A Chapter Closes: The Indie Game Website Enters Indefinite Hiatus

By Editorial Staff
December 20, 2021

In a poignant announcement that marks the end of a significant era for independent game journalism, Lewis Denby, Managing Director of Game If You Are Ltd, confirmed today that The Indie Game Website (TIGW) will cease active operations and enter an indefinite hiatus starting later this week.

For four years, the platform served as a vital lighthouse for the sprawling, often overlooked ocean of independent game development. While the site will remain online as a digital archive, the daily rhythm of reviews, features, and industry news that defined the publication is coming to a halt. The decision, described by Denby as "bittersweet," reflects both the economic realities of niche media and a strategic pivot toward more direct forms of advocacy for marginalized creators.

The Genesis of an Indie Champion

To understand the significance of this hiatus, one must look back to the platform’s inception in 2017. At the time, the gaming media landscape was dominated by blockbuster titles and massive AAA marketing budgets. Smaller studios—particularly solo developers and those operating outside the English-speaking world—found it increasingly difficult to secure coverage in mainstream outlets.

The Indie Game Website was born out of frustration with this systemic silence. Denby and his team, who already operated a successful indie marketing agency, sought to create a publication that could exist independent of commercial pressures. By decoupling the site’s editorial content from traditional budgetary constraints, the team was able to curate a diverse selection of titles that were otherwise invisible to the mainstream gaming press.

Throughout its tenure, the site cultivated a reputation for high-quality, thoughtful journalism. Under the editorial guidance of a rotating leadership team—including Neil, Jon, Jason, and Khee Hoon—the site became a sanctuary for indie enthusiasts, providing a platform for titles that often lacked the resources for traditional PR campaigns.

A Chronology of Advocacy

The history of The Indie Game Website is a record of consistent efforts to democratize visibility in a crowded marketplace:

• 2017: The platform is officially launched with the mission to bridge the gap between niche developers and global audiences.
• 2018–2020: The site establishes a robust network of freelance writers, expanding its reach to cover international markets, including developers from non-Western regions.
• Early 2021: Despite the global pandemic impacting the industry, the site maintains a steady output of deep-dive features, reviews, and cultural criticism.
• Late 2021: Leadership begins a formal review of their mission and resource allocation, questioning how to best support indie developers in a post-pandemic landscape.
• December 20, 2021: Managing Director Lewis Denby announces the decision to place the site on hiatus to pivot resources toward new initiatives for 2022.

The Economic Realities of Niche Journalism

The closure highlights a recurring, systemic problem in modern media: the sustainability of passion-led publications. Denby was transparent regarding the financial status of the project, admitting that The Indie Game Website operated at a loss for the entirety of its existence.

"The Indie Game Website has always run at a loss," Denby noted in his announcement. "We were okay with that, because it has always been very important to us, and we were happy to take a monetary hit in order to keep it afloat."

However, as 2021 drew to a close, the leadership team faced a critical decision: continue to subsidize a publication that was struggling to cut through an increasingly noisy digital landscape, or reallocate those funds toward more direct impact. The decision to "put it on the back-burner" was not a reflection of the team’s passion, but rather a cold calculation of where their capital could best serve the indie community.

Supporting Data and Industry Context

The indie sector has seen explosive growth over the last decade, with platforms like Steam, itch.io, and Epic Games Store making it easier than ever to publish games. However, this ease of access has led to a "discovery crisis." According to recent industry reports, thousands of games are released annually, with the vast majority failing to garner significant media coverage or player attention.

For a boutique publication like TIGW, the challenge was twofold: maintaining the high quality of editorial content required to stand out, and ensuring that those stories reached a wide enough audience to actually move the needle for the developers being featured. While the site succeeded in providing a platform for diverse voices, the sheer volume of new releases made the curation process increasingly taxing on a limited editorial budget.

Official Response: Looking Ahead

The transition is not being framed as a final death knell, but rather a strategic evolution. While the editorial content will cease, the ethos that drove the site—a commitment to amplifying minoritized and marginalized voices—will remain at the core of Game If You Are Ltd’s operations.

"I am excited about the future, and some of the plans we have in place for 2022—in particular around how we are going to invest in supporting marginalised and minoritised indie developers," Denby stated. "We will have more to share on this in the New Year and I can’t wait to get stuck into these new initiatives."

The leadership team emphasized that while the editorial desk is closing, the brand’s commitment to the indie ecosystem is stronger than ever. The decision to keep the website live indefinitely ensures that the thousands of articles, reviews, and retrospectives published over the last four years remain accessible as a permanent record of the indie movement during this specific time period.

Implications for the Indie Community

The hiatus of The Indie Game Website leaves a void in the gaming journalism landscape. The publication was one of the few that actively sought out voices that were often ignored by larger outlets.

1. The Consolidation of Niche Media

This move reflects a broader trend in the media landscape where specialized, passion-driven publications are either consolidating or shutting down in favor of more efficient, influencer-led, or direct-to-consumer marketing models. The disappearance of a dedicated editorial voice means that smaller studios will have one fewer avenue to garner the long-form, critical attention necessary for brand-building.

2. The Shift Toward Direct Advocacy

Perhaps the most significant implication is the shift from "passive journalism" to "active advocacy." By moving away from a traditional website format, the team at Game If You Are is signaling that the most effective way to help indie developers in 2022 may not be through reviews, but through direct support, mentorship, or resource distribution. This mirrors a growing trend among industry veterans who are moving from reporting on the industry to actively building infrastructure for it.

3. A Lasting Legacy

Despite the sadness surrounding the closure, the legacy of the site remains secure. Through its commitment to high-quality writing and its inclusive editorial policy, TIGW proved that a publication could act as a cultural arbiter for the indie scene without relying on the commercial dictates of AAA publishers. The writers who contributed to the site helped shape the discourse around indie gaming, pushing for more inclusive stories and more diverse representation in the industry at large.

Conclusion: A "See You Later" Rather Than a Goodbye

In his final remarks, Lewis Denby extended his gratitude to the contributors and readers who made the site what it was. "I am overwhelmed by the achievements of all of The Indie Game Website’s editors," he wrote. "They have striven to expand the site’s remit, amplifying important voices—both of people making games, and of people writing about them."

For the indie gaming community, the loss of The Indie Game Website is a reminder of how fragile the media ecosystem is. However, the promise of new initiatives in 2022 offers a glimmer of hope. The site may be entering hibernation, but the mission that birthed it—to ensure that the smallest, most innovative voices in gaming get their time in the spotlight—continues to evolve.

As the digital pages of the site remain open for posterity, the industry looks forward to what Denby and his team have in store for the new year. For now, the site stands as a testament to the idea that, in an industry often obsessed with the next big hit, there is always value in looking closer at the margins.