What is the indie game definition in simple terms?

A game made by an independent studio that keeps ownership and final creative control. Funding can help, but if the money holder can overrule design or release, it is not indie.

Can a game with a publisher still be indie?

Yes, if the developer keeps the IP, sets features, and can choose the launch date. If the publisher can veto design or move dates without consent, that breaks independence.

Do team size or pixel art make a game indie?

No. A small team and retro art are common, not required. Control and ownership decide it.

Indie game definition, what indie really means today

Some words get used until they blur. Indie is one of them. People point to pixel art, tiny teams, or micro budgets. That can be true, but it misses the heart. My simple read keeps the word useful without gatekeeping.

You will leave with a quick test you can run on any game, plus a few edge cases that stop the usual fights.

What indie means at its core

Independent means the team owns the work and the big choices. The studio keeps control of the game, the name, and the plan. No outside owner can overrule the key calls. That is the center of any indie game definition.

Think of it like cooking in your own kitchen. You pick the recipe, the heat, and when to plate. If someone else tells you what to cook and when to serve, you are not in charge.

Who pays, why funding is the real line

Money helps, but money can also steer. Funding sits on a sliding scale, from hands off to full control.

Self funded, savings or revenue from a past game. Full control stays with the team.
Grants or small platform funds, light strings. Control usually stays with the team.
Recoup deals, a partner fronts costs and gets paid back first. If the team keeps the IP and greenlight power, it can still be indie.
Classic publisher deal, money plus control. If the partner sets scope or the date, independence is gone.

Easy check, can the money change design or release without the team’s yes. If yes, it pushes the game out of indie.

Does a publisher break indie

A publisher is support, not a verdict. Marketing, QA, ports, and funding are not the issue by themselves. Control is the issue.

Picture this. A small studio signs for marketing help and a port. They keep the IP, choose features, and can delay a month if they need to. That still fits indie.

Flip it. The publisher can veto design, pick content, and move the date on its own. That does not fit indie.

Team size and budget, how much is “small”

Headcount and budget are clues, not rules. A solo dev screams indie, but a small team owned by a giant company is not indie. A bigger team can still be indie if the studio is independent and calls the shots. Spend does not decide the label. Control does.

Art style and scope myths

Pixel art is not required. Low poly is not required. Some indie teams make tight two hour games. Some make long RPGs. The look and the length do not define indie. Ownership and control do. One clear example is Hollow Knight: Silksong, a small-studio hit that stayed true to its own calls.

Indie vs AA vs AAA

These labels track budget, risk, and who decides.

Label	Budget and team	Who calls the shots
AAA	very high budgets, large teams, heavy marketing	a major publisher
AA	mid budgets, smaller teams, marketing on a diet	often a publisher
Indie	any budget, any team size	the independent studio

Clean split, AAA and most AA follow a publisher playbook. Indie follows the team’s playbook.

Edge cases that confuse people

Second party deals, a platform funds and helps. If the team keeps IP and design control, the game can still be indie.

Exclusivity money, paid to launch on one store or one console. If it does not change the design or ownership, the indie label can hold.

Crowdfunded hits, backers fund the build. If the team keeps the right to accept or reject features, it fits indie.

Acquired studios, a once independent team that gets bought by a publisher is no longer indie, even if the game looks the same.

Distribution perks like Hollow Knight: Silksong on Game Pass can widen reach without taking away control, which still fits the indie lane if ownership and key calls stay with the studio.

Store and platform labels

Shops use the word indie in different ways. Some highlight small teams. Some group by price or art style. Treat store tags as hints, not a final call. The true indie game definition rests on who owns and controls the work, not a shelf label.

Practical checklist you can use

Run this quick test. If you answer yes to most, it is likely indie.

Does the studio own the IP and code, or hold a license that leaves control with the team.
Can the team ship or delay without outside orders.
Can the team reject a feature idea from a partner without penalty.
Is the studio independent, not a unit owned by a larger publisher.
Is funding set up so the team keeps the final say on design and scope.

If the answers tilt no, you are outside the indie lane.

Why the label still matters

Labels can be messy, but this one helps. Players learn who made the calls and where their money goes. Teams set clear promises to their players. Press and stores can frame things without guessing. If you want more games in this lane, check 3 games similar to Hollow Knight. Use this indie game definition to talk about control, not just size. It keeps the word useful, and it points support to the teams that need it most.