Being an Indie Game Publisher

“...If your game is amazing and good, it will find a home. It will find an audience”

— Tom Vasel, The Dice Tower

I recently watched a short but powerful video from Tom Vasel of The Dice Tower that hit me right in the indie heart. As someone who juggles a full-time job, family life, and still finds time to design and publish games, I felt seen. Let’s talk about what he said—and why it matters.

One of the most refreshing points Tom made is that The Dice Tower doesn’t care whether your game comes from a giant publisher like Hasbro or a tiny indie team of five (or one). They care about games—the box, the art, the theme, the experience.

What does catch their attention?

Box cover and art – Does it look polished?
Artwork and theme – Is it intriguing?
Previous designs – If a designer has made good games before, there’s a good chance this one could be great.
Publisher track record – A strong back catalog gives hope that the new title is worth checking out.
Popularity – If everyone is buzzing about a game, it’s probably worth reviewing.

But what don’t they review?

Prototypes and print-on-demand (POD) games. And honestly, that’s fair. There are thousands of games released each year. No team, no matter how passionate, can cover them all. You have to draw the line somewhere. As Tom asked in the video: What even is an indie publisher? And he nailed it: in today’s market, almost everyone is indie. The difference between a one-person label and a 20-person studio? Speed and scale. Not quality. Not creativity. Just how many games they can push out in a year. That message stuck with me. Ten or twenty years ago, if you wanted to make a board game, you were on your own. There were no clear paths. No real community. You might’ve felt trapped, stuck with a dream and no roadmap. But now?

We live in a golden age of resources:

Books and podcasts about game design
Facebook groups and Discord servers for creators
Board game conventions, festivals, and design camps
Tools like Tabletop Simulator, Print & Play, and crowdfunding

If you want to make a game today, you can. You don’t need a huge budget or a big team. What you need is time, patience, and a willingness to keep improving.

P.S. I work nearly 50 hours a week. I’m raising a son. I have responsibilities as a husband.… and I also volunteer with the Ukrainian community and the scouting movement. But somehow, I’m still making games. And it’s not impossible. Thanks to the tools we have today, I get to work on something I love. I can design at night. Playtest on weekends. Get feedback from gamers all over the world. And sometimes—just sometimes—my games connect with players and find their audience. That’s the dream. And it’s alive and well. Tom’s video was a great reminder: success isn’t just about getting one game reviewed or published. It’s about the long-term journey. The goal is to keep getting better, game after game. Even if your first title doesn’t take off, it doesn’t mean you’re done. It means you’re learning. Growing. Becoming the kind of designer who will build something truly unforgettable. So whether you’re working solo, with a friend, or as part of a small team—keep at it. Keep showing up. Keep building. Because in this industry, your next game could be the GAME.

Let’s keep playing—and keep creating. See you at the table.

21 October 2025