https://www.trojan-unicorn.com/village/spaces/87-the-tribe-space-elevating-indie-creators/stories/s/641-blog Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:54:43 +0100 Meet Diego Maia, one of the curators behind The Indie Movement - an anticipated online event, happening October 27-28 on the THU Platform. A freelance Film Director and 2D Artist, Diego explores stories rooted in the places, people and the landscapes that shaped him. We sat down with him to talk craft, independence and what's next. Tell us a bit about yourself. How did you first get involved in the industry?My Name is Diego Maia and I'm an independent Brazilian Film Director. I started my creative journey through comic art back in 2002. After that, I worked for several years in Brazilian animation studios as a 2D/3D artist and animator, while also taking on freelance projects for the international game, film, and animation industries. Although I had always wanted to direct my own films, I only began pursuing that path in 2018, when I started producing animated music videos. My first short film, Barra Nova, was released in 2023. Since then, I’ve been focused on developing independent animated projects, exploring stories that are deeply connected to the places, people and landscapes that shaped me.  Why is the Indie Movement relevant today and what do you hope people walk away thinking after the event?Independent filmmaking is our creative laboratory. It’s where artists can experiment, take risks and discover their own voice without having to fit into existing formulas. In many ways, there would be no mainstream industry without independent creators constantly exploring new ideas, techniques and ways of telling stories. At the same time, it’s a challenging path. Independent filmmakers often need to understand much more than just the artistic side of the process. Beyond directing and animating, we also have to think about production, financing, festival strategy, distribution and sales. I hope people leave the event with a clearer understanding of what it actually means to create and sustain an independent project. It took me many years to learn how all these pieces fit together and I would have loved to attend an event like this earlier in my career. I believe it will be a valuable opportunity for emerging artists to gain practical insights from professionals who have navigated these challenges firsthand. Looking ahead to 2026–2030, where do you see things heading?I think the coming years will challenge us to prove, once again, what makes us artists. AI is already having a profound impact on the industry, and I believe we are only beginning to see the full extent of that transformation. Many jobs that rely primarily on replicating established styles and workflows will become increasingly difficult to sustain. At the same time, I don’t think creativity itself is under threat. AI can only learn from what already exists. It can imitate what we created yesterday, but it cannot imagine what we will create tomorrow. For that reason, I believe originality, artistic vision, and personal expression will become even more valuable. Competition will certainly increase, but so will the importance of authenticity.  These will be years in which artists will need to demonstrate not only technical skills, but also their unique sensitivity, perspective, and ability to create something genuinely new. Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:54:43 +0100 https://www.trojan-unicorn.com/village/spaces/87-the-tribe-space-elevating-indie-creators/stories/s/641-blog/articles/2556-step-inside-the-indie-movement-diego-maia https://www.trojan-unicorn.com/village/spaces/87-the-tribe-space-elevating-indie-creators/stories/s/641-blog/articles/2556-step-inside-the-indie-movement-diego-maia We’re willing to bet that at some point in your life this question has popped into your head. But when you start thinking about these things, the hardest part is finding the right  information, or any information at all. THU Indie Movement is being built as a 48-hour online event (non-stop), dedicated entirely to independent projects in games and animation, with a few little exceptions on the Tribe Stage (the right place for all things exceptions). You’ll get the chance to see real stories, learn about real projects done by real people, and what it took them to get there. But don’t expect a bed of roses. We’re also asking every single one of our guests to talk about what didn’t go so well, and how they came back from it. We’ve decided to throw Games and Animation together, because in the indie world those two disciplines have always shared more DNA than the industry sometimes lets on. There’s a lot of tools and challenges overlapping, and the question of "how do I build something that's actually mine" is exactly the same on both sides. We're bringing together creators who went for it. And while some of them made it work, others hit walls they didn't see coming. Yet, all of them have something worth hearing, because we’re not here to give you answers, we're here to show you different realities about putting yourself out there. How to build a team, or how to read a market… We believe the best way to do this is by not only showcasing success, but also failure. Because the successes show you what's possible, but failures show you what you should try to circumvent (or expect). Both are useful.  