Yes, you are right - Drakensang cost around half that, for example.

The devil is in the details, though. If you sell this game through Steam / Gamersgate etc, that will cost you 30-40%. If you try to sell retail, you'll need a publisher and after the retail and publisher cuts you'll have nothing left. In fact, few independent developers can stump up $2-4M of their own money - so you need a publisher. But a publisher isn't interested in a measly $4M revenue.

It's not as easy as it sounds. I'm not saying it's impossible but it's hard for a content heavy game like an RPG. That's why it doesn't happen very much.

In my dream alternate reality, someone like BioWare would "sponsor" indie/small/budget projects…but it doesn't happen in the real world.

If you have 12 minutes check out this demo from comic con…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c-DMZGIPuQ

This NEW engine, designed just for action RPGS like this, is indeed powerful and their art style is dark and gritty yet full of colours. It looks just awesome. Much better visuals than Diablo3 with its watercolour pastilles and rainbows or whatever they are.

Gameplay wise I see some very solid action gameplay. Maybe a little on the easy side, but its a bit early to tell and who knows what overpowered items he gave himself. Physics will allow you to smash monsters flying off edges. Should be a blast coop.

From my point of view the only down side are the 5 classes done much like Diablos with no stat rolling or perk picking, from what I can see. I guess thats fine since its action, but I tend to spend more time in character creation than the game itself. (especially true with NWN2)

Where do you have that information? Considering the first game we saw on it was a shooter hybrid (Aliens: Crucible) I would say the engine is mighty flexible in that regard. I would think they made the engine to their own likings. So, classical rpgs too.

From what I have read this is the main issue I think. Big publishers are all about big projects that have a chance for big profits.

In any event, as the tools get cheaper and easier like the comic con link above I am sure there will be indies making classic style RPGs out the ass, so I'm optimistic anyway.

Speaking of alternate realities, If I ever accidentally get unbelievably filthy rich, I will set up a funds for enthusiast gaming projects. :)
I am very curious how AoD and Dead State are going to do financially / saleswise. They are kind of the model I would like to see more of, but I think they would need to sell somewhat more than Jeff Vogel to be sustainable, and I have no idea how likely that is. Maybe the cards look better for Dead State, with Mitsodas name on it and with the current Zombie Craze…

My feeling says to me that this could've been the case in Drakensang 2, too.

I think it's rather the bigger publishers who aren't willing to publish games from smaller develöopers/Indies.

Smaller publishers might rather be willing in doing so.

Here in Germany, things re actually a little but better. Even an adventure game like Full Pipe gets published via retail, and Avencast, too, for example; other examples are Aztaka and Plants vs. Zombies. all are here in retail.


I think that the bigger the publisher, the less willing the company is willing to publish smaller games resulting in a smaller revenue.

What the U.S. and other markets need, then, are smaller publishers which are more willing to publish smaller projects via retail. And are willing to be content with a much smaller revenue.

We need a kind of middle class of game publishers, I think.

I will gladly invest in a company like that. Look at some of the indie games coming out funded by fans.