Indie Game Success: Creating Games That Polarize
Teh Courage to Divide: Why Indie Game Success Relies on Passion, Not Global Appeal
Table of Contents
Published August 20, 2025
The Paradox of Indie Game Growth
In the fiercely competitive world of video games, particularly for self-reliant developers, a counterintuitive truth is emerging: striving for universal appeal is a path to failure. This insight, shared by Anders Lauridsen, CEO of High North Studios, at DevCom 2025 during Gamescom, challenges conventional wisdom. Lauridsen’s core message? ”If you make something that everyone likes but no one loves, it will fail.”
This isn’t a call for deliberately creating bad games.It’s a recognition that truly memorable,impactful games-the ones that build dedicated communities and lasting legacies-are often those that evoke strong reactions,even if those reactions aren’t universally positive. Lauridsen argues that developers “must be willing to make something that many will hate,as long as someone will love it.”
Beyond Playability: the Power of Cultural Resonance
But how does a developer know if they’re creating something that will inspire that fervent devotion? Lauridsen suggests a surprisingly personal metric: does the game stir feelings *within the developer* even when they aren’t actively playing it? He describes a game’s potential to become a “cultural artifact” – something that occupies your thoughts, sparks imagination, and even distracts you from the mundane. he illustrates this with a powerful analogy: “Like when you are in love with someone, you dream of them when you sit in traffic and forget to drive when the traffic light turns green.”
lauridsen shared an example from his own experience, creating a retro-style game. He found that a notable part of the experience for players wasn’t simply *playing* the game, but the nostalgic connection it fostered. The game became a portal to the past, evoking powerful memories and emotions. This resonance, he believes, was far more impactful than any technical polish or widespread appeal.
The Skald Example: A Case Study in Polarizing success
High north Studios’ own game, Skald: Against the black Prior, serves as a compelling example of this ideology. Described as a “hardcore RPG” with a dark fantasy setting and a deliberate homage to 80s and 90s RPGs,Skald isn’t designed for casual players. In fact, Steam reviews often acknowledge it’s “not for everyone.” Though,despite this niche appeal,the game currently boasts a 93% positive review rating,demonstrating that those who *do* connect with it,truly *love* it.