Why Games Fail (And Why It’s Usually Not the Idea):
When indie developers ask why some games fail while others succeed, the conversation often drifts toward marketing budgets, genre trends, or bad luck. In this candid fireside chat, Jay Powell, CEO and Founder of The Powell Group and IndieGameBusiness® and veteran producer Heather Chandler make something very clear: failure in game development usually comes down to production.
Poor coordination. Undefined scope. Weak prioritization. Unrealistic forecasting. Broken communication.
Heather Chandler brings over thirty years of industry experience, from Activision and Ubisoft to Epic Games (where she led production on Fortnite) and Arrowhead Studios (Helldivers 2), and her perspective is grounded in hands-on production across AAA and indie teams alike.
This conversation isn’t theoretical. It’s practical, sometimes uncomfortable, and extremely relevant for indie teams trying to ship successfully in today’s market.
What a Producer Actually Does (Especially on Small Teams):
One of the biggest misconceptions in indie development is not understanding the role of a producer. Heather explains that at its core, production is about facilitating a team to accomplish a goal and launch the game they set out to make.
On small indie teams, this role expands dramatically. A producer might:
- Establish development processes
- Align the creative vision
- Manage storefront setup
- Coordinate QA
- Solve team conflicts
- Oversee scheduling and budgeting
Unlike artists or engineers, producers can’t point to a specific texture or line of code and say, “I made that.” Instead, they make sure all those pieces work together.
For indie developers, this distinction is critical. If no one owns coordination, alignment, and prioritization, production gaps form quickly, and that’s often where failure begins.
The Real Reason Small Multiplayer Games Fail:
When asked why small multiplayer games fail, Heather identified two major pitfalls:
- Technical instability (lag, backend issues, poor UX flow)
- Insufficient player base to sustain matchmaking
Indie teams often underestimate how complex multiplayer systems are. Online infrastructure, server optimization, and user experience need to work seamlessly. If onboarding isn’t frictionless, players leave.
Even more dangerous: launching multiplayer without enough concurrent players to create meaningful matches. An empty server kills momentum instantly.
Multiplayer isn’t just a feature. It’s a commitment.
Volunteer Teams and Limited Budgets – The Hidden Production Trap:
Many indie projects begin with enthusiasm and unpaid contributors. But Heather notes that early excitement fades when projects enter the “middle phase”, the less glamorous polish and bug-fixing stage.
If volunteers feel like:
- The project is floundering
- Their contributions don’t move the needle
- There’s no clear path forward
They disengage.
The solution isn’t pressure, it’s clarity. Define goals clearly. Give contributors agency in estimating timelines. Keep progress visible. Momentum protects morale.
The Worst Production Problems Aren’t Technical:
One of the most important takeaways from the chat: production problems are rarely technical at their core.
Heather described situations where teams found reasonable solutions, only to have stakeholders override them for political reasons. She also emphasized the importance of consensus, not compromise.
Compromise waters down ideas so no one is happy.
Consensus means the team may not fully agree, but they commit to supporting the chosen direction.
For indie teams, this is vital. Lingering resentment or unresolved conflict quietly destroys productivity.
How to Prioritize When Everything Feels Urgent:
Heather lives by one essential production tool: the roadmap.
A roadmap outlines:
- Development milestones
- Marketing deliverables
- QA windows
- Business needs
- Release goals
When someone claims their task is urgent, you point to the roadmap and evaluate it against the whole picture.
Indie teams without roadmaps often operate reactively. That leads to burnout, context switching, and stalled progress.
Visibility creates discipline.
Budgeting and Forecasting – Why Indie Teams Underestimate Everything:
One of the most painful truths shared: indie developers almost always underestimate how long development will take.
Heather recommends doubling, or even tripling, initial time estimates.
Why?
Because “playable” is not the same as “launch-ready.”
The final stretch includes:
- Optimization
- Polish
- Bug fixing
- Stability testing
- Store submission prep
- Marketing asset finalization
This is where many indie games collapse financially. Teams budget for development but forget the cost of finishing.
Scope Creep – The Silent Killer of Indie Games:
Scope creep is one of the top reasons games fail. Heather explains that teams must identify the true core of their game experience and protect it fiercely.
She uses a powerful analogy:
If you’re building a vehicle, you don’t start with a windshield and engine. You start with a skateboard—something that already works and gets you from point A to point B. Then you improve it incrementally.
Indie developers often try to build the car immediately.
The MVP mindset prevents catastrophic overreach.
Protecting Morale When Things Go Wrong:
When funding disappears or layoffs loom, morale can collapse. Heather stresses that transparency, when possible, is key to maintaining trust.
Small indie teams have an advantage here: they can communicate openly.
If you hide reality, trust erodes.
If you communicate clearly, even bad news becomes survivable.
Tools That Help (And Tools That Hurt):
Heather mentions tools like:
- Jira
- Excel
- Miro
- Trello
- Microsoft Project
But she emphasizes something critical: tools are only helpful if they reduce friction.
If your team spends more time updating software than building the game, your process is broken.
Production tools should serve creativity, not suffocate it.
Balancing Structure and Creativity:
Game development is not engineering aircraft systems. It must be fun.
To protect creativity:
- Prototype ideas quickly
- Playtest externally
- Validate fun early
- Avoid ego-driven decisions
Creativity thrives inside structure, not chaos.
Anecdotes and Reflections:
Production Is the Difference Between Shipping and Failing.
Heather Chandler’s thirty-year career reinforces a simple truth:
Games fail when teams:
- Lose alignment
- Ignore scope
- Underestimate time
- Avoid hard conversations
- Neglect production discipline
They succeed when:
- Vision is clear
- Scope is realistic
- Roadmaps guide decisions
- Teams commit to consensus
- Transparency protects morale
The indie dream isn’t killed by lack of talent. It’s usually killed by lack of structure.
And as this fireside chat makes clear, production isn’t bureaucracy.
It’s survival.
Want more insights like this?:
Join us for our IndieGameBusiness Deep Dive, taking place on May 27th from 9am – 5pm Eastern or hop into the IndieGameBusiness® Discord to connect with Heather and other industry pros.
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