adminThe arrival of a major release can make independent developers question their launch plans. But Tomas Sala, creator of ShipShaper, argues that GTA 6 and indie games often serve different audiences. Rather than treating a blockbuster’s release date as a reason to panic, he says smaller studios can build sustainable businesses by understanding their niche and matching a project’s scale to its likely audience.
Image credit: Tomas Sala/Wired Productions
Sala originally hoped to release ShipShaper earlier, but delays pushed the game’s Early Access launch to September 2. GTA 6 is scheduled for November 19, leaving a gap between the two releases. Sala says the distance between dates is not the main reason indie developers should feel secure: GTA 6 is not launching on PC, and its audience may not overlap much with players seeking niche sailing, puzzle, or story-focused games.
He also points to a 2025 Circana survey of US players. It found that 63% buy a new game once every six months or less, including 33% who buy one less than once a year. Around 14% purchase a game monthly or more often. Sala believes frequent buyers are more likely to make up a significant share of indie game customers than the broader audience for a blockbuster.
He is similarly cautious about expectations for media attention. A major release can dominate coverage, but many independent games already receive little press or influencer attention. Sala argues that a lack of headlines does not automatically prevent a game from finding players: some titles grow through word of mouth and a committed community. For developers, the practical takeaway is to plan for the audience a game can realistically reach, rather than relying on widespread coverage.
GTA 6 and indie games can serve different audiences
Sala describes the current period as creatively rich for independent games, even while acknowledging that the industry is difficult for many people. His view is that success does not have to mean becoming a viral hit. A smaller, stable audience can be a better fit for a project with a focused concept.
His earlier games illustrate that visibility and sales are not the same thing. Sala became known for The Falconeer, a third-person aerial combat game released in 2020. He followed it with Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles in 2024, a casual sandbox building game set in the same universe. The Falconeer gained recognition through console releases, streaming services such as Game Pass and Luna, and a limited free promotion. Sala says Bulwark has nevertheless sold more units and continues to outsell it.
The lesson for smaller studios is to distinguish attention from commercial performance. A game can be well known without being the developer’s strongest seller, while a less-publicised title can quietly reach the right players.
The Falconeer is well known thanks to being on streaming services | Image credit: Tomas Sala/Wired Productions
Why niche games can be a sustainable choice
ShipShaper focuses on designing boats, including tall ships and steamships. Sala does not expect that subject to become a mainstream trend, but believes a dedicated audience can support a specialised game. He notes that simulator communities may be willing to pay for detailed content, including downloadable content based on particular vehicles or locations. As one example, the HMS Victory DLC for Naval Action sells for £49.99.
That price reflects a specialist market rather than a universal expectation. Developers considering a niche project should research comparable games, identify what their audience values, and estimate how much time and money the project can reasonably require. Sala describes this product-and-market fit as basic business planning: understanding the intended players, the scale of the game, and what those players may be prepared to pay.
As the name suggests, ShipShaper is a game about making ships | Image credit: Tomas Sala/Wired Productions
Large sales figures are not the only measure of a viable game. Project Zomboid, for example, has sold more than 15 million units since 2013, but Sala points out that a solo developer may not need sales on that scale. A project’s costs, team size, and expected audience all affect what success can look like.
Creative freedom requires practical limits
Independent development can appear to offer complete creative freedom, but Sala says that freedom depends partly on setting boundaries. A developer has to decide which ideas are achievable and how long to pursue them. He contrasts having money for two years now with having only two months of funding seven years earlier, illustrating how financial stability can change the choices available.
Sala also sets creative challenges for himself, such as avoiding textures, but says market research and business decisions remain part of the work. He does not aim to make a perfectly balanced, universally appealing game. Instead, he focuses on tools, stories, and unfamiliar ideas that suit his strengths and interests.
“I don’t love the things most people love, but there’s enough weirdos like me out there that love exactly what I love.”
For developers, the useful principle is to define success in relation to the project and its audience. A focused game can be worthwhile if its development costs, price, and likely customer base make sense together.
ShipShaper allows players to create a wide range of boats | Image credit: Tomas Sala/Wired Productions
What comes after ShipShaper?
Sala says his next larger project may be an open-world sailing adventure set in the Falconeer universe. Planned as a prequel, it would explore the setting before it was damaged by war. He describes ShipShaper as a smaller project that grew from experimenting with editing technology and could introduce new players to that world.
The game’s future will depend partly on how it performs in Early Access. Sala says that if it succeeds, he may spend a year adding to it. If it does not, he is prepared to release it without making it a larger commitment. That approach reflects his broader point: independent developers can make deliberate choices about scope rather than measuring every project against a blockbuster.
For studios weighing GTA 6 and indie games against one another, Sala’s advice is not to assume that a major release will erase every smaller title. Audience fit, realistic budgets, and a clear niche can matter more than competing for the same launch-week attention. A small but dependable community may be a more practical goal than trying to reach everyone.
