OpenCourser brand icon
Sign in
We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.

Independent Game Developer

Save
April 29, 2024 Updated June 11, 2025 20 minute read
Jump to salaries, courses, and books

The World of the Independent Game Developer

An independent game developer, often called an "indie dev," is an individual or small team that creates video games without the financial and technical backing of a large publisher. This independence allows for a great deal of creative freedom, often leading to innovative and experimental games that might not be pursued by larger, more risk-averse companies. Independent game development can be a deeply rewarding path, offering the chance to bring unique visions to life and connect directly with players. It is a field characterized by passion, creativity, and a willingness to explore new frontiers in interactive entertainment.

Share

Help others find this career page by sharing it with your friends and followers:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Reddit
X
Link
Email

Salaries for Independent Game Developer

City
Median
New York
$84,000
San Francisco
$125,000
Seattle
$142,000
See all salaries
City
Median
New York
$84,000
San Francisco
$125,000
Seattle
$142,000
Austin
$96,000
Toronto
$108,000
London
£60,000
Paris
€53,000
Berlin
€57,000
Tel Aviv
₪464,000
Singapore
S$65,000
Beijing
¥430,000
Shanghai
¥150,000
Bengalaru
₹443,000
Delhi
₹350,000
Bars indicate relevance. All salaries presented are estimates. Completion of this course does not guarantee or imply job placement or career outcomes.

Path to Independent Game Developer

Take the first step.
We've curated eight courses to help you on your path to Independent Game Developer. Use these to develop your skills, build background knowledge, and put what you learn to practice.
Sorted from most relevant to least relevant:

Reading list

We haven't picked any books for this reading list yet.
Relevant careers
Game Developer
Game Designer
Level Designer
3D Artist
Software Engineer
Share this
Share to help others discover this career.
Facebook LinkedIn X Reddit Link Email
Table of Contents
Our mission

OpenCourser helps millions of learners each year. People visit us to learn workspace skills, ace their exams, and nurture their curiosity.

Our extensive catalog contains over 50,000 courses and twice as many books. Browse by search, by topic, or even by career interests. We'll match you to the right resources quickly.

Find this site helpful? Tell a friend about us.

Affiliate disclosure

We're supported by our community of learners. When you purchase or subscribe to courses and programs or purchase books, we may earn a commission from our partners.

Your purchases help us maintain our catalog and keep our servers humming without ads.

Thank you for supporting OpenCourser.

© 2016 - 2025 OpenCourser