Ask any 10 gamers what constitutes an "indie MMO" and you'll probably
get 10 different answers. But one definition that most can agree on is
that an indie game lacks the financial support of a well-funded
publisher. But do smaller budgets mean greater freedom? Ten Ton Hammer
asked Nathan Richardsson, Executive Producer for CCP, developers of EVE
Online, and Todd Harris, Executive Producer of Global Agenda, to share
their thoughts on the bright future of independent MMOG development.


“By
definition a niche market is a segment that is currently underserved by
the mainstream providers. So, to serve that audience a developer
typically needs to deliver something really different and innovative
vs. just more of the same thing available elsewhere,” says Hi-Rez
Studios’ Todd Harris. “With a big budget there could be a temptation to
cover up stale gameplay by shoveling out more content or simply pumping
up the marketing hype. However, for an indie developer such as Hi-Rez
Studios, the game must stand on its own merits and we find that
liberating.”



Excited about the prospects for indie MMO developers? href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/73815" target="_blank">Read
on!
[img_assist|nid=73790|title=Global Agenda Screenshot|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=100|height=75]


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Last Updated: Mar 29, 2016

About The Author

Karen is H.D.i.C. (Head Druid in Charge) at EQHammer. She likes chocolate chip pancakes, warm hugs, gaming so late that it's early, and rooting things and covering them with bees. Don't read her Ten Ton Hammer column every Tuesday. Or the EQHammer one every Thursday, either.

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