your friends (and also your enemies) about us to help our little indie podcast grow.

Three friends - Sarah, Ben and iV - share their top 3 favorite indies of 2022 and what game they are looking forward to in 2023 the most. #Indiegames from these awesome #indiedevs covered during this cozy talk: Darkest Dungeon 2 by Red Hook Studios Midnight Fight Express by Jacob Dzwinel Hellslave by Ars Goetia Retro Gadgets by Evil Licorice Vampire Survivors by poncle The Last Spell by Ishtar Games The Talos Principle by Croteam Dome Keeper by Bippinbits Disco Elysium by ZA/UM Tiny Rogues by Rubidev Stray by BlueTwelve Studio Replaced by Sad Cat Studios Universe for Sale by Tmesis Studio As always, have fun listening :) If you want to find more info's about this game and our previous guests, visit us at ⁠www.openindie.eu⁠ and tell your friends (and also your enemies) about

Did you ever want to design, build, and program your own working Game Boy?  I sure did. Maybe like me you are also lacking the necessary soldering, airbrushing and programming skills or simply don’t have the time or the space for a fully fletched electronics workshop. Then you will have a blast with Retro Gadgets from studio Evil Licorice. Iv talked with Marco Di Timoteo, Luca Marchetti and Marco Bancale about their game, how they got into programming and the gaming industry in Italy and Iceland. As always, have fun listening :)  If you want to find more info's about this game and our previous guests, visit us at www.openindie.eu and tell your friends (and also your enemies) about us to help our little indie podcast grow.

Dome Keeper has a lot going for it: stylish pixel art with great atmosphere, resource management, mixed with mining and exploration and a dash of tower (dome) defense and with rogue like elements. It released on Steam released 27th of September 2022. Iv had the chance to talk to indie studio Bippinbits founder and main developer René abouth the road to Dome Keeper, his passion for games development, the situation for indie devs in Germany and future plans and updates for Dome Keeper. As always, have fun listening :)  If you want to find more info's about this game and our previous guests, visit us at www.openindie.eu and tell your friends (and also your enemies) about us to help our little indie podcast grow.

Back in August 2022, Sarah and iV headed to Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, marking the return of one of gaming's biggest events after the COVID hiatus. They sat down with 21 talented indie developers to discuss their upcoming and recently released games. Here's a rundown of each conversation, with timestamps included for easy navigation. Phantom Galaxies (0:00) Ben Lee from Blowfish Studios (Australia) presents their open-world space sim featuring NFT integration. Earthlingo (15:40) Zilin Su and Raymond Corrigan (Australia) demonstrate their language learning game where players control an alien discovering Earth languages. Broken Roads (32:05) Craig Ritchie from Drop Bear Bytes (Australia) presents their narrative-driven RPG with turn-based combat in post-apocalyptic Australia. Richie's Plank Experience (42:15) Jonathan Bradley from ToastVR (Australia) discusses their popular VR experience. Box Knight (55:07) Tom Phillips and Jeremy Kelly-Bakker from We Made A Thing Studios (Australia) present their game about battling through a cursed office tower. The Orphan: A Pop-Up Book Adventure (1:00:08) Daniele Martines and Martin Langer from Besworn Games (Germany) demonstrate their unique pop-up book style game. Blueberry (1:19:45) Melanie Taylor from Mellow Games (Germany) presents her platformer exploring a woman's journey from birth to death. Saga of Sins (1:26:13) Rupert Ochsner from Bonus Level Entertainment (Germany) showcases their 2D action-adventure with stained glass aesthetics. Airhead (1:32:35) Andreas Bødker from Octato (Denmark) presents their puzzle adventure about maintaining an inflatable head. DE-EXIT - Eternal Matters (1:35:26) Julien Gatumel and Gabriel Jiménez from SandBloom Studio (Spain) demonstrate their surreal voxel adventure. Planet of Lana (1:40:05) Adam Stjärnljus and Klas Eriksson from Wishfully (Sweden) present their cinematic puzzle adventure. Paper Cut Mansion (1:48:47) Gabriele Caruso from Space Lizard Studio (England) showcases their rogue-lite horror game with handcrafted paper models. Universe for Sale (1:55:05) Federico Chiummento and Zeno Colangelo from Tmesis Studio (Italy) present their cryptic sci-fi narrative set on Jupiter. Backfirewall_ (2:02:15) Lucie Robert from Naraven Games (Switzerland) demonstrates their comedic first-person adventure inside a smartphone. Potion Tycoon (2:08:07) Dmytro Zhovtobryukh from Snowhound Games (Finland) presents their potion creation and marketing simulator. The Wandering Village (2:21:48) Roger Winzeler from Stray Fawn Studio (Switzerland) showcases their city builder set on a living creature. Diluvian Winds (2:27:05) Nicolas Derio and Mathis Lenormand from Alambik Studios (France) present their climate change-focused adventure. We Stay Behind (2:32:46) Marcus Bäumer from Backwoods Entertainment (Germany) discusses their mystery investigation game about a doomed town. Hamster Playground (2:36:30) Michał Azarewicz from We Dig Games (Poland) demonstrates their Tamagotchi-style party game. Tchia (2:46:11) Phil Crifo from Awaceb (France) showcases their open-world adventure with animal control abilities. Vikings on Trampolines (2:50:26) Jo-Remi Madsen and Simon Stafsnes Andersen from D-Pad Studio (Norway) present their party game, following up their hit Owlboy. As always, have fun listening :) If you want to find more info's about this game and our previous guests, visit us at www.openindie.eu and tell your friends (and also your enemies) about us to help our show grow.

