Skullgirls. If there’s any fighting game I’ve talked way too much about, its Skullgirls. But there’s a reason why I’ve talked about it so much. Beyond the game just being awesome, I’m really admit of what its come to symbolize: that there is now a new option to find and make fighters, the indie route.
Let’s be clear, indie fighters are not anything new. Small development team fighting games have been around even in the golden age of fighters, such as Rabbit (the game up above). Especially in places like Japan where indie fighters (also known as doujin fighters) and big name fighters can occupy the same place in the arcades. In fact EVO 2010 headlined one doujin fighter, Melty Blood, made by French Bread (who would later make Under Night In-Birth). Now the indie presence at EVO has spread to beyond just fighting games with the Indie Showcase. Its a very important reminder at how much indie fighters have grown….and still have some growing to do.
Yes, indie fighters are now very popular but that doesn’t mean they have over taken the big name games and you don’t have go far to see that. Just look at the headlining games. There’s only one game on the whole list of games that an actual new IP created within the last year, Injustice, and its popularity also stems from the fact that it uses DC comic characters which are very popular now. Even still, indie fighters aren’t the most diverse fighters around, considering most that have risen out of obscurity have been of the 2D fighters variety. 3D indie fighters do exist but most of those are in Japan and pale in comparison to popularity of 2D fighters. It will be a long time before indie fighters actually overtake their big brand counterparts. But honestly, I’m OK with that. To me, indie fighters remind me of going to an arcades back in the 90’s. Most arcade would be chock-full of big named fighters but also peppered with some unknown ones. Sure, the quality one some these were…dubious at best. The point is though, is the fact that they existed and served as a counterpoint to their big named rivals. More importantly, some of those smaller ones did things that big name fighters would eventually incorporate or never do. Of course that took a lot of money which why most of them are not around which why now is the prefect time for indie developers to try again thanks to crowd funding sites.
Its hard not be a bit more optimistic about indie fighting games, especially with a bunch of recent news about them. From today’s recent announcement Skullgirls Encore heading to the PS4 and Vita, To last week’s announcement of Aksys Games publishing Under Night In-Birth in the West in 2015. And there’s probably more indie announcements at EVO tomorrow. While they are not headliners, indie fighters are growing, and reminders that fighting games just don’t come from a small selection of big name developers.
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