What you need to know
- Innersloth, the indie development team behind the viral hit Among Us, has formed a funding program for indies dubbed Outersloth.
- Funding for indies has been scarce in 2024 as economic uncertainty leads potential investors to tighten purse straps.
- Even established and successful indie studios like KeokeN Interactive have been forced into mass layoffs and closures.
- Innersloth CEO and co-founder Forest Willard and communications director Victoria Tran took the stage during Summer Game Fest 2024 to showcase six new indie games that were being developed with assistance from Outersloth funding.
Innersloth, the developers behind the viral mega-hit Among Us, have set out to spread the wealth of their success by founding an indie game funding program of its own. Innersloth CEO and co-founder Forest Willard and communications director Victoria Tran announced the creation of Outersloth, an indie funding initiative, during Summer Game Fest 2024. The duo also introduced the first six games to be funded by the program.
2024 has been an abysmal year for those who create the video games we all fall in love with. Economic uncertainty and growing fears of a disastrous recession continue to lead investors and shareholders to tighten the purse strings, canceling projects and issuing pink slips aplenty. Massive layoffs have shaken the industry, starting with 1900 job cuts at Xbox in January, followed by 900 layoffs at PlayStation, and another 670 workers let go at EA.
Large publishers aren't the only ones affected, as funding for indie projects has also significantly dried up. Some studios, like KeokeN Interactive, have spoken openly on the struggles of publishing indie games and even reached out to potential investors at GDC in an effort to secure funding for projects in progress. KeokeN Interactive ultimately had to lay off its team when investment remained out of reach.
I really want games!
Victoria Tran, Innersloth
"There's been so many great indie games in recent years, but it's also been no secret that it's kind of a rough time in the industry. Some devs don't really get the chance that they deserve, so we thought we could help out a little bit," said Willard from the stage of Summer Game Fest 2024. Willard describes Outersloth as a way to provide funding opportunities to creators who might not receive them otherwise, based on the type of funding programs that Innersloth hoped to find in its infancy.
Six trailers were shown following Willard and Tran's appearance on stage, one for each project currently funded by Outersloth. Shape Shop's Mars First Logistics, an open-world simulator that allows players to create their own martian rovers, kicked off the series of trailers. Mars First Logistics is available now in early access and currently holds an Overwhelmingly Positive rating among all reviews. Trinket Studios' Battle Suit Aces was the second title shown, a fast-paced 5v5 card-battling RPG that can be wishlisted now but does not yet have a set release date.
Studio Any Percent premiered the illustrative Mossfield Archives, while Midnight Munchies premiered the upcoming title One BTN bosses—a simple but challenging battler where players must take down bosses while only using a single button. Huskrats premiered Outersloth-funded roguelike spaceflighting action game, Rogue Eclipse. The final premiere was by Outerloop Games, the team behind Thirsty Suitors. Outerloop Games revealed Project Dosa, a charming adventure where players can spend time in an upgradable mech foraging for ingredients in order to cook up tasty dishes for their community.
"This is our way of saying thank you to our crewmates, players, [and] peers by helping some games and devs have the funding and freedom needed to ship their games. And we all get to play them, which was the real plan," said Tran, "I really want games!"
