The PC and console market, which was dominated by large North American and Japanese game companies, is being restructured by 'indie power.' Developers that were previously categorized as outliers, such as those from France, the Czech Republic, and New Zealand, are reaching the top of global charts by leveraging their completeness, solidifying a trend where innovation in ideas and genres becomes a decisive factor in success.
According to the gaming industry on the 28th, the debut work 'Clair Obscur: 33 Expedition' by the newly established French developer Sandfall Interactive vanished from major shopping sites in South Korea just four days after its release on PlayStation 5. The product page registered at the normal price of 59,800 won (disc version) showed a 'sold out' label, and from mid-May onwards, there has been a 'premium' phenomenon where shipping products are traded between 60,000 to 70,000 won.
Smilegate, which handled the distribution of the domestic PC version, released '33 Expedition' globally on the 24th, and it is receiving perfect scores from both critics and users. It recorded the highest Metacritic score of 92 for PlayStation 5 releases this year and maintains a top ranking in sales on Steam and Stove. Sandfall announced on the 27th (local time) that '33 Expedition' surpassed a cumulative global sales volume of 1 million units just three days after its release, with a simultaneous online user count of 121,422 on Steam.
Notably, despite '33 Expedition' being released simultaneously on Microsoft's (MS) subscription service 'Game Pass,' it achieved such results. This indicates a surge in purchase demand even in a scenario where it can be played for free through subscriptions, demonstrating the power of game completeness and fandom. The immersive experience was enhanced by its responsive turn-based combat, an orchestral OST featuring 154 tracks, and a Hollywood-level voice cast including Andy Serkis, known for playing Gollum in 'The Lord of the Rings,' and Charlie Cox from 'Daredevil.'
'33 Expedition' is not the first to demonstrate an indie wave. The first-person puzzle roguelike game 'Blue Prince,' released on the 14th, garnered a Metacritic score of 93 and received the 'Must Play' badge, achieving top rankings on Steam as well.
The Czech studio Warhorse, located in Eastern Europe, developed 'Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2,' which sold 1 million units within a day of its release in February, reached a peak simultaneous user count of 180,000 (according to SteamDB), and soared to 250,000 within three days, making it a strong contender for GOTY (Game of the Year) this year. In the hack-and-slash genre, New Zealand indie developer Grinding Gear Games' (GGG) 'Path of Exile 2' is being praised for surpassing the Diablo series.
In 2023, Larian Studios' 'Baldur's Gate 3' from Belgium won six awards at The Game Awards (TGA), including Game of the Year, proving that indie developers can also create AAA games.
The influence of newly established and small to medium-sized developers has also changed the investment landscape. Large domestic game companies, such as Smilegate and Kakao Games, are diversifying their portfolios by adding promising global projects like '33 Expedition' and 'Path of Exile 2' to their publishing lineup.
Since this is a publishing model rather than in-house development, it has relatively lower initial investment burdens, and the strategic value is significant, as it can quickly elevate brand image in case of global success.
A gaming industry official noted, 'The market, which used to prioritize only 'economies of scale,' is being reshaped by a 'Cinderella revolt' centered on development capabilities and ideas,' and added, 'Domestic newly established studios are now given the opportunity to challenge the console and PC package market.' In fact, this year's second half is expected to see a large number of releases by domestic indie game companies featuring unique concepts like 'Metroidvania.'
Professor Kim Jeong-tae from Tongyang University's Department of Game Studies stated, 'The reasons why indie game companies are ranking high in well-regarded game awards like GOTY can be seen in three aspects.' He explained, 'First, original materials that only small development groups can implement are receiving praise. Second, the widespread availability of general-purpose game engines is lowering technical entry barriers.' He continued, 'Third, the generalization of artificial intelligence (AI) technology is minimizing the costs and time required for game planning, storytelling, and creating high-quality game graphics.'