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Nordic Game 2025 has defined the direction of this year's event as 'the era of indie'. Event program director Jacob Riis declared full support for indie games by announcing an exhibition of more than 100 new indie games, the largest publisher pitching session ever, and the newly created 'People's Choice Award'.

Why is it important?

Director Reese bluntly criticized large studios, saying they "to some extent ruined" the game industry. “The big companies make it so that most gamers play only their games all the time. If they could decide, they would probably say that you should only play their games,” he said.

On the other hand, indie games "focus on the artistry of the game rather than profits, money-making, and greedy monetization," he said, adding, "We want to create something that moves us as players. What matters is not how much time you spend on the product, but what imprint it leaves on your soul."

The rise of indie according to data

These claims are also supported by actual data. According to data from Video Game Insights, four of the top 10 best-selling games on Steam over the past 12 months are indie titles. Peak, REPO, Schedule I, RV There Yet? It was on par with large AAA titles.

When did this trend start?

Director Reese diagnosed the current state of the industry from the perspective of a “long-time gamer.” “We miss the old days. Not everything evolved into the best ecosystem.” In the 2010s, large companies like Epic, Microsoft, and Sony sponsored events like Nordic Games, but they have now shifted to holding their own conferences.

“When you get that big, why would you pay for some event in Sweden when you can hold a conference with just your own products or services?” Director Lee’s words: Currently, the sponsors of the Nordic Games are filled with small companies, and director Reece evaluated this independence rather positively.

Nordic Games ticket sales soar

With the number of attendees at this year's GDC (Game Developers Conference) falling by about a third, Nordic games are enjoying the benefits. The high cost of participation and safety concerns due to the U.S. government's immigration crackdown were cited as the main reasons for the decline in GDC attendance.

Director Reece said, “Ticket sales have now increased by 33%. At this point, this is our best performance since the coronavirus pandemic.”

Future outlook [AI analysis]

As fatigue with the 'endless monetization' model centered on live service games spreads throughout the industry, interest in indie games is likely to continue for the time being. As Steam sales data shows, players are already expressing their choice with their wallets.

The growth of the Nordic Games suggests that European gaming events may emerge as an alternative to U.S.-centric events. An independent event model that operates without the sponsorship of large studios can actually be advantageous in building an ecosystem centered on indie developers.

However, the problem of discoverability due to the overheating of the indie game market still remains a challenge, and curation systems such as Nordic Games' People's Choice Award are expected to play a role in alleviating this.