As always, we’re mixing things people in this very Tribe are working on, with sessions from people and teams that have come out the other side with something to show for. We’ll also have the publisher and press side of things, because they are the decision makers, so you should be on the lookout for what they're looking for. We want you to walk away with not just inspiration. Inspiration is fine, but without something to do after, that’s just a feeling that fades by Tuesday. We want you to leave with actual reference points, and a clearer picture of the first or next step. We want you to see a project and think “I could do that”, and then actually believe in it, because you've just spent 48 hours watching people who did. If you've been thinking about starting something, even if it’s a weird little project that might turn into something bigger, this is where that thought gets fuel. Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:21:09 +0100 https://www.trojan-unicorn.com/village/spaces/87-the-tribe-space-elevating-indie-creators/stories/s/641-blog/articles/2555-thu-indie-movement https://www.trojan-unicorn.com/village/spaces/87-the-tribe-space-elevating-indie-creators/stories/s/641-blog/articles/2555-thu-indie-movement Meet Juancho Crespo - one of the program curators behind The Indie Movement - an anticipated online event, happening October 27-28 on the THU Platform. A freelance Art Director and Visual Designer splitting his time between London and Madrid, Juancho has spent over a decade across animation and games, helping teams build a shared vision and find the visual language that brings ideas to life. Tell us a bit about yourself, Juancho. How did you first get involved in the industry?I started working professionally around 2012, during the mobile games boom, a moment that opened doors for a lot of people like me. People who'd always loved games, but never imagined they could actually work in games, let alone get paid for it. To be completely honest, I was in my early 20s, a bit lost after finishing my studies and moving around Europe trying my luck. Nobody in my family worked in a creative field, so there was no map for me to follow, but I was open to trying any path as long as I could stay creatively productive. So I did a bunch of random jobs to keep going. Some time later, an old friend called to say he'd just started working at a small game studio and they were looking for artists. I didn't know it at the time but a small studio meant doing a bit of everything: concepts, character design, backgrounds, UI, compositing, animation, pitching, working in engine, marketing... things I'd never formally studied, but I was ready to learn. Like a lot of kids from the internet, I was mostly self-taught in digital art. After sending them my "professional portfolio" (which was mostly university work), they asked to see my sketchbook instead… and the rest you can imagine. Game art wasn't really taught back then, so the few veterans on that team had arrived from completely different backgrounds, which was actually a relief. It wasn't quite what I expected, but I was curious, very hungry to learn and surrounded by people who were genuinely generous with their knowledge. What I remember most clearly was that "learning by doing" mentality. We were all figuring things out together; nobody had it all figured out, we just kept showing up and got a little better each time. Without realizing it, that became my mantra, and to this day, I believe it's my strongest skill, maybe even more useful than any natural talent I might or might not have… But that's a story for another time. Why is the Indie Movement relevant today and what do you hope people walk away thinking after the event?I believe making things independently was, is, and will always be at the heart of creativity. It's where ideas come from. And right now, it feels especially important, as industries become more risk-averse, independent work has shifted from being an alternative to something closer to a necessity, in my opinion. For me, indie isn't about rejecting business realities. It's about having the freedom to decide which compromises you're willing to make, and which ones you're not. It's the space where creators can pursue an idea because they genuinely believe in it, experiment with new ways of working, and sometimes take creative risks that larger systems simply can't afford to. It often starts from something very simple: "I want to see that, so I'll make it." But from what I've seen, inspiration is only half the story. There are countless hidden doors out there: support schemes, funding opportunities, business and practical knowledge, distribution strategies, communities, and networks that can completely change what's