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Deep dives on AI-powered game development, MCP servers, and shipping games faster. Written by devs who've been in the trenches.
AI music generation finally cleared the bar where indie soundtracks built with it sound 'composed,' not 'generated.' Here's how Suno v5, Udio Pro, and Stable Audio 3 compare in April 2026, what's licensable for shipped games, and the workflow that actually produces a usable indie OST.
Claude Opus 4.7 with 1M-token context is the most capable AI assistant ever pointed at a game project. We've been using it for StraySpark plugin development. Here's what changed in practice — what it now does well, what still needs human judgment, and the workflow that produces shippable code.
ComfyUI went from hobbyist novelty in 2023 to the most flexible local AI image and texture generator in 2026. Here's the practical workflow for plugging it into a real indie game pipeline — concept art, textures, sprites, normal maps — and where it still doesn't replace the pro tool.
Early Access on Steam is no longer a default 'maybe' for indie launches — by 2026 it's a deliberate strategic choice with clear winners and losers. Here's what Manor Lords, Hades II, and Pacific Drive taught us, and the playbook for using EA right in 2026.
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Houdini Engine has been the AAA secret weapon for procedural content for fifteen years. In 2026 the indie story finally makes sense — the licensing changed, UE 5.7 PCG plays nicely with HDA assets, and Apprentice is genuinely usable. Here's the practical workflow.
Rami Ismail's presskit() framework defined the indie press kit for a decade. By 2026 it's effectively unmaintained, journalists ignore most of what it produced, and the actual format that gets coverage looks completely different. Here's what a 2026 indie press kit looks like.
The default 2024 indie answer was 'Steam, with maybe Itch on the side.' By April 2026 the picture has more nuance — Epic finally matters for some launches, Itch became a serious revenue source again, and the optimal launch playbook is no longer one-size-fits-all.
Photogrammetry was a AAA luxury for a decade. In 2026 a $400 phone, free RealityCapture (now), and the Gaussian Splatting renaissance put real-world capture into indie open-world pipelines for the first time. Here's what works, what doesn't, and the workflow that produces shippable assets.
PlayStation 6 dev kits started shipping to AAA partners in Q1 2026. The first reasonable rumor leaks are public. Here's what indie devs should architect for now to land cleanly when the platform opens to the indie tier in 2027–2028.
// AI EVERYWHEREUnreal + Blender + Godot MCP servers in one bundle. Works with Claude, Cursor, Windsurf.
Roblox UGC opened to indie studios in 2024 and matured fast. By April 2026 it's a real revenue stream — but the workflow, the tax, and the platform constraints are unique. Here's the practical playbook for indies considering it.
Steam Deck 2 leaks, the SteamOS 3.7 roadmap, and what Valve has hinted at GDC 2026 paint a clearer picture. Here's the practical April 2026 read on what Steam Deck 2 looks like, when it ships, and the targeting decisions indie devs should make today.
The Stop Killing Games initiative crossed the EU signature threshold and the Commission is now drafting a response. For indie devs that means real questions about always-online dependencies, license terms, and what 'end of life' looks like. Here's the practical 2026 read.
Unity spent two years rebuilding trust after the 2023 runtime-fee disaster. Unity 7 shipped clean, the pricing is finally stable, and indies are drifting back — cautiously. Here's the honest April 2026 state of the engine and whether you should use it.
