Molyneux: Indie Revival "Won't Last"

[Mar 25, 2014, 09:17 am ET] - Share - Viewing Comments

Peter Molyneux tells CVG the current indie game renaissance "won't last," saying indies will be attracted by the allure of deep-pocketed investors and lose their independent spirit, tempting an interpretation that he's speaking as much about his own past as other developers' futures. "Here's the thing: walk through any hotel lobby at GDC and look at people's name badges. This morning at breakfast I saw three angel investors talking to indies. They're saying, 'take my money! I want to invest in your company!'," he explains. "But what those indie companies don't realise is that they'll then have to have board meetings, and in those meetings they'll be told, 'no, you shouldn't do that - look at this game that's making money'." He compares the current environment to the heyday of the 1980s:

"It's very much like the 80s," he said. "Back then anybody could create a game that could be hugely successful. There were no formulas or anything cast in stone.

"A few years ago it was all about fear; huge budgets and 'my franchise is bigger than your franchise'. It was all about 'who's going to create the new Call of Duty?'

"Now it's all about invention, creativity and not having any fear."

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67 Replies. 4 pages. Viewing page 1.
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67.

Re: Molyneux: Indie Revival

Mar 26, 2014, 09:02

Cyant

He's wrong. In the 80's you had to get shelf space to sell your product. You would get that by having a deal with publishers. Now you just need to publish it on the app store / steam. So yeah I agree they HAD to before but now they don't.

66.

Re: Molyneux: Indie Revival

Mar 26, 2014, 08:17

hello newman

Peter has a good point A ton of cash is worth throwing away your pride and artistic vision for 99% of the adults these days. Why would be game developers any different than musicians, movie directors, writers, etc... Maybe Molineux is getting old and boring as a game maker, but cut the man some slack and accept that he's more experienced and probably altogether wiser than most bedroom indie devs at least on a business level...

65.

Re: Molyneux: Indie Revival

Mar 26, 2014, 08:00

[VG]Reagle

With the major exception that climate change is a media driven conspiracy which actually isn't happening. Politically correct nutjobs attack scientists who don't support it and the mindless brainwashed public are on their knees sucking down Al Gores latest contribution.

Read my lips. .... No significant warming in 15 years.

And since you mention it, I have to say that Buzz Aldrin looks a little funny.

This comment was edited on Mar 26, 2014, 08:11.




DON'T LIKE MY COMMENTS?!? THEN STOP RELEASING GARBAGE.

64.

Re: Molyneux: Indie Revival

Mar 26, 2014, 07:36

Domgrief

InBlack wrote on Mar 26, 2014, 04:48: Julio wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 19:59: If you believe they actually walked on the moon. Oh Christ. Moon hoaxers are even worse than climate change deniers... Research indicates that in some cases they're the same people anyway! </threadhijack>

63.

Re: Molyneux: Indie Revival

Mar 26, 2014, 04:48

InBlack

Julio wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 19:59:
Killswitch wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 19:49:
panbient wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 16:07:
... did you honestly compare a video game designer to astronauts? And not just any, but the only human beings to step foot on the moon?

While Aldrin and Armstrong were the first to walk on the moon, there has been a total of 12 astronauts who have walked on the lunar surface. Just thought I would clear up this common misconception.

If you believe they actually walked on the moon.

Oh Christ. Moon hoaxers are even worse than climate change deniers...




I have a nifty blue line!

62.

Re: Molyneux: Indie Revival

Mar 26, 2014, 02:20

Sepharo

saluk wrote on Mar 26, 2014, 02:18: As much as I despise Molyneux, I think he has a point. These kinds of things wax and wane over time - periods of creativity and anarchy, and periods of consolidation. We've seen it happen on mobile, where in the early days it was very easy to get placement no matter your background; but now the majority of top selling games are produced by huge game factory conglomorates. The amount of indie games being trying to get placement these days is not really sustainable. It's never been sustainable. Only a relative few are hits. Why should that change?

61.

Re: Molyneux: Indie Revival

Mar 26, 2014, 02:18

saluk

As much as I despise Molyneux, I think he has a point. These kinds of things wax and wane over time - periods of creativity and anarchy, and periods of consolidation. We've seen it happen on mobile, where in the early days it was very easy to get placement no matter your background; but now the majority of top selling games are produced by huge game factory conglomorates. The amount of indie games being trying to get placement these days is not really sustainable.

60.

Re: Molyneux: Indie Revival

Mar 26, 2014, 00:44

[VG]Reagle

Peter is a used up has been. Why are we even interviewing him? i could go to a preschool class and get a better opinion of where game development is heading. Seriously.




DON'T LIKE MY COMMENTS?!? THEN STOP RELEASING GARBAGE.

59.

Re: Molyneux: Indie Revival

Mar 25, 2014, 22:44

Domgrief

So it looks like the crux of Molyneux's argument is "we're not all going to be indies for the next 5 years." Um, thank you, Captain Obvious? Of course publishers are going to try and cash in on successful studios, and some developers will be prepared to trade their creative freedom for a share of the money. "Manufactured" or not, we'll probably get some games that we enjoy in the process. Meanwhile, there'll be a million other indies who didn't sign with publishers.

58.

