The past weekend has been nothing but chaos in the gaming world. The head of Xbox is retiring, the President of Xbox quit, and someone with a background in CoreAI is taking over. However, good news does exist, and sometimes it comes to fruition just in the nick of time — Insider Gaming’s latest Indie Showcase announcement.
In a post on LinkedIn, Insider Gaming Co-Owner Tom Henderson said: “Insider Gaming will be hosting its own showcase at the end of May, but with a twist! The Insider Gaming Showcase will be focusing on games that have yet to receive major funding or publisher backing.”
Well, well, count me in for the end of May. I would love to see what this type of showcase has in store for us. I’ve come across tons of games that could have used a little more capital for better gameplay, or others that were lost in the fray and never saw the light of day.
Some even secure the funding, only to find out how terrible the actual contract with their benefactor is.
I’m reminded of the nightmarish story Project Feline went through a few years ago when they secured funding under Screen Australia, the Australian government’s project funding arm. Titled “Games: Expansion Pack,” by Screen Australia, a reported four million AUD was on the line.
Project Feline worked tirelessly and ultimately raised some of the funds, only to realize it was a total mistake on their part. You see, Screen Australia had massive ultimatums that Project Feline had to meet:
- Dubious legal terms and contradictions.
- IP ownership and control issues.
- Restrictions that were seen as sketchy, like concerns about government logos tied to funding.
Sometimes the dollar offered is never quite what it seems. Companies like Tencent have been reportedly taking on Indie games like Highguard. Securing their way into aggressive or potential live-service monetization methods to net them more money than the cost of the indie developer’s reputation.
So, let’s all celebrate what Inside Gaming is planning to do this May and join in on the fun. I’m sure there will be a few titles that catch my eye, I’ll pitch to them if I can!
Happy to see some positivity in the industry?
Ready to show some support for indie developers? Drop us a comment on your predictions for the next-gen leadership at Xbox and whether this is a good thing or bad!
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
