Four people, two million copies: the 2026 indie studio model

Seven of the ten indie games that entered the sales charts in the first half of 2026 came from teams smaller than ten people. That is not a coincidence, it is a method.

Depth instead of scope

All three studios I spoke to made the same call: cut the number of systems, then pour money and time into what remains. One says its game has one mechanic — climbing — polished for six years. The result: 2.1 million copies.

The cost of shipping without a publisher

With a marketing budget of zero, 60% of first-month sales come from one platform algorithm. That is a dependency. Two of the three signed with a publisher for their second game — by their own choice.

The discipline of not growing

None passed ten people. One hired a twelfth for six months and then removed the role: "Communication cost grows faster than production capacity."