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Jason Gastrow, otherwise known as Videogamedunkey, or just Dunkey, is a YouTuber who talks about and reviews games on his channel. For years, he's covered games both big and small, using his trademark sarcastic humor to build on his career as a game reviewer that has over 7 million subscribers. His latest video was not about a specific game, and instead was an announcement for Dunkey's new independent game publishing label called Bigmode. According to Dunkey, too many good indie games are "getting lost in a sea of mediocrity", and he's tired of just sitting on the sidelines merely reviewing games after they release, and now he wants to be directly involved.

"I am not looking for creative control", Dunkey explains, claiming that he wants to be involved, and for Bigmode to act as a seal of approval. His brand would, in theory, offer developer-friendly contracts, and help promote quality games that have substance, over anything else. Dunkey leverages the fact that he knows what good games are, after years of promoting various indie titles on his channel, such as Undertale, Cuphead, Hades, and others.

 

[such]

Yeah, Undertale and Hades, eh? He's about to find out the hard way, I guess.

 

[Guacaholey]

LMFAO HE SAID UNDERTALE’S SUCCESS WAS BECAUSE OF HIM?

People like him need to disappear. I don’t wish him to be hurt, just to realize how much of a dipshit he is and consider a career in farming or something, far away from people.

Agreed. We don't more stupid "funny" reviews by hyper obnoxious "critics". I still find him less annoying than Egoraptor though because that idiot will intentionally do something stupid in a game to mislead people into agreeing with his views.

 

[NaturalPanic]

I feel like some folks here are way overblowing what Dunkey said in his video and then the people who didn't even watch it are rolling with it. He just says he's putting "millions of eyes on games that deserve attention". He names undertale as one of the games he has shown on his channel but that's not even close to saying he's the reason its popular. I hope this thing works out for Dunkey and that we get some good games out of it.

 

[GammaPhonic]

Nope, it's that you self publish as well. Else it ain't no indie, just a normal game studio.

There are hundreds, thousands of indie games with a publisher. Indie means the developer is independently owned. Self publication isn't what people generally mean when they use the term indie game.

 

[Xzi]

KNACK 3 CONFIRMED BAYBEE!

 

[linuxares]

There are hundreds, thousands of indie games with a publisher. Indie means the developer is independently owned. Self publication isn't what people generally mean when they use the term indie game.

Then they aren't a proper indie title.

 

[GammaPhonic]

Then they aren't a proper indie title.

Indie literally refers to a developer being independently owned. The same is true for independent record labels (who can also have publishing deals with larger labels).

Under your definition, a game like Shantae and the Pirates Curse is an indie game. But only in North America were it was self published by WayForward. It was published by Rising Star in Europe and Oizumi in Japan. So that game is both an indie game AND not an indie game depending on where you live?

Or Fast Racing Neo, which was self published by Shinen in Europe, but only on the eShop. The physical release was published by Nintendo. So these are the exact same game, on the same console, in the same region, but one is indie and the other isn't?

 

[linuxares]

Indie literally refers to a developer being independently owned. The same is true for independent record labels (who can also have publishing deals with larger labels).

Under your definition, a game like Shantae and the Pirates Curse is an indie game. But only in North America were it was self published by WayForward. It was published by Rising Star in Europe and Oizumi in Japan. So that game is both an indie game AND not an indie game depending on where you live?

Or Fast Racing Neo, which was self published by Shinen in Europe, but only on the eShop. The physical release was published by Nintendo. So these are the exact same game, on the same console, in the same region, but one is indie and the other isn't?

Then a lot of games are indie titles since they're a game studio (independent) doing work to be published. This is totally wrong and the meaning Indie have never meant a independent game studio.

For example Stardew Valley is actually not a indie title until recently. It was published by Chuckle Fish. Just because it's a "simple" game doesn't make it a indie title.

 

[sarkwalvein]

What is an indie game and according to who?

According to me the only indie game is Fate of Atlantis. /s

 

[Paolosworld]

i wish him the best on this but i did NOT like his video announcing it. it seemed like he was hyping himself up waay too much and taking credit for the success of lots of huge indies. (sorry dunkey, undertale still would've taken off without you.) as someone who loves his content, i hope this goes well but my man needs to humble himself a bit

LMFAO HE SAID UNDERTALE’S SUCCESS WAS BECAUSE OF HIM?

People like him need to disappear. I don’t wish him to be hurt, just to realize how much of a dipshit he is and consider a career in farming or something, far away from people.

I feel like some folks here are way overblowing what Dunkey said in his video and then the people who didn't even watch it are rolling with it. He just says he's putting "millions of eyes on games that deserve attention". He names undertale as one of the games he has shown on his channel but that's not even close to saying he's the reason its popular. I hope this thing works out for Dunkey and that we get some good games out of it.

People who are outraged at Dunkey for acting like he made Undertale and Hades successful don't understand humor.

He literally says “I understand what kind of ideas always work” and then shows a grapple hook.
He also mentioned Rocket League in his list of games that he "made successful", even though it's not an indie game at all.

He is lacking self awareness for comedic purposes. Like how he insists that he is the best Mario Maker 2 player ever, and how Knack 2 is a masterpiece.

Have any of you guys seen a dunkey video before? Even his serious videos are full of landmines like this.