tERRORbane was developed by the italian indie-devs of BitNine Studio – a̷n̴d̷ ̴i̵t̶’̶s̸ ̷f̴u̶l̴l̴ ̵o̵f̸ ̶e̸r̴r̵o̸r̷s̷.̷ Why do we need such a game, when there are enough buggy and glitchy games out there?!  Well, let’s check the story behind this. The story-writer of the BitNine-team, Andrea Leoni, did not only tell me their intentions but also, if players actually have fun playing a broken game. Also, find out, why their studio switched from mobile to other platforms and what the gaming industry is like in Italy. In this episode Andrea also shares his work on a novel named PowerPlay! - The odd tale about awesome powers, quirky personalities and why they make for an aweful mix. Be sure to check it out here.  As always, have fun listening :)  If you want to find more info's about this game and our previous guests, visit us at www.openindie.eu and tell your friends (and also your enemies) about us to help our little indie podcast grow.

Today we look at the point-and-click mystery adventure Crowns and Pawns: Kingdom of Deceit, which mostly takes place in Lithuania. Set against the rich historical backdrop of Lithuania, this narrative-driven game weaves together real locations, historical facts, and compelling mysteries. Discover how the development team collaborated with historians to create an authentic experience, blending actual Lithuanian landmarks with fictional elements to craft an engaging adventure. The episode delves into Tag of Joy's journey from mobile AR games to crafting traditional point-and-click adventures, while highlighting the unique challenges and opportunities of game development in Lithuania's growing indie scene. Learn about their innovative approach to puzzle design, their inspiration from classics like Broken Sword, and how they're putting Eastern European game development on the map. Whether you're interested in game development, cultural representation in games, or point-and-click adventures, this episode offers a fascinating glimpse into the creation of a modern adventure game that celebrates Lithuania's rich heritage. As always, have fun listening :)  If you want to find more info's about this game and our previous guests, visit us at www.openindie.eu and tell your friends (and your enemies) about us.

This episode takes us to INDIGO, where indie game developers from the Netherlands come together to showcase their work. We sat down with four studios to learn about their current projects. Billy Bumbum (00:30) Solo developer Jonathan Barbosa Dijkstra from Frambosa Studio introduces his puzzle game that adds a humorous twist - finally a game that dares to embrace the power of farts! All Hands on Deck (13:40) Studio Mantasaur's Lead Designer Manou Jpelaar walks us through their local co-op puzzle game where each player controls one hand. Together, you'll need to coordinate to solve challenges and navigate through the game world. What's Missing (20:04) The team at MIG! - programmer Nathan Nieuwenhuizen, environment artist Joyce van der Zon, and character artist Kai Calis - present their surreal puzzle game that will bend your mind in unexpected ways. Ruth's Journey (26:36) Three friends who formed Nifty Llama Games are working on this narrative adventure. Creative Director Leander Burger shares their story and gives us a peek into life as an indie developer. If you want to find more info's about this game and our previous guests, visit us at www.openindie.eu and tell your friends (and your enemies) about us.

