Whenever I visit a developer, I always ask for a tour. Games aren't wished into existence; real people who hang out in real places create the titles we play, and I like to see where that happens. Unfortunately, the office buildings all begin to blend together. They're often dark spaces, they're often covered with action figures and other pieces of geek ephemera, and you'll often see some sad sack developer sleeping under a desk.

But what if you're a tiny outfit who can't afford a fancy office tower—where do you create your next masterpiece? I contacted independent game studios that I respect and asked them to take a few minutes and a camera and show off their workspaces. Some were enthusiastic, others were hesitant, and many seemed almost ashamed; they all assumed that everyone else had better space in which to create games.

It's a silly fear, though; no one judges bands by the size of the garage from which they emerged. The more beat-up the work space, the more inspirational the success stories. You can do great work anywhere, even if you're keeping bees, putting in earplugs to drown out the sound of the chickens, or making sure your keyboard has no visible letters.

Let's explore where the (indie) games are made, in the developers' own words.

Final Form

Final Form Games is a small team that spent years creating the weird and wonderful shooter Jamestown, and they have some equally idiosyncratic office space.

Edmund McMillen

McMillen is one half of Team Meat, the duo responsible for the monstrously successful Super Meat Boy. His latest project is the recently released Binding of Isaac.