独立游戏开发者：在激烈的行业竞争中坚守创作梦

Roman Kierst

Pixel Passion

Indie video game developers risk it all for creative and commercial success in an ultra-competitive industry

獨立游戏开发者：在激烈的行业竞争中坚守创作梦

By Roman Kierst

To make his latest video game， Yang Yi had to sell his house. After his previous game had its launch delayed by a licensing freeze in Chinas game market in 2018， then suffered poor sales after its final release in 2020， Yang and his small team were in a “pretty dire” financial situation， he says. They had to take on external software development gigs to stay afloat before they ran out of money completely in 2021.

“We were broke，” the 36-year-old programmer from Zhejiang province tells TWOC. But Yang and his team continued working on their next title，Yi Xian， a combative card game inspired by Chinese mythology. ConvincedYi Xianwould be a hit， Yang sold his home and funneled up to two million yuan of his money into the game to finish development and bring it to market. “There is nothing profound about this. I looked at it from all angles and was ready to accept the consequences，” Yang says， emphasizing that everyone on his team made sacrifices to make the game， including accepting minimum pay to keep the small studio viable.

Yang is not the only struggling video game developer in China. Small companies， especially， often fail to turn a profit and attract investment in an increasingly competitive environment. Keen for independence in their work， they accept poor pay and long hours in return for what they hope will be more creative freedom away from the countrys giant developers. They opt to directly release their games on international platforms like Steam but often end up like Yang： blurring the line between creative self-emancipation and self-exploitation—financial and emotional.

This is happening despite a booming domestic gaming market， which created record revenues of 303 billion yuan in 2023， mostly from mainstream free-to-play mobile games likeHonor of Kings（published by Tencent） that generate revenue by selling in-game items （though this came after a pandemic-induced slump in 2022 saw close to 8，000 developers laid off from dozens of gaming companies， according to numbers collated by gaming media outlet Youxi Xinzhi）.

Makers dreams

While stories of game makers selling their houses to finish a game are the exception， developers at small companies enduring grueling work conditions to follow their passion are common in Chinas gaming industry. The 2017 documentaryDu Xing， well-known in the countrys game-making circles， chronicles five game designers hardships and financial failures.

Li Yuanyang， for example， founded a small game studio in 2013 to develop his two-player platform-jumping gameButton Button Up！“We each get 2，000 or 3，000 yuan now， just enough to get by，” he says in the documentary， talking about his teams low monthly income at the time. When Li pitches his game to internet giant Baidu， one of the executives warns him： “Its not easy to profit from indie games. There are very few successful cases.”

After two years of failing to find a publisher for the game， Li self-published on the international distribution platform Steam in 2019. The platform takes a hefty 30 percent cut from every sale， and Lis game， priced at 11.99 US dollars， was a financial failure， with a meager 86 reviews on the platform at the time of writing.

“Spending a lot of time and energy to make one game， which is then only released on Steam and flops—thats actually a very common outcome among game makers here，” Wang Mei， a representative of a major Chinese game publisher， who asked to use a pseudonym for this piece， tells TWOC.

Li and his team eventually released another version of the game for Nintendos Switch console in 2020， the culmination of several years of development—to disappointing reviews： “Its not going to win any awards， and it probably wont become your favorite game of the year，” reads one reviewers crushing verdict. Li and his team dropped off the radar after that.

“Game designers in China face significant challenges related to self-awareness， market understanding， and product expectations，” says Simon Zhu， founder of the China Indie Game Alliance （CIGA）， the largest industry association for independent game-making in China. “For small teams， its essential to maintain control over project boundaries and cost. Understanding the market and having a clear idea of what your product will be and where it will fit is crucial，” he says.

This is where investors and publishers come into the fold. “In the game industrys value chain， they are essential…They complement and support game developers; its a mutually beneficial relationship，” Zhu， who founded CIGA in Shanghai in 2015， tells TWOC. However， independent game makers face huge competition to find publishers willing to invest the money necessary to bring their games to Chinas vast domestic audience.

Hunting investment

On the floor of the WePlay gaming convention in Shanghai last November， game maker Liang You， wearing a rimmed black hat like the one Australian bushman Crocodile Dundee made famous， is on the hunt for investors for his latest game. Liang， a 29-year-old from Shaanxi province， works as the creative director on the PC platforming titleCrab Rhapsody， which sees players control a crab climbing a tower， picking up items—the crustacean can hold one in each pincer—and fighting off waves of enemies.

Liang and his small game development company are one of many displaying their games at perhaps Chinas largest gaming convention， which has been around since 2017. After a two-year hiatus， 2023s WePlay had doubled in size since its last edition in 2021.

“If you want money from investors， you come here，” Liang tells TWOC over the pew-pew-pew of convention-goers testing outCrab Rhapsodyat his booth. A small speaker is dangling from the screen at Liangs exhibit， so players can hear the games award-winning sound design. Still， the audio is drowned out by the noise of dozens of other booths showcasing Chinese games and droves of players scrambling to try them out.

