As indie game developers, we pour our hearts into our games. We spend countless late nights tweaking mechanics (adding secret endings), perfecting art, and crafting experiences we hope players will love. But here’s the thing, we’re often too close to our own creations to see them clearly. You test and test, and the first person you hand the game over to breaks it in less than a minute.
That’s why I’m launching my Indie Game Gauntlet!
What is the Indie Game Gauntlet?
It’s simple: I want to play your indie game live on stream and give you my unfiltered reaction. No prep, no research beforehand, just me experiencing your game exactly like any other player would for the first time.
Submit your game by June 13th for a chance to be selected for the live stream event on June 15th. From all the submissions, I’ll randomly select up to 10 games. Each selected game gets a dedicated 30-minute spotlight where I dive in fresh and share my reactions in real-time. There might be some games submitted that I’ve played or experienced through watching livestreams, but I’m guilty in that I haven’t played too many indie games recently (yes, I feel bad), so it should be the first time for the most part.
Why This Matters for Your Development?
When was the last time you watched someone play your game with zero context? Not a friend trying to be nice, or a reviewer with an agenda, just someone who makes games and might have opinions on the fly. Those reactions are pure gold. You’ll see exactly where players might get confused, excited, or stuck. You’ll discover that those “obvious” mechanics may not be so obvious.
This kind of feedback is invaluable, and it’s something most indie developers never get to experience. I would love to be that for you!
What’s In It For You?
- Live, genuine reactions from a game developer’s perspective
- Authentic feedback that money can’t buy
- Exposure to a live streaming audience
- Edited YouTube video after the stream so you can come back and watch over and over if you want!
- Support for your work – if your game isn’t free, I’ll purchase it to support you as a fellow creator
- Community engagement as viewers discover new indie gems
Ready to Submit Your Game?
I know putting your game out there for unfiltered reactions can feel scary, but here’s the truth: if you’re serious about indie development, this kind of raw feedback is exactly what you need! I approach people to playtest my games and find new things I did wrong 6/10 times.
Submissions close June 13th. The live gauntlet happens June 15th on my Twitch. Follow me on Bluesky for updates! Submit your playable Game/Demo below.