TIGSource: Introversion's Difficult 2008

Introversion's Difficult 2008

Derek Yu — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 11:15:00 +0000

Introversion’s Chris Delay posted a rather sobering series of articles reflecting on the team’s difficulties over the past couple of years, including the apparently lackluster reception to Multiwinia. It’s very honest, heartfelt, and revelatory. Thanks for sharing this, Chris.

I’ve always been of two minds towards Introversion. On the one hand, I’m a big fan of Darwinia and grateful for what Introversion has done with their early success to help popularize indie games and pave the way for other developers. On the other hand, the slogans, expensive cars, and general attitude of the marketing and business arm have always rubbed me the wrong way. Everyone’s allowed their fun, of course, but I couldn’t help but feel like there was almost a Romero-ness to it all… like someone I admired was telling me to “Suck It Down™,” or whatever.

So reading Chris’s latest posts, I’m reminded of Ion Storm, the story of which I read once a year as a reminder that things can always go in another direction (and it just so happens that my yearly reading came this past week). I don’t say that with any kind of satisfaction… I’ve met and spoken with Chris before, and it’s obvious he is just a shy and talented guy who enjoys programming and making games. Nor are the lessons to be learned necessarily the same – I just think both tales are really relevant to indie developers and important to keep in perspective as the scene grows ever larger.

Anyway, here’s hoping that the rest of the year is good for Introversion, and for everyone! Time to put the nose to the grindstone (or rather, keep it there) and make some cool games.

(Thanks, Lucaz! Via TIGForums.)

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by Byron

Wed, 06 May 2009 11:13:47 +0000

Derek, come and visit us at Introversion, you will have to buy your own ticket though because like Chris mentions in the blog posts - we are out of money.

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by Derek

Sun, 03 May 2009 01:05:22 +0000

Allen, I have nothing against arrogance or money, which I personally enjoy having and spending on myself and my friends. What irks me isn’t even slogans, it’s disingenuous and ineffective marketing and business, which doesn’t help anybody, and obviously can’t save you if you’re not putting out good games.

I want nothing more than for independent developers to be successful and arrogant (i.e. confident) about their success. Just because I live in San Francisco doesn’t mean I’m a goddamn hippy. ;)

(It does mean I’m gay for indie gaymes, though.)

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by Paul Eres

Sun, 03 May 2009 00:11:39 +0000

I hope they do a sequel to Uplink. I believe that Uplink is actually still their best-selling game, despite being low-fi and released back in 2001.

As for spending 10k british pounds in one week on speed cars and speed boats not being that awful, sure, it’s not horrible. But it wasn’t just that they spend that much money, but that they spent so much that they had almost no money a few months later (one of them had to move back in with his parents).

And remember that they also faked forum accounts / created sock puppets in order to market Uplink. They just come off to me as short-term thinking pleasure-seekers from the stories I’ve read about them. This may be totally inaccurate, since I never met them and don’t observe them on a day to day basis, but I can only go by what I read about them.

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by Lyx

Sat, 02 May 2009 10:13:15 +0000

@Soulja Boy:

I could, but i do not want to, because i doubt that at this place, people are able and willing to understand it.

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by Allen

Sat, 02 May 2009 10:08:15 +0000

The slogans and marketing is business. It’s not out there to appeal to those “if you’re not indie, fuck you” people, ya know?

Which, Derek, you seem like you are one of those people. Seemed like you got offended by their marketing slogan. You take it a little too serious and forget that selling games is a business.

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by Fuzz

Sat, 02 May 2009 06:57:34 +0000

@ Jotaf: Well, actually, Paul’s a voluntaryist.

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by Konkur

Fri, 01 May 2009 20:11:49 +0000

I didn’t really enjoy Darwinia, so I had no interest in Multiwinia. Uplink was fun though, I’d get a sequel if it appeared.

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by Jotaf

Fri, 01 May 2009 19:49:15 +0000

@Soulja Boy: He’s saying we’re a bunch of low-life communist/anarchist hippies!!

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by gnome

Fri, 01 May 2009 16:15:09 +0000

The Left surely has nothing to do with being a poor selfless punk, mind, dear Lyx.

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by Soulja Boy

Fri, 01 May 2009 16:04:48 +0000

@Lyx: Could you explain what you mean by the indie scene being “biased leftwards”?

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by Lyx

Fri, 01 May 2009 12:17:00 +0000

@tigregular:

I think this may have to some extend a bit to do with the indiegaming scene being biased leftwards… and with this comes a mentality, which mistakes “being independent” with “being a poor selfless punk”.

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by tigregular

Fri, 01 May 2009 11:38:57 +0000

I’m afraid I agree that the post came off rather bitter to me too. They made their money, they can spend it how they like. All they seem to want to do is make good games - where’s the harm in that?