Liang—like many other young game makers at WePlay—needs money from investors， and eventually support from a publisher to bring his game to market and help with things like advertising and localization. In China， the developers create the game， the investors finance it， and the publishers help bring it to market.

Liang restarts the game over and over as dozens of convention-goers mill around the floor and come to try it out. The title opens with a big band of crabs playing various musical instruments. “I love rock music but cant play an instrument， so I wanted to find a way to bring that into a game，” says Liang， motioning at the screen as the crab picks up musical instruments that add to the background music. These small creative details are what Liang hopes will set his game apart in the fight to attract investors attention.

But many independent game developers in China are “immature，” with poor division of labor and a lack of managerial rigor， according to Wang， the game publishing representative. This often puts publishers and investors off. “Its not uncommon among game makers that the work is not clearly defined， so they cant do proper planning during the development process and often end up arguing and eventually splitting up，” Wang tells TWOC.

Liang， who only began making games during the pandemic after seeing how games can provide comfort and help people through difficult times， has tried to model his small team after more established game studios， with clearly defined roles and departments. Liang oversees creative direction， while a lead programmer and a lead composer， both from the US， manage small sub-divisions of coders and sound designers.

He is trying to combine the creative spirit of independent game makers with a sustainable business model. “If youre under pressure， you cant create，” he says. But without investment from major companies like Bilibili （primarily a video streaming platform but also a game publisher）， small developers often resort to more risky tactics to fund their games.

Many opt for the early access model—putting a very early， unfinished version of the game out for players to buy and try. But in China， this model， while theoretically able to generate income during development， has been discredited. “There were too many games in the past that were put out in such a bad state and players felt ripped off，” says Yang.

The Chinese-made gameTale of Immortal， for example， was released as early access in January 2021 and then remained in that unfinished state for over two years， with many players lamenting the deteriorating quality of the updates and reviews on Steam becoming increasingly negative. Another game，The Scroll of Taiwu， is now entering its seventh year of early access on Steam， with players complaining about disappearing features or other changes that affect play， leaving some who spent money early with a wildly different—or even unplayable—game now.

“Users are quick to give negative reviews，” says Simon Zhu about the publishing environment on Steam. The negative reviews can adversely impact sales， which， in turn， may lead to longer development times， and could even prevent a game from progressing beyond the early access phase.

For the players

Other passionate developers try to liberate themselves from the risks and pressures of the commercial game-making industry by developing as a hobby only. Chen Xi， a 24-year-old illustrator in Guangdong province， developed an AI-based guessing game in her spare time. “Write a brief description of a two-character Chinese word， without including those characters， and see if the AI can guess the word，” Chen explains. When someone types in a brief description （“something that lives up there”）， the AI guesses 天使 （angel） correctly after a few seconds.

Chen dropped out of high school and started working at 16 due to health issues and severe exam anxiety in the face of the ultra-competitive college entrance exam. “My family was totally opposed to me not going to school at the time and my mental health suffered badly， but the little sense of achievement I got from making my own games gave me a lifeline I could hold onto，” she tells TWOC.

Unlike Liang， Chen isnt concerned with finding investors to make her game commercially viable. “My goal is to get some happiness and a sense of achievement from the creative process itself. I dont have to worry about whether I can go on making the game or finish it，” she says. But shes still wary of being pulled into the commercial sphere， overworking to develop her games， and falling into self-exploitation. “In the video game industry...a clear distinction between work and leisure has crumbled away，” video game researcher Brendan Keogh from the Queensland University of Technology warned in a recent paper about the risk of self-exploitation among amateur game designers.

For developers like Yang Yi， on the other hand， who have risked it all to get their games finished and published， financial worries remain. Even thoughYi Xian， after a year of early access， has racked up over 3，000 mostly positive reviews on Steam， Yang is a long way from making back his 2 million yuan.

Now， the official version ofYi Xianis finally finished and was released on January 22—free-to-play. Yang hopes this model will draw in more players and generate enough revenue through in-game purchases for continued development. “[My wife and I] now live in a rented apartment，” Yang says. “Whether our financial situation improves will depend on how things go from January 22.” With a little luck， Yang wont have to sell any more possessions to keep his game-making dream alive.

Cover illustration designed by Cai Tao; elements from VCG

Small game makers face tough competition and a lack of financing in Chinas cutthroat video game industry （VCG）

Yi Xianfrom Darksun Studio became free-to-play on Steam in January 2024 （Roman Kierst）

Scan the code for our Middle Earth podcast episode on Chinas Indie Games

Video Games

Love and Deepspace （InFold， January 18）

This dating simulator geared toward female gamers features a unique mix of romance and combat set in outer space. Praised for its 3D visuals， the game excels in offering players deep customization options for their avatars and a compelling storyline. It features a small cast of male characters， each with a distinct backstory and personality， though more variety in appearances and inclusivity for all player identities would enhance its appeal. The progression system motivates daily play through manageable tasks， making it accessible for those with limited gaming time. However， the restriction of story progression to daily achievements has drawn some criticism for hindering continuous play. – R.K.

