Indie games, we salute you! How Quality Assurance can support emergent titles
As players, we are generally interested in large scale projects and we follow AAA releases, from their cutting-edge graphics to their well-oiled mechanics and masterful storytelling. More often than not, we love the recipe, and we enjoy what is prepared. But sometimes, we look for something new. We need a game to surprise us not through sheer boundary-pushing technology, but through the unexpected of it all. This is where independent studios shine and find their way into our hearts.
The stellar rise of independent games
According to Steam’s database, the number of independent games released on their platform has increased since 2014, with a noticeable growth after 2018. Last year alone, was extremely prolific for small studios, with an all-time record of 8,608 games launched on Steam in 2024. This checks out, if we think about how game engines and interactive technology have become more and more accessible in the last few years.
Since indie developers work outside of what is expected, it allows them to bring to light ideas on which big-budget publishers might’ve never placed their bet. Sometimes experimental gameplay or niche topics find a small group of followers, but it’s not unusual for an indie game to also make it into the mainstream. There are enough games that went on to become so successful that most us might not even remember they started as indie projects.
Some of the more popular examples are Minecraft, Hollow Knight, Outer Wilds, Disco Elysium, and one of the newest fan favourites, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. There’s even precedent for GOTY nominations and wins, with games like Stray, Hades, Celeste, or 2025’s game of the year, Balatro, produced by a solo developer.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that embarking on the journey of development on your own is not risky business. And, since every game project needs testers to deliver a bug-free, smooth experience to the players, we’d love to discuss how our QA teams support independent gaming.
Taking ownership of the testing process
When we talk about indie studios, we are aware it can mean just a handful of people or even a solo developer. Whether they are first-time game creators or industry veterans, a small-sized team means that each person involved wears multiple hats. Oftentimes, the lines between roles are blurred and there is little time to establish procedures or create documentation, when all efforts must be directed towards the most practical development tasks.
But no worries, QA specialists are experienced and ready to offer solutions. This can mean handling administrative aspects, such as defining the scope of the round, establishing timelines, and following-up on recurrent problems. It also implies more hands-on processes like designing test cases and putting together documentation.
For technical tasks like hardware compatibility, performance, or compliance, we have the same dedicated teams that work on AA or AAA games, ready to share their expertise.
Since the industry is organic, QA teams are prepared to take full ownership over the testing process, so that developers can focus on building up the games they’ve envisioned.
Working side by side
To face the challenges of game development with limited resources is no easy feat. Time pressure, technical limitations, creative misfires, staff shortage, along with the ins and outs of the industry, can cause fatigue and put a strain on any developer. But part of the charm of an indie game is how the team jumps over hurdles and strives to keep the soul of the project alive.
Collaboration with experienced teams can be a great support in overcoming obstacles. We take an involved approach with all our partners and game testers work closely, with all the attributes of an in-house team. And when it comes to smaller studios or first-time developers, the benefits of working side-by-side are felt even more.
As they handle functionality testing, and other tasks, testers become familiar with the processes and the inner workings of the partner team, making it easier to get back to a project in between rounds. They organically keep track of game content from one build to another, documenting elements such as items, NPCs, locations, spawn points, quests, achievements, and others.
This kind of involvement is not just a good way for testers to organize their reference materials, but it also enables the developer to understand the scope of their game and have information readily available, without adding to their workload.
Helping game designers to hone their vision
From past experience we’ve learned that independent studios are always interested in receiving feedback, beyond the standard context of bug reporting.
Let’s consider the fact that QA teams are usually the first players to have genuine interactions with early versions of a game. Before they become part of the team, testers familiarize themselves with the content through exploratory sessions.
The first playthroughs can function as an earlier stage of UX research, in which the developer benefits from the input of our testers, in order to understand how various elements of their game are perceived. While proper UX research requires a dedicated team, there is significant value in gathering raw impressions and honest feedback, especially at the start of a project.
The findings we put together are tailored to the specifics of the game, including categories suggested by the developer. Testers can also share suggestions based on their experience both as professionals and as players, creating a productive feedback loop.
This action adds value to the collaboration and allows the game designers to clarify the gameplay or refine features along the way.
Succeeding together
We have witnessed with enthusiasm the growth of our partners, both as companies and professionals. And through it all, our quality specialists have always matched their excitement and dedication. And how can we not, when we see creativity, curiosity, interest, and craft, all laid down in the service of the same goal. We truly believe that together, we can jump any hurdles to complete the challenge.
Cheers to independent developers who put their efforts into making games that would not see the light of day if not for their continued passion and dedication! We look forward to bringing quality to the next great indie title.
