23 Dev119 Indie profile_FINAL 29/07/2011 11:06 Page 1
INDIE PROFILE | ALPHA
INDIE PROFILE
Size Five THERE’S two kinds of indies; those that are technically independent, and those that truly boast that oft lionised indie spirit. Size Five Games is, without doubt, one of the latter. Until recently known as Zombie Cow, Size Five remains one of the most popular indies in the country, having charmed both industry insiders and consumers alike. A true microstudio, Size Five also continues to be devoted to its platform of choice. “The core attraction is a lack of barriers to market,” says Size Five founder Dan Marshall of the PC as an ideal platform for indies. “I could make a game next week, upload it, and people would be playing it right away. There’s no contracts with distributors getting in the way, no approval process, no compatibility nightmare to get through with Microsoft or Sony, for example.” And, for now, Size Five is equally enamoured by digital distribution. “Because indie games won’t have the graphical oomph of triple-A titles, you need to focus on a million other things – primarily gameplay, yes, but there’s a long list of
DEVELOP-ONLINE.NET
In the first of a series looking at some of the most exciting real indies making PC titles, Will Freeman turns his attention to Size Five Games
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Dan Marshall (above) is the founder and sole member of Size Five Games, the studio behind PC indie classic Ben There, Dan That (left)
things to get right,” says Marshall, adding: “One of those is fitting slightly into that ‘ah what the hell’ impulse buy section, and that’s something that digital distribution excels at.” Most famous for point-and-click Ben There, Dan That and Time, Size Five has also proved its flexibility in crafting satirical sex-education game Privates for broadcaster Channel 4.
Size Five Games Founded: 2009 Headcount: 1 Based: London www.sizefivegames.com
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