 

[Veho]

."I am not looking for creative control", Dunkey explains, claiming that he wants to be involved, and for Bigmode to act as a seal of approval. His brand would, in theory, offer developer-friendly contracts, and help promote quality games that have substance, over anything else.​

I'm curious how that will work. Publishers can get involved at any stage of game development, including actually hiring a dev team to make a game; they can fund development, and they are in charge of publishing (duh), distribution and marketing. What part will he and his label play? Will he fund development? Or just promote already finished games?

 

[GammaPhonic]

Then a lot of games are indie titles since they're a game studio (independent) doing work to be published. This is totally wrong and the meaning Indie have never meant a independent game studio.

For example Stardew Valley is actually not a indie title until recently. It was published by Chuckle Fish. Just because it's a "simple" game doesn't make it a indie title.

Independently owned means wholly owned by one person, or self owned as a company. And not being owned in part or whole by another company or publicly traded. It also means not owning any other company in part or in whole. This is very rarely anything other than a small studio, as that kind of business tends to be unsustainable on a large scale.

And it doesn't matter if it's a basic pong clone, or a huge open world game with cutting edge graphics. If it was made by one person or a team of thousands. If it was made on a tiny budget, or an enormous one. If the developer is independently owned and independently financed and creates the game without assistance from any other company, it is an independently made game... an indie game.

 

[linuxares]

Independently owned means wholly owned by one person, or self owned as a company. And not being owned in part or whole by another company or publicly traded. It also means not owning any other company in part or in whole. This is very rarely anything other than a small studio, as that kind of business tends to be unsustainable on a large scale.

And it doesn't matter if it's a basic pong clone, or a huge open world game with cutting edge graphics. If it was made by one person or a team of thousands. If it was made on a tiny budget, or an enormous one. If the developer is independently owned and independently financed and creates the game without assistance from any other company, it is an independently made game... an indie game.

So Turtle Rock Studios were a indiependent developer yet they got contracted to work on L4D2. Does that make it a indie game then according to your argument?

 

[GammaPhonic]

So Turtle Rock Studios were a indiependent developer yet they got contracted to work on L4D2. Does that make it a indie game then according to your argument?

Of course not, they were contracted to do it. That means they were paid by another company to make the game. Does that sound like independent development?

 

[linuxares]

Of course not, they were contracted to do it. That means they were paid by another company to make the game. Does that sound like independent development?

Yes, since it's the same if a Indie company looks for a publisher for their game. That would make it the same since the publisher pays for the development of the game.

 

[Plazorn]

Dunkey is my all time favorite YouTuber, so this is great

 

[GammaPhonic]

Yes, since it's the same if a Indie company looks for a publisher for their game. That would make it the same since the publisher pays for the development of the game.

That isn't true at all. A publisher can contribute to the development costs, but more likely (especially with smaller releases) will just handle the distribution and marketing costs. And even if a publisher does fund development of a small indie studios, they will generally leave them to it (i.e. let them make the game how they want to) as it is a low risk investment.

Also, being paid by a developer/publisher to make a game under contract and signing a deal with a publisher to develop a game you made by yourself are not the same thing at all.

 

[linuxares]

That isn't true at all. A publisher can contribute to the development costs, but more likely (especially with smaller releases) will just handle the distribution and marketing costs. And even if a publisher does fund development of a small indie studios, they will generally leave them to it (i.e. let them make the game how they want to) as it is a low risk investment.

Publisher can still provide money and yet not touch development. Would that still make it Indie then or co-development?

Yet again, even if the publisher distribute etc. that is part of the development, since else people wouldn't get the game. It's not a Indie game any longer.

Take "Limited Run Games". They take indie games and publish them on physical formats. Then I would say the original game is indie, but the physical release isn't. Since "Limited Run Games" paid for the development of the physical cart/disc.

A game studio should be both publisher and developer. Else they aren't independent.

 

[GammaPhonic]

Publisher can still provide money and yet not touch development. Would that still make it Indie then or co-development?

Yet again, even if the publisher distribute etc. that is part of the development, since else people wouldn't get the game. It's not a Indie game any longer.

Take "Limited Run Games". They take indie games and publish them on physical formats. Then I would say the original game is indie, but the physical release isn't. Since "Limited Run Games" paid for the development of the physical cart/disc.

A game studio should be both publisher and developer. Else they aren't independent.

Publishing is not development. And development is not publishing. They are two different things. Limited Run Games do not pay for the "development of the physical cart/disc" they pay for the manufacture and distribution of the physical cart/disc. That is not game development.

If a game was developed independently, it is an independant game. A dev can then either self publish, or hire a publisher to do it for them. This is the service Dunkey is offering with his new business.

 

[sarkwalvein]

Publisher can still provide money and yet not touch development. Would that still make it Indie then or co-development?

Yet again, even if the publisher distribute etc. that is part of the development, since else people wouldn't get the game. It's not a Indie game any longer.

Take "Limited Run Games". They take indie games and publish them on physical formats. Then I would say the original game is indie, but the physical release isn't. Since "Limited Run Games" paid for the development of the physical cart/disc.

A game studio should be both publisher and developer. Else they aren't independent.

To be honest I don't agree at all regarding self-publishing as a condition for classifying a game as indie, and that is the reason I ask for sources regarding that definition of an indie game.

I propose that if a game is independently developed it is an indie game, no matter how it was distributed/published.
I don't have sources other than me for that definition.

What would be a general commonly-agreed source regarding what an indie game is? who is an authority regarding that term? Is there any broadly agreed definition for what is an indie game?