Despite the onslaught of diverse and experimental work published on Steam and consoles every day, one significant taboo remains in indie games and it's not the one you would think: Indie designers don't sign their work.

Unlike actors, musicians, intellectuals, painters, poets, writers, directors, and producers, game designers often publish behind the anonymity of a company, even when working alone. Why do they do this? Where did this norm come from? Who benefits from this situation? And why should it be changed?

Experienced indies Zach Gage and Bennett Foddy took the stage at GDC 2019 last month to answer all these questions and more in a fantastic hour-long talk that's now available to watch (for free!) on the official GDC YouTube channel.

About the GDC Vault

In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault and its accompanying YouTube channel offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent Game Developers Conference events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers.

Those who purchased All Access passes to recent events like GDC or VRDC already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscription via a GDC Vault subscription page. Group subscriptions are also available: game-related schools and development studios who sign up for GDC Vault Studio Subscriptions can receive access for their entire office or company by contacting staff via the GDC Vault group subscription page. Finally, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault technical support.