Yi Xian： The Cultivation Card Game

（Darksun Studio， January 22）

In the deck-building gameYi Xian， players craft their strategies by selecting from a vast array of cards， each offering unique combat abilities to play with. Cards are drawn in the order set by the players， challenging them to master card synergies and anticipate their opponents card sequence. Despite some concerns over progression and optional in-game purchases， the gameplay remains largely accessible and rewarding.Yi Xianhas been praised for its depth， even drawing comparisons to genre greats like Slay the Spire from some reviewers on Steam. – Roman Kierst

Back to the Dawn

（Metal Head Games， November 3， 2023）

The 2D prison escape gameBack to the Dawnoffers a twist on the genre. As a journalist framed for a crime you didnt commit， youre thrust into a maximum-security prison with a dark conspiracy looming. The game blends survival， strategy， and social dynamics in a high-stakes environment. With a 21-day time limit to break free， each decision becomes crucial， pushing you to explore， form alliances， or stoke rivalries with a colorful cast of inmates. The games strength lies in its rich narrative， intricate resource management， and varied paths to achieve your escape， challenging players to think creatively under pressure. – R.K.

Books and Movies

The Mountains Are High （Scribe Publications， February 8）

Dali， a town in Chinas southwestern Yunnan province， has evolved into a diverse community of people from different backgrounds and age groups. Hippies， dissidents， and digital nomads all flocked to the town nestled between the Cang Mountain and the shores of Erhai Lake， in hopes of escaping fast-paced， high-pressure city life and enjoying a peaceful environment and simple life. Writer and editor Alec Ash is among those who moved to Dali， leaving Beijing in 2020.Mountainsis a candid recount of how he took a leap of faith to transform his life. Ash， who lived in China from 2008 to 2022， also authoredWish Lanterns（2016）， a nonfiction about the lives of six young Chinese people， which was listed as BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week. – Zhao Lu

River East， River West （William Morrow， January 9）

This intimate family drama unfolds against the backdrop of Chinas political history and economic growth after market reforms in the 1980s. The narrative alternates between the perspective of a 14-year-old girl who is raised in Shanghai by her American mother and her soon-to-be Chinese stepfather. Its a story that reverses the traditional East-to-West immigrant narrative， examining issues such as race and class， cultural identity， and the often unrealistic promise of the American Dream.River East， River Westmarks a fascinating debut by French-Chinese-American writer Aube Rey Lescure， who spent her childhood in Provence， northern China， and Shanghai. – Z.L.

A Cha Chaan Teng That Does Not Exist （Zephyr Press， October 31， 2023）

Hong Kong writer Derek Chungs collection of poems explores the unique fusion of cultural influences in cosmopolitan Hong Kong. With a reputation for capturing the essence of everyday objects， Chung intertwines his personal story with Hong Kongs various transformations over the past decades. Although Chungs poems show influences from Anglophone poets like Elizabeth Bishop and Seamus Heaney， Hong Kong remains the focal point of his work.Cha ChaanTengis a bilingual collection， originally written in Chinese and translated into English by writer and translator May Huang. – Z.L.

YOLO （February 10）

Adapted from the 2014 Japanese sports drama100 Yen Love，YOLOdepicts how Du Leying （Jia Ling）， an unemployed overweight woman who has lived at home with her parents for years， transforms her life through boxing. The film became a box office hit upon its release during the Lunar New Year holiday， making over 3.1 billion yuan within just 13 days. More public attention， however， has centered on Jia Ling， the lead actress and director， who lost 50 kilograms for the role， rather than on the plot itself. Her significant weight loss， along with the social media campaign surrounding it， is believed to have contributed to the movies success. Jias new physique has sparked online debates about body image， including discussions on her weight loss methods and speculation about plastic surgery. – Tan Yunfei

Endless Journey （December 15， 2023）

Based on a true story，Endless Journeyis a detective film that follows an investigation spanning a decade. The film starts with a suspect dying accidentally during an interrogation， which leads to the disbandment of the investigating police team and the imprisonment of its members. Despite being released from jail and stripped of his police position， the teams former leader remains determined to uncover the truth and bring the remaining suspects to justice. Starring Zhang Yi， known for his frequent roles in military and crime-themed films， the 132-minute film opened at the top of the Chinese box office during its first weekend. – Z.L.

The Goldfinger （December 30， 2023）

Crime sagaInfernal Affairs（2002）， one of the most acclaimed films of the 2000s in China， boasts a 94 percent rating on Rotten Tomato and features the iconic duo Tony Leung and Andy Lau. Two decades later， they reunite in another cat-and-mouse cop thriller written and directed byInfernal Affairs co-writer Felix Chong.The Goldfingertakes place against the backdrop of Hong Kong near the end of British rule， and tells a gripping tale of corruption， power， and a multi-billion-dollar empire on the brink of collapse. Over a 15-year investigation， the movie unveils the scandalous downfall of the Carrian Group， a corporation that rose to unimaginable heights before crashing into infamy. – Z.L.