Google Introduces the Indie Corner
Google announced in March at the Game Developers Conference that it would be introducing the “Indie Corner” to the Google Play Store. The feature went live on April 17.
The new category is designed to be a place where small / new developers can get their work seen. The new feature was designed to help these developers gain momentum in the industry. More than half of the games currently featured in the Indie Corner are free-to-play.
How to Get In
Developers are invited to submit their apps to the Play Store for consideration. Indie Corner games are placed in the category based on quality of experience and “exemplary” use of Google Play services.
“It has to be a relatively small company,” Google Play spokesperson Joshua Cruz explained in a GamesBeat article. “We think 11 to 15 employees — something along those lines. And then it’s the type of game. Is it trying to do something creative or different stylistically? Ultimately, it’s going to be assessed by humans. They’ll make the call.”
The Advantages
What the Indie Corner really provides for small developers is the opportunity of low-cost marketing.
It also creates a new vector for small tech companies that aren’t necessarily in the game development business to test their products in a new market.
The advantages for users also can’t be underestimated. Those who are looking to support indie developers now have somewhere to go with the added bonus of the games being vetted for quality.
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