"An overtly failed project won't become a hit—learn to let go and move on," says an indie developer about the realities of solo game development
Thomas Sala, the creator of the construction simulator Bulwark Evolution: Falconeer Chronicles, shared his experiences with solo development in Thomas Brush's podcast and offered advice to his peers.
Bulwark Evolution: Falconeer Chronicles
According to him, the most crucial aspect of success is the ability to soberly assess the game's commercial potential. "If the game won't make money, then it's not worth working on it. That's the harsh reality," Sala emphasized.
He recommends setting clear and measurable success criteria early on to avoid "dragging a dead horse" — in other words, working on a hopeless project.
Another principle Sala adheres to is working swiftly. "I create my games in two years. That's my goal: less than two years for large, visually impressive projects. Spending six or seven years on development is just foolish," he explained. In his view, long-term projects are hard to finance, especially if developers rely on game sales revenue.
Finally, his last piece of advice is to be able to let go of failures and learn from them. "You can't turn an outright failed project into a hit. If the project isn't working, you need to part with it and move on. That doesn't mean the time was wasted — you've gained valuable experience that will be useful in the future," the developer assured.
