Outlast dev warns against romanticising the idea of going indie

The developer of indie horror hit Outlast is advising developers to ensure they know the risks associated with going indie, and to not romanticise the idea.

Philippe Morin, the co-founder of Red Barrels, spoke to Games Industry International about a talk on the subject he will present next week at the 2013 Montreal International Game Summit.

Primarily, Morin will discuss the challenges he faced in setting up the studio, after leaving EA. "I remember telling my wife I'll quit my job and within three or four months we'll know if it works out or not," he said. "And it took a year and a half."

The delay was largely due to issues with securing funding. Morin shopped Outlast around to the big publishers and other investors, and struggled to get the backing of the Canada Media Fund. Most of the trouble, Morin says, came from ignorance of how the system works, and imparting what he's learned about the process to aspiring indie developers is the goal of his Game Summit presentation.