The gaming community is one of the most interesting social entities in the world. In the gaming community, you are marked and tarred based on the games you do and do not like.



For instance, if I were to say I dislike Pokemon or the Legend of Zelda games, I would face a litany of hate from online strangers I have never met. Equally if I were to say I love them, either I would be told to “shut up” as I’m similar to the rest, or I may be told that I’m amazing for liking these games. I could be a serial killer – but as long as I like a game other people are fond of, I am amazing. Equally, I could be a saint, but say I dislike a popular game, and I am torn apart as though my opinions are now invalid.

I’m understand to a degree why this happens – We spend countless hours on our favourite games, and build up a massive rapport and relationship with the digital creations we interact with. We start to actively like and relate ourselves to these characters, they feel a part of us. So when someone comes along and says they dislike a game or character, it can feel less like a subjective opinion, and more like a personal attack on us. That’s one take on the argument. However, obviously this is not the case. I have friends who love football very passionately. But I can’t stand watching football. It doesn’t mean I dislike my friends, or the players for that matter. I just don’t want to concern myself with it. And I certainly won’t abuse strangers online over it.

Now, we have an interesting take on it. Our company, Dalriada Games is an independent games company based in Glasgow, Scotland – and like every other indie developer we care very passionately about our games. And in fact it’s actually the same effect we have with our games – imagine how passionate and attached you feel spending at least 40+ hours on a game… these developers have spent months or years with this game. They actively are a part of it. The characters and mechanics are a reflection of themselves and the experiences they want players to have.

It should be made clear – I am not diminishing the fans role in the game making process, in fact if anything I’m emphasising how important it is! I’m not saying that you did not create it so you’re opinion is of second citizen nature, what I am saying is that you have experienced it from its release, not it’s inception.

But from a developers point of view, it’s that fan interaction that keeps us going, that keeps us driven and motivated. You are so important in the process because you allow us to continue by lifting our spirits. Or at least this is in theory. In reality however, you do not make it easy.

Gamer consistently want better products for cheaper prices. They want graphics to be enhanced, and AI to be more intelligent, without understanding that as a result more people of greater talent have to be working on that. And they do not work for free. It’s very simple economics. So prices increase in response to demand… and gamers hate it. They hate that games cost £60 ($80) on release, and so they turn to cheaper games.

That’s where indie developers come in! Unlike larger studios, they can create unique and fascinating games without having to be granted a massive budget by those in charge of the finances in larger companies. They can spend hours of time with a small team to create amazing content. And when they’re ready to reveal it to the world, their cheaper (sometimes free) game that is, they make it known and spread it across the globe to incredible reception!

Or do they?

Gamers hate ads.

They despise them. Take any gaming image from a small project/game that you care about, that you’ve poured your heart and hard work into, post it to 9GAG, Imgur, Reddit, 4CHAN, any of the big ones – and watch the hate flood in. “Nope.” “Hate it.” “Just an Ad” “Don’t post ads.”.

They can’t stand you spreading your game idea out there. It’s not the appropriate place they’ll say. Well think about it, if you can’t post to these sites, where can you post it? I know – a site that just consists of adverts! – No of course not. No one visits that. I know, I’ll post to Twitter or Facebook! – Well yes, but you’re only reaching those you already know, you want to grow your audience! Well then I’ll use the ads available on Twitter and Facebook! – Well now your literally doing what gamers hate, except this time, you’re being charged for it! At potentially £100 ($131.53) a week, you’re running yourself into the ground! That’s potentially as much as your weekly paycheck at a small company, or even worse maybe you aren’t paying yourself anything! So not only is the gaming community killing indie developers, but they are ruining cheap games for themselves. These indie devs need to make up costs somehow.

Use one of our games for example, STARWARD. We made a sci-fi 2D game for Android phones and tried desperately to get the game out there, and one of the places we tried was 9GAG. It was immediately downvoted, and comments received were “Get rid of it.”, “No Ads.”, “Go flump yourself.” (We changed some of the wording in that last one.)

We wondered why this was happening, and upon further reading, we were told that as the community to each site is different, perhaps 9Gag was not the best choice as their audience can be “passionate” and quick to judge. We thought that was fair, and tried Reddit instead. As avid lurkers ourselves we deemed it appropriate to try.

Upon posting, we were told two things – one thing immediately, and then one thing a short while after (within a few hours). The first was the same as before, “Pft, Clearly Just an Ad. Downvote.”, “Nice try. Downvote.”, and then a short while later we received a message from the mods.



Now let’s be clear. We were banned for REPEATEDLY posting our content, which was a direct violation of the r/gamedev policy. But equally, we had posted twice, once in the morning (targeted at the European audience) and once in the evening (targeted at the American audience). Not quite spam. Secondly, we had posted regularly on Screenshot Saturday (as in every week for three weeks), and to the moderators credit, we had. With few changes. We just wanted to get our game out there and could not spend time to change EVERY piece of text. However, we had been focusing on how we were updating the game that was still in development.

Again, to be clear, if this is Reddit’s policy, we respect it absolutely and as always we trust the moderators are making their decision for the betterment of the community. However, we are simply pointing out how difficult it can be to get an unknown indie game out there. We indie developers do not have the budget to manage a massive marketing campaign.

But do you know who does? AAA studios whom you have also stated you despise for things like Day 1 DLC, Pre-Order Bonuses, as well as higher prices.

The gaming community demands that things be different, but refuses for things to change.

They claim indie devs are the lifeblood, the good guys in a losing battle against a bigger Goliath. Yet the community is in no way willing to be tolerant or to contribute to the war effort in any way. On top of that, besides Ads, they hate Clickbait titles, so even when your post is allowed to continue it must have a relevant titles, so, “Like Pokemon Go? Try this!” is unacceptable, as its just a use of another companies IP to get what they want. But ask yourself this, why did you click on this article? The simple fact is; Clickbait titles work. Stop clicking on them and they stop existing. When you use honesty, e.g. “Check out our new game for free on android!” – it is either dismissed as ADS and mindless marketing, or it is lost in a sea of other posts with the EXACT same title. And sadly, not all titles are of the same quality. So your product with months of work dedicated to it is pitted with the same chance as an unfinished and buggy game made in an afternoon.

On top of that, you’re competing with massive and genuinely well worked on games like Pokemon Go, Clash of Clans, even older ones like Flappy Bird.

The short of it is that Indie Devs have a hard enough time creating unique games and worlds for us to love, resonate with, and spend hours on and it should be met with the love of the fans for willing to fight the massive battle and attempting to change the sector into something we can appreciate and live with. But gamers are unwilling to accommodate this from the other perspective.

We have to continue working on games, despite the fact that the fans in our industry are intolerant of us. We have to beg for fans, while dismissing the marketing/pricing strategies proposed by AAA studios. Simultaneously be the good guy, while treated like the lowest common denominator.

There has to be change, as the odds are increasingly against us.

And yet still, we press on.