possible for a project. The challenge is that a lot of this knowledge is difficult to find without experience and often depends on where you live or who you know. Creators rarely go to business school, but we're all dealing with the same system, whether we like it or not. And understanding how that system works doesn't make you less creative. If anything, it gives you more freedom to decide how you want to navigate it. That's one of the reasons this event feels relevant to me. I hope that people leave seeing some of those paths a little more clearly, thanks to the generosity of speakers who are willing to share what they've learned, and what works for them, both the successes and the mistakes. Like passing the torch, so that new and veteran voices alike find the confidence and resilience to pursue their ideas. At the end of the day, what we're really protecting is the feeling that made us want to make something in the first place, that very specific thing only you can see. So I just hope people leave with a clearer sense of what the road ahead might look like. Looking ahead to 2026–2030, where do you see things heading?Honestly? I have no idea what even next month is going to look like… Everything is constantly changing, myself included. But after spending some time across different corners of games, animation and creative communities, I do have a few hopes. Creative people have always found ways to thrive, with or without industry support, because ultimately, we are the industry too. We make the work, share the knowledge, build the communities and create the opportunities that others will later walk through. We'll keep making things because we like doing them, even when we lose our path. And we need new stories, new voices, and new perspectives that reflect the times we're actually living in, to help us connect, understand one another, and build empathy. What's already undeniable is the quality of what independent creators are producing. The gap between small and big-budget work is closing faster than ever, thanks to open-source tools, crowdfunding, people building communities and audiences online, and both new and established studios becoming more willing to take risks on people they trust. The conditions are shifting, and yes, the economy is brutal right now. But creative people have always made things despite that, and sometimes because of it. So what I'm rooting for is more opportunities for people to make the things they care about, more spaces to share knowledge, and more ways to support new voices finding their path. Because that's where I'm heading. Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:32:28 +0100 https://www.trojan-unicorn.com/village/spaces/87-the-tribe-space-elevating-indie-creators/stories/s/641-blog/articles/2551-step-inside-the-indie-movement-juancho-crespo https://www.trojan-unicorn.com/village/spaces/87-the-tribe-space-elevating-indie-creators/stories/s/641-blog/articles/2551-step-inside-the-indie-movement-juancho-crespo It may seem ironic that gaming, the world’s highest-grossing entertainment industry, is going through one of its most challenging times, both creatively and financially. But the fact is that the industry is experiencing some undeniable hardships. Despite record-breaking revenues during the pandemic turbulence, the years since have brought uncertainty, layoffs and cautious corporate decisions. What was once a thriving machine now looks increasingly unpredictable and winds of change are approaching.   Growing pains after the pandemicCovid initially supercharged gaming. Locked-down players drove digital sales and publishers ramped up production to meet demand. But as the world reopened, that momentum faltered. Delayed releases and weaker demand forced big companies to rely on safer franchises instead of bold new titles. The post-pandemic hangover turned out quite severe: sales slowed, development pipelines clogged and costs increased. As publishers now prioritize safe bets, fresh ideas get sidelined and bold new IPs are few and far between. But Indies like Balatro and Outer Wilds show that innovation is possible.   Layoffs and restructuringThe GDC 2025 State of the Game Industry report found that 1 in 10 devs were laid off in the past year. The reasons provided by employers were linked to: Restructuring (22%); Declining revenue (18%); Market and industry shifts (15%). Developers themselves point to over-hiring (25%), corporate greed (13%) and unrealistic growth expectations (13%).  Layoffs have become the norm across studios of all sizes. Yet, amid the turmoil, a surprising countertrend is emerging. The same report noted that 16% of developers, now working independently, lost their jobs in 2024 and chose to strike out on their own. Freed from corporate and creative constraints, these devs have brought seasoned talent, technical know-how and bold experimentation into the indie scene. It’s no coincidence that this shift aligns with Steam’s record-breaking wave of indie releases in 2024, when indie games made up a vast majority of these (in the first nine months, nearly 99% of the 13,000 games released were indie) and they accounted for 48% of sales revenue based on copies sold (2024 Global Indie Games Market Report).   