Molyneux says good times won’t last forever for indies

The rise in popularity of indie games has threatened the very viability of triple-A development – but don’t expect it to last.

That’s the message from Peter Molyneux who told CVG at GDC that indies should enjoy it all while it lasts.

"These things go in cycles," he said. "What I’d say is, enjoy this time, because it won’t last.

"Don’t think we’re going to be all indies for the next five years – these things go in cycles, just like in the music business. You have a time where punk is big, and then you have times like now where everything is manufactured.

"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!’

"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’.

"Enjoy this time, because inevitably it will only last a short period."