Instructor
James Morgan
Document Type
Final Class Paper
Publication Date
Spring 2025
Keywords
indie game, creative freedom
Abstract
The independent development model provides developers with creative freedom and personal fulfillment because it enables them to learn through hands-on experience while creating distinctive experiences and developing diverse skills. It provides them with both long-term ownership of their work and the chance to achieve remarkable success through their own efforts while allowing them to maintain direct communication with players who appreciate their creative output. The choice between AAA and indie depends on individual career goals, but developers who view games as more than just products of entertainment can find greater meaning in the indie path, Long-term triple-A developers who want to find more fulfillment in their work often transition to indie because this path allows them to tell stories and innovate while maintaining ownership of their work. In conclusion, while AAA studios create the biggest pieces of entertainment for wide audiences that are highly advertised and talked about, indie developers maintain the most freedom to express creativity, which turns into the most beautiful, innovative. and engaging game worlds that high production could not replicate
Recommended Citation
Andrei Morgunov. "The Cost of Creative Freedom: Comparing AAA and Indie Game Development" ART 108: Introduction to Games Studies (2025).