And if spending $10,000 dollars on some cars and boats means we’re now talking about it, then it was a success. All publicity etc… And it’s certainly in my mind a long, long way from being a ‘Romero-scenario’. I found their slogans cheeky and fun, fitting with their IP… hardly arrogant.

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by gnome

Fri, 01 May 2009 09:03:48 +0000

@ Oddbob: One can’t mention Imagine in your presence, eh? Oh, and lol, rofl, hahaha etc :D

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by godsavant

Fri, 01 May 2009 06:55:14 +0000

I suddenly don’t feel like going into the indie business anymore.

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by Lyx

Fri, 01 May 2009 00:11:10 +0000

SOME degree of “proudness” and “in your face”-attitude is healthy - it just becomes a problem when its overdone - and overdone it is when it exceeds your actual capabilities: Self-Overestimation.

It seems Introversion tasted a bit of the downsides to that - by certainly far from romeroness ;) Even if they wanted to, they couldn’t do that - consequences of such a mentality hit a small-to-medium-size game company much quicker than an eidos-backed romero :) And i honestly doubt that most indiedevs - or ANY creator in general, hasn’t experienced that himself. That gameproject you once worked on, and which turned out to be beyond your capabilities? Same thing, but with less/no cash involved.

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by pandafresh

Fri, 01 May 2009 00:07:47 +0000

“You’re about to become Chris Delay’s bitch. Suck it down.” ??

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by Oddbob

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 23:56:37 +0000

That wuz piracy that wot did that, Gnome! Honest, guv! ;)

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by gnome

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 23:37:47 +0000

You definitely got a point there. Besides, I always shudder at the mere sight of posh cars. Remember Imagine?

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by Derek

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 23:16:45 +0000

I didn’t mean to be nasty. I just thought it was relevant to where my thoughts are right now. I wanted to come clean about my various opinions over the years and create a discussion.

I have nothing against celebrating financial success by spending money. That’s what it’s there for. It was the particular combination of “The Last of the Bedroom Programmers,” the in-your-face marketing attitude, and the write-ups about the spending ($10k in one week at E3 for sports cars and speed boats, I believe) that threw me off back in the day. There are so many struggling bedroom coders out there and it struck me as kind of a slap.

But if I didn’t make it clear that I have a very healthy amount of admiration for Introversion’s games and respect for Chris Delay, in particular, then I apologize.

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by namuol

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 23:01:09 +0000

I have to agree with Derek here; I really hope Subversion doesn’t turn out to be Introversion’s Daikatana. By that, I mean I hope Subversion rocks the world.

Now I just have to get out of work so I can read these posts; shame on me for taking the Introversion blog off my daily blogroll..

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by Dan MacDonald

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:51:06 +0000

I tend to agree with Derek, I like the introversion guys but they do come off as being a tad arrogant at times. Maybe it’s just a subtle cultural difference and not something overt. I don’t know…

I do wish them all the best though, and encourage them to keep making creative games and not to get caught in the trap of milking prior successes.

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by Adam Atomic

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:47:30 +0000

These were some good, humbling reads and reminded me of where my business was at in the middle of 2008 too. Heady stuff!

I’m hopeful for introversion though, “push on until you can’t push on anymore” is 100% the right thing, and there’s something about…dire looming destiny and catastrophe that clarifies your priorities for you.

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by gnome

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:27:41 +0000

Let me just add that I didn’t think Derek’s post was actually nasty. Just that it prompted me to spend away. Again.

And, uhhh

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by RazputinOleander

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:15:50 +0000

I’m inclined to agree with gnome here.

I’ve been hearing bad things bout Introversion, about their attitude and all. This post, Derek, is one example of such things. But, I can’t see any merit to any of the complaints I’ve heard.

Some guys rented some fancy cars for one day! I’d do that if I was interested in cars. Frankly, that’s the equivalent of ragging on someone like me for doing three brewery tours in one day. Sure it costs money and it’s not related to what I do for work, but dammit, I’m a homebrewer and beer enthusiast, so I’m going to make the effort to visit those breweries.

And honestly, the slogans are only noticeable in how completely non-offensive or even run-of-the-mill they are. I can’t understand why anyone would take offense to them.

Maybe it’s all a ruse. I definitely feel, after reading your post, that I should go buy every Introversion game just to spite your highly subjective opinions. If that’s the goal; well, I really don’t agree with your approach, but I guess it’s kind of working.

"Introversion's Difficult 2008" by gnome

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:35:19 +0000

Dear Derek, I’ll be frank with you: that was a nasty post. It simply reminded me how much I’ve enjoyed the Uplink and Defcon demo, the fact I had never bought an Introversion game -despite likeing the ideas behind them- and then make me feel sad and terrified of loosing such a lovely creative team.

I thus bought the physical bundle of the Anthology and asked them good Brits to mail to Greece, hence spending the last euros of my Paypal account. And it’s your fault.

Cheers!

GRRRRRRRRR