Today’s game is all about music – No, not Guitar Hero or Lets sing – it’s a simulator where you’ve got to plan, organize and host your own festival! It’s called “Festival Tycoon” and it’s out now for PC.The developer of this game is Johannes Gäbler, he’s from Austria and “Festival Tycoon” is his very first game. He designed that while still studying! How he managed to develop this management game, why he came up with the idea in the first place and what other stories he has to share, now on openindie.As always, have fun listening :) If you want to find more info's about this game and our previous guests, visit us at www.openindie.eu and tell your friends (and also your enemies) about us.P.s.: Johannes Band is called "Lighter on the Moon" check them out here: https://instagram.com/lighteronthemoon and leave them a nice comment <3

What's your favorite beer? Just don't you dare to say craft beer! In the point and click adventure "Dude, Where Is My Beer?" you just want to drink a honest pilsner but everyone just wants to serve you overprized craft beer - what a nightmare!  Now the Norwegian developer Arik Zurabian wants to continue this quest with "Dude, Where Is My Beer? 2: A New Hop". He already has some ideas for the game but he just needs enough supporters on Kickstarter to get started.  In this episode we asked Arik how his second beer game will differ from the first and how he started out as an indie dev.  As always, have fun listening to this new episode of openindie :)  If you want to find more info's about this game and our previous guests, visit us at www.openindie.eu and tell your friends (and also your enemies) about us.

Sometimes adventure can be only one wrong dialed number away. Imagine receiving a voicemail from two strangers urging for help. Time to pick up your phone and get to work. Thomas Keane is the founder and creative director of England based godolphin games. His upcoming game Unknown Number: A First Person Talker utilizes a little explored tool for interaction - your voice. In this episode of openindie Thomas shares his story of how he came up with this unique blend of voice control and atmospheric puzzle game, how he got started as an indie dev and how to make hug sound juuuuuust right. As always, have fun listening to this new episode of openindie :)  If you want to find more info's about this game and our previous guests, visit us at www.openindie.eu and tell your friends (and also your enemies) about us.

2021 is almost over. Time to slow down, get some rest, spend quality time with your loved ones and (of course) play some games. If you are still looking for some recommendations, Sarah, Ben and iV have you covered. In this special episode we tell you about our favorite indie games of 2021 and which ones we are looking forward to in 2022. Thank you for your amazing support by listening and to all our awesome guests in 2021. Enjoy the holiday season, stay safe, be kind to each other and talk to you next year.

With their upcoming game Frank and Drake the Spanish dev studio Appnormals Team covers a story of two roommates who are as different as day and night. Inaki Diaz took the time to talk to Sarah about the unique story, art style and player feedback during a demo of the game. If one game wasn´t enough they are also developing a second game in parallel (Terracotta) that is a pixel-art action puzzle adventure. Reason enough for us to ask what unique challenges the team has to face when working on two games at once. As always, have fun listening to this new episode of openindie :)  If you want to find more info's about this game and our previous guests, visit us at www.openindie.eu and tell your friends (and also your enemies) about us.

If the pandemic doesn't let you go on a road trip, the indiegame Road 96 does! Alicia Magistrello from the french indie-dev-studio DigixArt tells us the story of how the game was made! Even though Alicia is a 3D-Animator, she told Sarah why acting skills were also important while working on the game.  As always, have fun listening to this new episode of openindie :)  If you want to find more info's about this game and our previous guests, visit us at www.openindie.eu and tell your friends (and also your enemies) about us.

Łukasz Korzanowski from the Polish dev studio Eremite Games sits down with Sarah and chats about their Beaver City Builder Against the Storm. They also discuss why it can be dam nice to be indie, their approach to player feedback in the early access phase of the game (available on Epic) and what challenges they face.  As always, have fun listening to this new episode of openindie :)  Also, if you want to find more info's about this game and our previous guests, visit us at www.openindie.eu and tell your friends (and also your enemies) about us.

Per Fornander is the CEO of the Swedish indie dev studio Carry Castle. Sarah and he discuss his studio´s upcoming game Source of Madness, how development is going, why elephants are an important factor for the studio and why it makes sense to have some skills in semi-professional wrestling when working as a developer. As always, have fun listening to this new episode of openindie :)  Also, if you want to find more info's about this game and our previous guests, visit us at www.openindie.eu and tell your friends (and also your enemies) about us.

Since SimCity we were able to build the cities of our dreams. But what if you could re-design the city you live in to give it your personal note? Enodo Games give you this chance with their current game The Architect Paris. Raphaël Reynes talks with Sarah about the motivation for the game, how they incorporated feedback from players and why France is a good country for indie developers. As always, have fun listening to this new episode of openindie :)  Also, if you want to find more info's about this game and our previous guests, visit us at www.openindie.eu and tell your friends (and also your enemies) about us.

I ain´t cleaning that up! But we know some guys who will... for a price. Jacek Głowacki and Krzysztof Szczudłowski from the polish studio Draw Distance talk to Sarah about their upcoming game Serial Cleaners. They share lessons learned from their first game in the series Serial Cleaner (singular), how the story and gameplay mechanics will be expanded in the sequel and the transition of their studio from mobile games to Console and PC. As always have fun listening to this new episode of openindie :)  Also, if you want to find more info's about this game and our previous guests, visit us at www.openindie.eu.

