As the video game industry descended on San Francisco for this year's Game Developers Conference, one thing was clear: some of gaming's biggest ideas are born from its smallest teams.
At showcase events like the annual Day of the Devs and The Mix, hundreds of independent developers were eager to show players their new and in-progress video games.
Video games are big business. Last year, the global games market made an estimated $188 billion in revenue, according to analytics company Newzoo. And at the same time, more independent developers are making games. In 2018, just over 8,000 indie games were released, according to Video Game Insights. In 2024, VG Insights claimed that the number skyrocketed to over 16,000. Sometimes, those indie games become breakout hits, selling millions of copies and driving industry trends.
I played dozens of games during my visit to the conference. Below are just a few of my favorites — titles that represent the innovative design and bold storytelling that indies are known for.
Take Us North
Take Us North follows the journey of migrants and asylum seekers crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. The player assumes the role of a migrant guide — often called a "coyote" — braving the heat and dangers of the Sonoran Desert.
But why is a video game the right medium for this story? "These are the existential questions we ask ourselves in the design session," says Karla Reyes, game developer and founder of Anima Interactive.
Reyes says the project is aiming to be realistic and authentic. Part of the team's research process included speaking to migrants and other experts. And as much as the vibe and atmosphere are a part of telling that story, she explains, it's the power of interactivity that ultimately sets video games apart. […]
"There's a lot of tension through this journey," she says. "We want to create this immersive experience for the player: where you feel what it's like to be in the desert." […]
to a T
The upcoming game to a T is the latest from innovative creator Keita Takahashi and his studio, uvula. The game's main character, a young teen navigating life in his small town, is stuck in a "T pose" — the basic position a character takes while being rigged by an animator. Basically, standing straight up with arms stuck out to the side. A character like this usually makes an appearance in video games through accidental glitches. But Takahashi uses the idea for comedic effect, as your character poses their way through mundane tasks like pouring milk into a cereal bowl.
A coming-of-age story, to a T feels far less narratively abstract and relatable than Takahashi's previous games. "I'm not sure if it's emotional or not," Takahashi says when I point this out, "but it's kind of new for me."
New because it's born from a kind of moral responsibility he feels in this current moment. The game emerged, Takahashi says, when he heard climate activists say they didn't want to have kids. "I need to focus on the next generation," he says.
This game attempts to deliver that message: a lighthearted story with a hopeful vision of adolescence, made for a generation that may have never heard of Takahasi's runaway hit series Katamari Damacy.
