Edmund McMillen: Indie Games Push Boundaries While AAA Titles Play It Safe

Edmund McMillen believes that mainstream video games often take cues from the more daring and innovative indie titles. As the mind behind indie classics like Super Meat Boy, The Binding of Isaac, and the upcoming tactical RPG Mewgenics, he speaks from a place of experience.

In a recent Reddit AMA, he addressed a fan’s question about the current state of indie gaming, pondering whether developers feel the same excitement or if the ongoing challenges in the AAA sector affect them too. McMillen noted, “When the money dries up, the mainstream gets scared and takes fewer risks.”

He elaborated, “You see a flood of sequels and safe games that mimic previous successes. But for indie developers, the impact is minimal. Ultimately, indies are the ones who take significant risks because their financial stakes are lower.”

McMillen pointed out that the mainstream often takes inspiration from indie successes, repackaging those ideas in a safer format to profit from them. He added a winky face emoticon to emphasize his point, and it feels well-deserved.

Consider how indie game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has sparked discussions among fans urging Final Fantasy developer Square Enix to revisit turn-based combat, rather than the other way around. That’s definitely a winky face moment.

Reflecting on his creative process, McMillen shared that he often starts with a feeling or idea, letting it stew in his mind until it evolves into something tangible. “I get a feeling and an idea or a mechanic and rattle it around in my brain till it becomes all pulpy and sicky, […] plan becomes a thing, thing becomes stuff and soon enough a baby comes out of my anus!” It’s safe to say you won’t hear something like that from a big studio.

The creator of The Binding of Isaac mentioned that he initially developed the genre-defining hit to experiment with a “basic roguelike” and to “get my feet in the water” before diving into his true masterpiece.