TOKYO – Japanese indie games, created by small-scale or independent developers and attracting funding from publishing and other firms outside the gaming industry, are gaining popularity, with one such game having sold over 1 million copies worldwide.
Major publishing firm Kodansha Ltd. started supporting developers in 2020 by providing funds and assistance for game-making and helping distribute their products in and outside Japan.
Indie games are often produced with free development software and are available for download via consoles such as Nintendo Switch and distribution services such as Steam at prices starting from several hundred yen or a few dollars.
“Bokura,” developed by Tokoronyori, has been a hit, with more than 1 million copies sold globally since its release in 2023. While many people pursue game development as a hobby or side job, the creator decided to make a living through it after finding that job hunting was not suitable for him during his senior year of college.
“Because we are not aiming for ‘the correct answer,’ games that have never existed before are born,” said the creator backed by Kodansha.
“It’s really tough to repeatedly work alone, as I don’t go to the office every day. But every time I make progress, such as when characters start walking, I feel a sense of accomplishment and it’s fun,” Tokoronyori said.
Among others, “The Exit 8,” a walking simulator in which players seek a way out of subway station passageways, was made into a live-action film in Japan last year. The globally popular game “Minecraft” is also known to have been initially created by an individual developer.
Commercial facility operator Parco Co. launched its Parco Games brand last year to market products as a game publisher by holding promotion events at its shopping outlets.
Shuhei Yoshida, who was deeply involved in the PlayStation business at Sony Corp.’s gaming division and now supports the development of indie games, said that games developed by major firms tend to be safe because many people are involved and they avoid failure.
“Most indie games are made because creators want to make them, not because someone asked them to. Groundbreaking games are developed when individuals make games with a strong passion,” said Yoshida, now CEO at yosp Inc.
The global game content market has continued to expand year by year, reaching roughly 31 trillion yen ($199 billion) in 2024, according to the Famitsu game white paper 2025.
“Overseas, game development has started in areas where it had not been active. With new games emerging in various parts of the world, the market will continue to expand,” Yoshida said.