More than 140 STEM and non-STEM students attended our STEM Lecture last week to hear from Simon Read, creator of Retro Bowl—a game that grew from 699 downloads on day one to reaching #1 on the US App Store, eventually leading to partnerships with the NFL and Apple Arcade.
In his talk, “Being an Indie Game Developer,” Simon described the highs and lows of indie development: the creative freedom and rapid iteration it offers, alongside the financial uncertainty, demanding deadlines, and the challenge of actually finishing projects.
His key advice:
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Keep your games small and simple
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Prototype early
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Use tools that work for you
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Learn to finish what you start
It was an inspiring reminder that persistence and focus can turn small ideas into major successes—an uplifting message for all who attended.