Solo Dev Survival Guide: Shipping Your First Indie Game

Game development as a solo act or a student project presents unique challenges. You’re often wearing every hat: designer, programmer, artist, sound engineer, and marketer. This reality demands a specific approach to ensure your project actually sees the light of day.

First, define your core loop and stick to it. Many solo developers fall into the trap of endless feature creep. Identify the single, most fun interaction in your game and build everything else around enhancing it. Don’t add features just because they seem cool; ask if they serve the core experience.

Scope management is not just a buzzword; it’s your lifeline. Start with a minimum viable product (MVP) that is genuinely shippable. This means a game that is complete, playable, and demonstrates its core mechanics, even if it’s short. Releasing a small, polished game is far more valuable than abandoning a large, unfinished one.

Learn to say ‘no’ to your own ideas. Every new mechanic or level adds exponential development time. Prioritize ruthlessly. If an idea isn’t essential for the core experience, defer it to a potential post-launch update or a future project.

Embrace iterative development. Don’t try to build the entire game in a vacuum before testing. Get a basic prototype running quickly, then add features in small, testable increments. This allows you to identify problems early and pivot if necessary.

Prototyping doesn’t require final art or polished code. Use simple shapes, placeholder assets, and basic scripts to test mechanics. The goal is to validate fun, not to create a visual masterpiece at this stage.

Game design documents, while often seen as daunting, are crucial for solo developers too. They serve as your compass, preventing you from drifting off course. A concise GDD helps you clarify your vision and maintain focus. Consider using a tool like Blueprint to structure your ideas without getting bogged down.

Don’t underestimate the power of placeholder assets. Using simple squares, circles, or free asset packs allows you to build out levels and mechanics quickly. You can always replace them with polished art later, once the gameplay is solid.

Community feedback is invaluable, even for solo projects. Share early builds with friends, family, or online communities. Their fresh perspective can reveal blind spots and highlight what’s working or not. Be open to criticism, but also learn to discern actionable feedback from personal preference.

Marketing starts day one, not at launch. Build a presence on social media, share development updates, and engage with potential players. Even small, consistent efforts can build anticipation and an audience over time.

Leverage existing assets and tools whenever possible. Creating everything from scratch is rarely efficient for solo developers. Asset stores, open-source libraries, and development frameworks can significantly reduce your workload. Focus your unique creative energy where it truly matters.

Burnout is a real threat. Set realistic daily goals and take regular breaks. Game development is a marathon, not a sprint. Maintain a healthy work-life balance to sustain your passion and productivity.

Celebrate small victories. Finishing a mechanic, fixing a bug, or getting positive feedback can keep your motivation high. Acknowledge your progress to stay encouraged during the long development process.

Remember that many successful indie games started small. Look at titles like Stardew Valley or Undertale; they began as focused projects by dedicated individuals. Their success wasn’t instantaneous; it was built on iteration, passion, and smart scope management. You can see more inspiring examples in the Made with Wayline showcase.

Finally, launch. Even if your game isn’t perfect, shipping it provides invaluable experience and feedback. The lessons learned from a launched game, regardless of its commercial success, will be your most important assets for future projects.