Creativity on repeatThere’s another, quieter crisis unfolding in AAA: creative stagnation. As publishers increasingly bet on sequels, remakes and remasters, they’re still seeing strong sales. Familiarity, after all, is safe. But while cash cows continue to perform, players’ tastes are evolving. Many gamers now value creativity over repetition and innovation has become the new currency. Unfortunately, most large studios simply can’t move fast enough to meet this growing demand. Strict management, fixed budgets and risk-averse decision-making make it nearly impossible to leap. As a result, players are beginning to view these companies as profit-driven rather than player and narrative-driven. Players are thirsty to be what they’ve always been: fans and advocates of what is original and new.   The Rise of IndieMany devs who were let go took that setback as an opportunity to build something of their own. Former studio veterans are launching small, agile teams capable of moving fast and creating on their terms - as a result, indie game developers have a lot more creative freedom to bring their vision to life. Simultaneously,  indie games develop close relationships with their communities, many actively seeking advice and feedback during testing phases, creating a personal and collaborative experience on platforms like Twitch, YouTube and Discord channels that Triple A studios rarely achieve.  Part of what draws players toward these games is the authenticity they radiate. Indie projects often carry a sense of passion that feels tangible - you can sense the care in the art direction, the music or the experimental gameplay. And players respond to that genuineness. They trust the players the most and share a joy for discovery, letting you explore and learn organically, much like classic games once did. Together, these factors make indie games not only a breath of fresh air but also the future of the gaming industry.   Reality Check for IndiesThe success stories that dominate headlines are the exception, not the rule. For every hit like Balatro or Stardew Valley, there are thousands of indie games that vanish quietly into the void. Most creators struggle with the same trio of challenges - funding, scope, timing - and for many, those hurdles make or break the project. Game developer Jonas Tyroller (Thronefall, ISLANDERS) captures the economic reality of indie life with a simple but sobering equation: “If you make a game that takes four years to make instead of one, you need to make four times the revenue for the same hourly wage. You need to find the scale where your game gives the most bang for your buck.” In other words, there’s a clear diminishing return on investment the more time you pour into a single project. Tyroller’s solution is strategic agility: ship prototypes fast, iterate based on feedback, and avoid over-engineering features. By testing early and adjusting quickly, developers can learn what resonates before committing years to a risky direction. Thomas Brush (Pinstripe, Neversong) echoes a similar philosophy through his “balloon business model”. He urges indie creators to think small, start small and release early. In his model, each game begins as a tiny balloon - a compact, self-contained idea that can be released quickly and tested with real players. If the audience embraces it, developers can “inflate the balloon” by expanding content, refining mechanics, and adding polish based on genuine demand rather than speculation. It’s not an easy path and the truth is most indie games will not see financial success. However, these strategies provide developers with the best opportunity to sustain themselves both creatively and commercially. In an era where agility often beats scale, the future of indie games belongs to those who build lean, learn fast and grow deliberately. After years in the shadow of AAA giants, indie developers are no longer the underdogs. They’re real competitors, shaping the direction of the industry itself.  Let’s see what the future holds for the industry. And in the meantime, let’s enjoy all the indie goodness being created along the way.   Looking for more reads? See how failing leads to perfection, by Sunnymoon Project Learn how 3D Character Artist João Silva approaches naming as a creative exercise. Want to learn the insides of making your indie game a commercial success? Check hints by Jonas Tyroller.   More Indie favoritesHollow Knight Binding of Isaac Papers Please Undertale Cult of the Lamb Stray Celeste Return of the Obra Dinn Children of Morta Animal Well   Mon, 09 Mar 2026 15:56:55 +0000 https://www.trojan-unicorn.com/village/spaces/87-the-tribe-space-elevating-indie-creators/stories/s/641-blog/articles/2441-the-rise-of-indie-the-power-shift-in-gaming https://www.trojan-unicorn.com/village/spaces/87-the-tribe-space-elevating-indie-creators/stories/s/641-blog/articles/2441-the-rise-of-indie-the-power-shift-in-gaming