Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
John and Brenda Romero say today's games industry is "definitely crashier" than the 80s. This is the modern crash behind game development: rising budgets, disappearing funding, layoffs, and why a few brilliant indie-backed funds can help but cannot save the industry alone.
Join us at http://bellular.games for early access content, 20 editions of 'Loading Screen' a month and to support our team!
00:00 This Is Definitely Crashier
01:05 The Crash That's Already Here
03:47 Why Making Games Costs So Much
05:44 The Money Ran Out
12:21 The Indies Trying To Fix It
13:45 Why Indies Can't Save Us
Sources:
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/we-were-there-in-the-80s-for-the-crash-and-this-is-definitely-crashier-john-and-brenda-romero-reflect-on-the-industry-crisis
eurogamer.net/doom-creator-john-romeros-cancelled-shooter-has-been-saved-with-fresh-redesign-inspired-by-elden-ring
gamedeveloper.com/business/survey-one-in-four-developers-laid-off-over-the-past-two-years
newsletter.hushcrasher.com/p/did-games-really-get-more-costly
newsletter.hushcrasher.com/p/why-video-games-cost-so-much-to-make
news.crunchbase.com/media-entertainment/gaming-startup-funding-2025-rblx-ntdoy
pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/an-indie-asking-for-usd250-000-is-a-drop-in-the-bucket-says-tunics-publisher-but-indies-are-in-a-survival-era-because-companies-think-that-isnt-profitable-enough-to-fund
nytimes.com/2025/12/11/arts/clair-obscur-expedition-33-sandfall.html
gamedeveloper.com/production/outersloth-shares-contract-terms-and-game-funding-lessons-for-sickos
innersloth.com/the-outersloth-contract
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/evil-landfall-is-the-latest-publishing-label-from-an-indie-developer
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/phasmophobia-developer-launches-kinetic-publishing-to-support-and-champion-creativity-within-the-indie-space
John and Brenda Romero say today's games industry is "definitely crashier" than the 80s. This is the modern crash behind game development: rising budgets, disappearing funding, layoffs, and why a few brilliant indie-backed funds can help but cannot save the industry alone.
Join us at http://bellular.games for early access content, 20 editions of 'Loading Screen' a month and to support our team!
00:00 This Is Definitely Crashier
01:05 The Crash That's Already Here
03:47 Why Making Games Costs So Much
05:44 The Money Ran Out
12:21 The Indies Trying To Fix It
13:45 Why Indies Can't Save Us
Sources:
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/we-were-there-in-the-80s-for-the-crash-and-this-is-definitely-crashier-john-and-brenda-romero-reflect-on-the-industry-crisis
eurogamer.net/doom-creator-john-romeros-cancelled-shooter-has-been-saved-with-fresh-redesign-inspired-by-elden-ring
gamedeveloper.com/business/survey-one-in-four-developers-laid-off-over-the-past-two-years
newsletter.hushcrasher.com/p/did-games-really-get-more-costly
newsletter.hushcrasher.com/p/why-video-games-cost-so-much-to-make
news.crunchbase.com/media-entertainment/gaming-startup-funding-2025-rblx-ntdoy
pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/an-indie-asking-for-usd250-000-is-a-drop-in-the-bucket-says-tunics-publisher-but-indies-are-in-a-survival-era-because-companies-think-that-isnt-profitable-enough-to-fund
nytimes.com/2025/12/11/arts/clair-obscur-expedition-33-sandfall.html
gamedeveloper.com/production/outersloth-shares-contract-terms-and-game-funding-lessons-for-sickos
innersloth.com/the-outersloth-contract
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/evil-landfall-is-the-latest-publishing-label-from-an-indie-developer
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/phasmophobia-developer-launches-kinetic-publishing-to-support-and-champion-creativity-within-the-indie-space
