I have just played through Papers Please, a one man development team. It's considered a successful game(0.5M copies). So you would be ok with the exposure after making a hit(ish) game, doing interviews, maybe making speeches at various events, having an online presence and personality or would you shun away from it. I take it it would be pretty rude to just make a hit and never have any contact with the gaming world including press, magazines, fans etc?

It's a common fallacy out there in internet land that because consumers want something, suppliers owe it to them. I see this every day in my line of work (we produce Free software, no less) and it's astounding to me how people can be so vociferous about being entitled to something in exchange for their getting what they want for free.

Fact is, it's not rude for an individual indie developer to not spend free time doing press events or donating interviews or creating an online presence or personality. Developers are often introverts uncomfortable with schmooze or living at the edge of their means and can not afford to donate their meagre resources to satisfy arbitrary consumer demands without compensation. It's not rude, it's the human condition.

He owes you nothing. You are entitled to nothing. You do not get a trophy just for showing up.

I'd rather the indie developers spend their time writing more software, and we all win.

I take it it would be pretty rude to just make a hit and never have any contact with the gaming world including press, magazines, fans etc?

Tell that to Flappy Birds guy.

I'd be happy to write about it or do interviews but I wouldn't agree to speak at conferences or anything like that - not only do I suck public at speaking, but I hate it, and I doubt anything I'd have to say would be useful!

All my "fans" could read all about me in my FaceBook page - which I rarely bother to update.

+2 introvert

-5 public speaking skills

This is amusing. Developers often complain about the difficulties in getting enough exposure, how the market is saturated etc.

You need to participate in at least a few events because it will boost the sales of your games.

This is amusing. Developers often complain about the difficulties in getting enough exposure, how the market is saturated etc.

You need to participate in at least a few events because it will boost the sales of your games.

They are not contradictory, although they might seem so at first blush.

When building a product that you want to push in the marketplace you do need to publicly expose it.

The OP listed several specific actions: "doing interviews, maybe making speeches at various events, having an online presence and personality". While those things can help with exposure, they are may rather than must. You may do interviews if you want, but many products have become successful without interviews. you may go to events and make speeches, but many products have become successful without it. You may have a frequently-updated online persona, but many products have become successful without it.

In fact, if those are not your strengths it is probably a good idea to hire someone to do them. It is quite common to have dedicated marketers and marketing firms, rather than the developers themselves, who do those tasks.

Yes, making a product successful does typically require a serious effort to gain market share and exposure. But that does not mean the developer themselves must become a public person in the process.

I think I'm also from the camp that doesn't seek personal publicity. I would be happy to write articles, blogs, answer questions by email and turn up at events (but not for speeches or interviews). I fear that if you're not quick on your feet verbally speaking you could damage your public perception by interviewing badly, especially if you blurt out something Phil Fish style.

It doesn't come especially natural to me, but I'd absolutely welcome the exposure and having more avenues to give back to the community of game makers and game players, and even to people in general.

At the same time, realize that a portion of the attention it attracts will be negative, even hostile, and I will have no compunction over denying anyone what they think is owed to them. Everything you give of yourself to anyone is a gift -- you should give it freely, without expectation or agenda, and you should receive the same behavior in kind. If you cannot say no, or people become angry with you because that doesn't fit into their agenda, then its not really given freely -- they are taking from you what you wouldn't otherwise give. Learning to say no is a skill that everyone should develop -- saying 'no' has a bad rap, but really its just part of saying 'yes' intentionally (that is, if you say 'yes' only when you truly mean it and consent to all that implies, then saying 'no' is just the other side of the coin, and you should be able to do so without regrets or unjust repercussions).

And to add yet another spoke to the discussion, all of the above being said, its also a skill to know when to do or not do things because they're good for your career and when to do or not do things because they're good for you as an individual. With many of use being introverts, its important to break away social engagements or other obligations that are taxing us to make time for ourselves to do whatever solitary/small-group activities that we enjoy and recharge our batteries -- many of the people I know refer to being over-taxed as "[their] people-mana being low." Conversely, some people are extroverts and might find themselves being engaged in solitary activities (long hours programming, putting marketing or business materials together) and they need to make time for themselves by going out and being social. The point, though, is that others and life and business will always make demands on you that aren't your own, strictly speaking, so its up to you navigate and balance that in the way your are happiest with, and to not feel guilty about doing so. You have one life to live, so far as anyone knows for sure, so live it for you and not for anyone else.