Starting an Indie Game Studio

Launching an indie game studio requires more than creativity—it takes planning, strategy, and resilience. This course blends business fundamentals with indie industry expertise, giving you the tools to avoid common pitfalls and build a foundation for success.

This course is designed for aspiring studio founders ready to turn their vision into reality. Whether you’re a creative, programmer, or business professional, you’ll learn the essential steps to start and sustain a small independent studio—solo or with a team.

Difficulty

Hard

Pre Requisites

Spreadsheet software and planning tools such as Trello or Notion recommended

Requirements

Computer or Mobile

Program Length

6 weeks of live, mentor-guided training

Delivery Mode

Live online via Zoom.
Recordings are provided for review

Start Date

Starting Wednesday
5th Nov 2025
9:30pm UTC

Forming Your Studio

Understand the legal and structural steps to form an indie game company, covering business entities, contracts, IP, and co-founder agreements.

Funding & Financial Survival

Explore sustainable business models and indie funding strategies—from bootstrapping to crowdfunding—and learn to build budgets that help your studio thrive.

Building & Leading a Team

Learn best practices for forming a core team, managing roles, working with contractors, and setting up pipelines that prevent burnout and improve productivity.

From First Game to Long-Term Growth

Develop a production-ready plan for your first game while learning scope management, publishing, marketing, and community-building strategies for lasting success.

Vision, Values & Viability

Define your studio’s mission and long-term goals. Align your creative vision with viable business models and set a clear definition of what success looks like for your team.

Studio Formation & Legal Basics

Learn about business structures (LLC, Corporation, etc.), intellectual property ownership, co-founder agreements, contracts, and international considerations for indie studios.

Money & Budgeting for Survival

Understand how indie studios fund their games. Explore options like bootstrapping, crowdfunding, publishers, and grants while learning to plan budgets, track costs, and manage burn rate.

Teams, Roles & Sustainable Production

Assemble your core team, define roles, and establish production pipelines. Explore contractor management, remote collaboration, and sustainable milestone planning.

Marketing, Community & Studio Longevity

Discover how to build a fanbase early, craft a launch strategy, manage PR as an indie, and keep your studio sustainable after release with strong community support and smart planning.

Final Project

This is where everything comes together. You’ll plan, design, and develop your own limited-scope Fortnite experience using everything you’ve learned. Mentors will guide you through final refinements and ensure your project is publish-ready. By the end of this module, you’ll have a completed game world that you can share publicly in Fortnite Creative—and proudly include in your portfolio as proof of your skills.

Overview

Accredited Bachelor Degrees & Diplomas

CG Spectrum offers specialised creative degrees and diploma programs designed to prepare students for careers in the entertainment industry. These programs focus on practical, industry-relevant skills, taught by experienced professionals. Key areas include:

3D & 2D Animation - Learn character and creature animation for film and games using industry-standard tools.
Game Design & Development - Master game mechanics, level design, and programming to create immersive games.
Visual Effects - Explore compositing, simulations, and digital effects for film and TV.
Digital Illustration & Concept Art - Develop skills in character design, environments, and storytelling for games and film.
3D Modeling - Create assets for games, films, and virtual productions, focusing on both hard-surface and organic modeling.

Programs are flexible, online, and focus on hands-on learning, portfolio development, and mentorship from industry experts. These courses are suited for beginners and advanced learners looking to break into the creative industries.

Find Out More

industry expert

Meet Your Mentor

Ryan Laley is actively involved in the games industry, for his own projects and collaborations. He has hands-on experience with Unreal Engine and is an authorized instructor. He has a track record of helping aspiring developers master the program.

His approach is characterized by his clear and concise explanations, making complex topics more understandable for beginners and experienced developers alike.

Course Options

Learn your way

Join a small group class for a collaborative experience, or opt for private 1-on-1 training for personalized guidance.

One-Time Payment

7-Day Refund Guarantee

Group Class

US$ 999

Learn, build, and grow together.

The Group Class is the core program designed for collaboration, peer feedback, and community learning — while keeping the group small enough for personal mentor support.

Level: Hard
Lessons: 6
Capacity: 6
Prerequisites:
Spreadsheet software and planning tools such as Trello or Notion recommended
Required Hardware: Computer or Mobile
Required Software: None

Class is live every Wednesday at 9:30pm UTC.
Starting November 5th.

Private 1 on 1

US$ 2,495

If you prefer learning one-on-one with a mentor at your own pace, we also offer a private version of this course.

The requirements (software, tools, format, and support) are the same as the Group Class.

The private version runs over 6 weeks, giving you:

Tailored guidance to match your goals
Flexible scheduling within a clear 6-week timeline
Direct feedback on your work
The freedom to learn at a pace that suits you
A stronger mentor relationship with focused support

FAQ

Find quick answers to the most common questions about this course.

Do I need to have a finished game idea or prototype to take this course? No. The course will help you validate and scope your first studio project from scratch. Bringing an idea is helpful, but not required.

Will this course teach me programming or game art? No. This is a studio-building course focused on business, team, and production strategy. It assumes you already have or plan to build technical skills separately.

Is this course more theory or hands-on? The course is highly practical. You’ll leave with a set of tools, templates and draft proposals for your indie game production.

Will you cover how to find or pitch to publishers? Yes, we cover indie funding paths. including how to approach publishers and what to expect in deal terms.

Will this apply to international studios or just North America? The course includes global considerations and remote team strategies. However, legal/tax specifics may vary by country and we direct to areas for local research.

Are there any recommended tools or software for the course? A spreadsheet tool (e.g., Google Sheets), Trello or Notion for planning.

Will you discuss how to protect IP and trademarks? Yes, the course includes a beginner-friendly legal overview including IP rights and common traps indie teams fall into.

Will I leave with a company formed? You’ll have the knowledge and tools to form one drawing from the course materials. Final setup depends on your own actions.

What happens after the course ends? You’ll have a studio roadmap and an indie startup toolkit. We'll also provide links to possible incubators, funding resources, and developer communities to continue your journey.

Starting an Indie Game Studio

This 6-week mentor-guided course takes you through the essential steps, challenges, and opportunities of creating an independent game company.

Learn the foundations of launching and running your indie game studio.

How the Course Works

What You’ll Learn

Your Learning Journey