Pocket Gamer Connects London 2024 Celebrates 10th Anniversary with Very Big Indie Pitch
Reconnecting with Successful Developers: An Interview with Minidragon
The highly anticipated Pocket Gamer Connects London is set to return on January 22nd-23rd, 2024, marking its 10th anniversary. Alongside this milestone event, the flagship Very Big Indie Pitch, a popular pitching competition that has provided developers with valuable insight, feedback, and prizes for many years, will also make a comeback. To delve into the memories and advice surrounding this event, we had the opportunity to speak with Sophia Aubrey Drake, the organizer, and catch up with Minidragon, one of only two developers to have won the pitch three times.
Introducing Minidragon
Hank Choi, representing Minidragon, an indie studio hailing from Hong Kong, introduced himself and the team. Having embarked on their journey of creating mobile games in 2013, Minidragon has since become a well-established name in the industry.
The Big Indie Pitch: A Platform for Growth
When asked about their motivation for participating in the pitch, Choi expressed how, in the early stages of their startup, they realized the importance of putting themselves and their games out there. The Big Indie Pitch provided a platform for connecting with industry professionals, gaining insights into trends, and keeping their finger on the pulse of the game industry.
Choi emphasized that, in an industry where success is expected, indie developers need to embrace failure. By recognizing the value in learning from failures, studios can eventually achieve significant success.
The Impact of The Big Indie Pitch on Minidragon’s Games
Minidragon highlighted that their participation in The Big Indie Pitch with games such as Hyper Dungeon, Pixel Petz, Fatal Funnel, and Dungeon Warriors! had a profound impact on their development and subsequent release. The invaluable feedback they received from industry professionals who judged the competition allowed them to make valuable adjustments to their games.
Surviving as an Indie Developer: Embracing Failure
Choi shared his perspective on the challenges that indie developers face in the ever-evolving games industry. He emphasized the importance of being able to embrace failure as a key factor in survival. Citing examples such as Angry Birds and Supercell, both of which experienced numerous failures before achieving success, Choi advised indie developers to plan ahead and be prepared to withstand multiple failures.
Advice for Indie Developers
Based on their experience, Minidragon offered practical advice for indie developers. They stressed the importance of showcasing games to as many people as possible, including judges from The Big Indie Pitch, and actively listening to their feedback. Continuous feedback and adaptation can greatly improve a game’s performance.
The Importance of Conferences and Networking
In terms of the significance of conferences, competitions, and networking opportunities for indie developers, Minidragon highlighted the value of engaging with fellow developers and learning from their experiences. They shared an example of how a small adjustment suggested by another studio owner significantly impacted the revenue-generating mechanics of their game.
Minidragon’s Current and Future Projects
Minidragon recently launched a new game called Return-To-Earth, available on iOS and Google Play. They described it as a fast-paced sci-fi shooter RPG set in a space elevator where the heroine battles robots and aliens on her way down. Additionally, the team is diligently working on developing a next-generation action RPG, slated for release in the summer of 2024.
To learn more about participating in the Very Big Indie Pitch at Pocket Gamer Connects London 2024, visit the upcoming events page on BigIndiePitch.com. Tickets for Pocket Gamer Connects London 2024 are also available on the Pocket Gamer Connects website, with mid-term discounts currently offered.
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