Despite the onslaught of diverse and experimental work published on Steam and consoles every day, one significant taboo remains in indie games and it's not the one you would think: Indie designers don't sign their work. Unlike actors, musicians, intellectuals, painters, poets, writers, directors, and producers, game designers often publish behind the anonymity of a company, even when working alone. Why do they do this? Where did this norm come from? Who benefits from this situation? And why should it be changed?

Takeaway

Attendees will learn why it has become normal to downplay designer credits in independent games. They will hear some good arguments for breaking that unwritten rule: to connect with your players, to sell more copies, and to save video games as an artistic medium.

Intended Audience

Indie game developers, or any developer who has control over the way they are credited and represented within their games.