Re: Molyneux: Indie Revival

Mar 25, 2014, 21:39

Creston

Prez wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 21:32: Beamer wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 20:11: Julio wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 19:59: Killswitch wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 19:49: panbient wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 16:07: ... did you honestly compare a video game designer to astronauts? And not just any, but the only human beings to step foot on the moon? While Aldrin and Armstrong were the first to walk on the moon, there has been a total of 12 astronauts who have walked on the lunar surface. Just thought I would clear up this common misconception. If you believe they actually walked on the moon. Danger! Danger! There's that "Thread Hijack Imminent" alarm again... We need a :-threadhijack-: smiley. Preferably one that just holds up a big sign that says "STOP FUCKING DERAILING THIS THREAD!"

57.

Re: Molyneux: Indie Revival

Mar 25, 2014, 21:37

Creston

Beamer wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 16:08: I also haven't seen Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin go around asking for money, telling us how they were going to do the biggest space trip the world has ever seen, only to have it end up being them riding the toy rocket ship outside their local Quick-E-Mart. Hahahahahaha. That had me in stitches.

56.

Re: Molyneux: Indie Revival

Mar 25, 2014, 21:32

Prez

Beamer wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 20:11:
Julio wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 19:59:
Killswitch wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 19:49:
panbient wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 16:07:
... did you honestly compare a video game designer to astronauts? And not just any, but the only human beings to step foot on the moon?

While Aldrin and Armstrong were the first to walk on the moon, there has been a total of 12 astronauts who have walked on the lunar surface. Just thought I would clear up this common misconception.

If you believe they actually walked on the moon.

Danger! Danger!

There's that "Thread Hijack Imminent" alarm again...




“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” - Mahatma Gandhi

55.

Re: Molyneux: Indie Revival

Mar 25, 2014, 20:11

Beamer

Julio wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 19:59:
Killswitch wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 19:49:
panbient wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 16:07:
... did you honestly compare a video game designer to astronauts? And not just any, but the only human beings to step foot on the moon?

While Aldrin and Armstrong were the first to walk on the moon, there has been a total of 12 astronauts who have walked on the lunar surface. Just thought I would clear up this common misconception.

If you believe they actually walked on the moon.

Danger! Danger!




------------- Music for the discerning: http://www.deathwishinc.com http://www.hydrahead.com http://www.painkillerrecords.com

54.

Re: Molyneux: Indie Revival

Mar 25, 2014, 19:59

Julio

Killswitch wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 19:49: panbient wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 16:07: ... did you honestly compare a video game designer to astronauts? And not just any, but the only human beings to step foot on the moon? While Aldrin and Armstrong were the first to walk on the moon, there has been a total of 12 astronauts who have walked on the lunar surface. Just thought I would clear up this common misconception. If you believe they actually walked on the moon.

53.

Re: Molyneux: Indie Revival

Mar 25, 2014, 19:49

Killswitch

panbient wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 16:07: ... did you honestly compare a video game designer to astronauts? And not just any, but the only human beings to step foot on the moon? While Aldrin and Armstrong were the first to walk on the moon, there has been a total of 12 astronauts who have walked on the lunar surface. Just thought I would clear up this common misconception.

52.

Re: Molyneux: Indie Revival

Mar 25, 2014, 19:32

harlock

Beamer wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 19:08: Tanto Edge wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 19:04: NKD wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 18:52: Give zero fucks about Polydeux's opinion. I wish the media would stop giving him airtime. This is about to be the top "Popular Thread" here. Of course he gets airtime. He gets nonstop clickthroughs. where do you think the idea for cube came from

51.

Re: Molyneux: Indie Revival

Mar 25, 2014, 19:30

Cutter

Beamer wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 19:08:
Tanto Edge wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 19:04:
NKD wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 18:52:
Give zero fucks about Polydeux's opinion.

I wish the media would stop giving him airtime.

This is about to be the top "Popular Thread" here.
Of course he gets airtime. He gets nonstop clickthroughs.

And besides, what would we all argue about otherwise?

Like John Lennon said kids, 'Enjoying wasting time, isn't time wasted.'




You've got to be cruel to be kind...in the right measure.

50.

Re: Molyneux: Indie Revival

Mar 25, 2014, 19:28

Asmo

nin wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 09:44: I'm pretty sure Peter's career won't last either, based on his more recent output... Yeah, I wonder how his ~~paedo simulator~~ Milo thing is going?

49.

Re: Molyneux: Indie Revival

Mar 25, 2014, 19:08

Beamer

Tanto Edge wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 19:04:
NKD wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 18:52:
Give zero fucks about Polydeux's opinion.

I wish the media would stop giving him airtime.

This is about to be the top "Popular Thread" here.
Of course he gets airtime. He gets nonstop clickthroughs.




------------- Music for the discerning: http://www.deathwishinc.com http://www.hydrahead.com http://www.painkillerrecords.com

48.

Re: Molyneux: Indie Revival

Mar 25, 2014, 19:04

Tanto Edge

NKD wrote on Mar 25, 2014, 18:52:
Give zero fucks about Polydeux's opinion.

I wish the media would stop giving him airtime.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=705LEH3j2g0&t=0m24s http://www.youtube.com/user/tantoedge

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