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"Maybe it's time to reconsider the word indie." Dave the Diver's director said.
Image credit: MINTROCKET, DAVE THE DIVER
Is Dave the Diver an indie game? The game's director doesn't think so.
Dave the Diver was up for the Best Independent Game award at quite a few big events in 2023, including The Game Awards (TGA) and the Golden Joystick Awards.
But the controversy about whether the game is really an indie game has been going on for quite a while. A good example is, Geoff Keighley, the producer and host of TGA, got questioned about his views on the game's validity for inclusion in this particular category in a Twitch Q&A session.
Jaeho Hwang, the director of the game, recently chatted with Christopher Livingston, a Senior Editor from PC Gamer, at the Game Developers Conference. He shared his thoughts on the matter.
"If you ask 'Is Dave The Diver an indie game?' I would say no," said Hwang... "I really appreciate all the media and critics for nominating us for the best indie game," he said. "That's a big honor for us."
Image credit: MINTROCKET, DAVE THE DIVER
Even though Hwang doesn't see his game as indie, he gets why some other people see it that way:
"We never had a lot of money or things to work with," he said. "We started with five people and [had] 26 at the most. But I know the real indie game makers work under tougher conditions. They have to do a lot of things by themselves, whether they get invested in or not."
As of now, there's not yet a widely-agreed definition for 'indie game' in the gaming industry. Some people think it means a game made by a small, often self-funded team, while some others see it as a game that tries out new and creative ideas. This situation can indeed cause some debates, especially when it comes to giving out awards.
While the community is still trying to figure out what an indie game is, let's take a look at how Dave the Diver was first made, which can provide us some insights to consider if it's really an indie game.
Last month, Jaeho Hwang, the Director of Dave the Diver, and Bosung Seo, Mintrocket's Lead Programmer, participated in an 80 Level interview. They shared insights into the early development days of Dave the Diver and explained the process of porting the game to various platforms.
Image credit: MINTROCKET, DAVE THE DIVER
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