Dan Marshall has a message for indie developers out there: Don't make online multiplayer games. The developer of the online multiplayer game Gun Monkeys posted a cautionary note to his peers today on his blog to stay away from the online space.
"The TL;DR is really: if you're an indie developer, don't make multiplayer games," Marshall said. "There are exceptions, naturally, but by-and-large the number of customers you're ever likely to get simply isn't there to support it."
Marshall said the expectations people have for online multiplayer games are immensely difficult to meet.
"I don't want to be completely negative, I just think as indies we need to be aware that the numbers Titanfall sells in order to be a constantly-playable online game eclipses anything we could possibly hope to achieve," Marshall said. "It's a case of being very, very boringly realistic."
For those developers undeterred by his message, Marshall also offered some points of advice. He suggested online game developers make sure to build hype before launch.
"I kept fixing bugs and tweaking gameplay for a few months, because of course, but there comes a point where you're aware you need to get on with a new game in order to keep your company afloat," Marshall said. "Adding new maps and characters and stuff seems like a sensible thing to do, but if the game doesn't have the numbers already, what is it really going to achieve?"
Ultimately, Gun Monkeys covered its own costs, so Marshall said it was successful from one perspective. However, he added it "immediately got forgotten about."
"And that's the saddest bit for me, because it's genuinely a brillo little game that deserved a lot more attention," Marshall said.
Source: GamesIndustry
