Being a game developer is difficult and being independent is even more so. Tomas Sala, solo developer of city builder Bulwark Evolution: Falconeer Chronicles, has some advice on how to make games today.
Speaking on the Thomas Brush podcast, Sala says: “You need to check if your game is going to be successful. If it's not happening, you need to create another game or re-evaluate what you're doing.” His advice is harsh, but it comes from experience.
“The goose that lays the golden eggs is not making the game, but figuring out if you're going to make money with it,” he says. “If the game isn't going to make money, you shouldn't work on it. That's a brutal reality. I think mobile game developers have more or less learned that lesson. This is the jungle we're in now.”
How to Create SOLO Games in 2025: Ep. Podcast for full-time game developers. 022 – YouTube
Look
Obviously, Sala's advice is only for people who want to make games as a business. You could create a game in your free time that's just for you or your friends, or just because you want to put some art into the world. But if you want to get into the business of making games, his points are useful.
He also says: “I make my games in two years, that's my goal. Less than two years to make big, visually impressive games. Not six or seven years, because that's just silly.” If you are trying to fund yourself or your employees, it will be difficult to maintain a business for years without income from games sold.
He explains that he does something quickly and then analyzes what works and what doesn't, rather than trying to do something one-off every few months and then go back to the drawing board. This way you will not abandon what you have learned and you will be able to take advantage of your successes and mistakes.
One last piece of wisdom from Sala is to be realistic. “Validate early,” he says, referring to setting a goal such as achieving a certain number of wish lists or progress views toward the beginning of a project. “Creators, we'll keep pulling that dead horse because we put all our love and energy into it, but for the money? You can't turn a turd into a success. You can't polish that turd, it has to be done.” let it go and move on. You learn and you keep going.”
There's a reason creatives are told to kill their loved ones. It's hard to admit that something you love may not work commercially, but that doesn't mean it was a waste of time. You take the lessons you learned and apply them to something new.
If you want to support more talented developers in the industry, you should check out our list of upcoming indie games.