Sycoforge puts Skyrim, Lord of the Rings, and Hellblade into a blender and creates their own story driven universe in their upcoming game Return to Nangrim. Lukas Nowak took the time to talk with Sarah about the idea behind their game, how development is going and about the changing landscape in the swiss gaming industry. As always have fun listening to this new episode of openindie :)  Also, if you want to find more info's about this game and our previous guests, visit us at www.openindie.eu.

ONDE is a indie title being developed by studio 3-50. One of the dev´s (Grhyll) shares his favorite scene from the game and also his "don´t judge a book by it´s cover" moment at the start of his career as developer.

Help each other to thrive and survive - not as an individual, but as a community. That is the motto of Alambik Studio´s game Diluvian Winds. Kilian Dufour and Arthur Schmitz set the mood for their upcoming game and share their most memorable moment as indie devs.

Nura´s Wish is the debut project from team Young Wolf Interactive.  Dev Rene Rathmann describes how a cute red panda brings light into the darkness. He also shares his story of how attending a gamesjam at the beginning of his dev career substantially influenced his path.

How about some Tower Defense?  Daniel Bonrath from Clockwork Origins sure is and currently develops Elemental War 2. With Sarah he talks about the TD genre, the game and the road to publishing. Ready your defenses.

The panflute is mightier than the sword! That´s the idea of Hanging Gardens Interactives upcoming game Sonority.  The devs Ralf Neubauer, Vlad Trutniev and Willi Schorrig talk about their idea for the game and what moment in the recent past will echo in their memory like the soothing sound of a panflute in the wind.

Toby and Lars from Hexagon took the time out of their busy Gamescom schedule to talk to Sarah about their upcoming game Sphere Flying Cities and about the meaning of the word Feierabend when you are an indie dev doing what you love.

Imagine having a newsletter and over night the subscriber count jumps by almost 8000 % from 500 to 40.000. This happend to indie dev Niki Crisci (PartTimeIndie). He is currently working on his new game School of Magic which aims to replace Diablo´s endgame grind with deck building. Still he found the time to talk to Sarah during Gamescom 2021.

In the second interview during Gamescom 2021, Vlad Calu from the indie dev studio Those Awesome Guys tells us why their upcoming game Deepest Chamber can not only scratch that Slay the Spire itch but also aims to re-shuffel the deck of card builders. Enjoy this first mini-episode of openindie - more Gamescom-Talks will follow soon.

What better time to launch season 2 than GAMESCOM2021?  In the season premiere, we take the chance to talk to devs and publishers of upcoming indie games.  In our first interview Sarah speaks with Paul Redetzky from the German studio Emergo Entertainment. He is currently pitching his atmospheric game Fireside to publishers. Ready for a casual talk at the Fireside? Enjoy this first mini-episode of openindie - more Gamescom talks will follow soon.

If you are looking to scratch that Slay the Spire itch, Roguebook will be right down your alley. A few days before release Jean-Michel Vilain who is the CEO of the Belgium based Indie Studio Abrakam Entertainment, took the time to talk to Sarah about the upcoming release of their second game. They also discuss the lessons they learned from their first game release in 2017 Faeria, how they got MAGIC: The Gathering Creator Richard Garfield to co-design Roguebook and how it is to develop games in Belgium. As always, enjoy listening to our podcast. At www.openindie.eu you will find infos about us, the indie devs and games we have covered so far.

A great austrian actor once said "Get your Ass to Mars". That´s exactly what the indie dev team Ironward did in their game series The Red Solstice. Hrvoje Horvatek is the CEO of this Croatian Indie Studio. At the time of the recording, Hrvoje and his team are putting on the finishing touches to their next game The Red Solstice 2: Survivors. Even though they are in the often hectic pre-release phase, Hrvoje found the time to talk to Sarah about the history of his studio, their new game and why it is a good idea to develop games in the beautiful country of Croatia. At www.openindie.eu you will find infos about us, the indie devs and games we have covered so far.

This time around, Sarah talks to Janusz Tarczykowski, CEO of the polish indie studio Rock Square Thunder. We have two premieres in this Episode: Janusz and his team are currently working on their debut title The Lightbringer and it´s our first English spoken episode (to make openindie more accessible to all of our non German speakers our there :)). Janusz talks about the starting days of Rock Square Thunder, their inspiration for The Lightbringer and gives valuable tips for fellow indie dev´s and those soon to be. We hope you enjoy our new episode of openindie! At www.openindie.eu you will find all info's about us, the indie dev´s and games we have covered so far.