Small independent developers are shaking the video game industry thanks to their creativity, and increasingly challenging big budget AAA productions.

In the video game industry, AAA is a classification term used for games with the highest development budgets and levels of promotion. Super Mario, Halo, Assassin's Creed, Uncharted, Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, and FIFA are examples of very successful AAA games franchises. However, independent developers are gradually taking over a larger share of the video game industry. Games such as Minecraft, Angry Birds, Limbo, Fruit Ninja, and Guacamelee! have made a great impact. Creativity, lower budget requirements and organizational flexibility is allowing indie developers to become a serious threat to some of the big studios and publishers. Some of these games are short in length, but very rewarding experiences.

Indies or AAA?

Many questions remain unanswered. Could this surge of indie developers harm the overall quality of the products in the video game industry? Are indie games a stimulus for innovation and competition? Or are they causing excessive fragmentation and instability?

Indie or AAA, which type of video games you find more beneficial for the future of the industry? Vote and tell us about your favourite games.