Gamers today have a colossal library of video game titles to choose from. However, despite the sheer number of games available, we can place most titles in one of two categories; either indie or AAA games.

There's a misconception that indie titles are not as polished as AAA games, but as recent big-name releases have shown, that's not always the case. Understanding the differences between the two, however, is essential.

What Are AAA or Triple-A Games?

Call of Duty on a PS4

AAA games (AKA Triple-A games) are titles developed by large studios, with hundreds of game designers, concept artists, and developers working on them. As you can imagine, the budgets for these games are astronomical.

Grand Theft Auto V, which released in 2013 and zoomed past the $1 billion mark in a mere three days after its release, cost around $140 million to develop. Then, publishers also spend millions on marketing.

In many cases, a lead developer distributes tasks for AAA titles, with several studios contributing to different aspects of the game. As a result of this, most AAA games are considerably long, featuring rich and detailed worlds that are meticulously crafted.

The graphics are also some of the best in the industry, with several titles often pushing the boundaries of what consoles or computers are capable of. Because they cost more money, they retail at a much higher price as well. Typically this can be anything between $40 and $100.

Some popular AAA titles include:

  • The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
  • Red Dead Redemption 2
  • God of War
  • The Last of Us
  • Spider-Man
  • Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Game developers also release limited editions, featuring additional DLC, skins, or season passes at an additional cost.

Related: What Is DLC in Video Games?

However, just because developers spend a lot of money on AAA games doesn't mean that you can expect quality gameplay. There have been quite a few releases in the past several years that were riddled with bugs upon launch, such as:

  • Cyberpunk 2077
  • Fallout 76
  • Assassin's Creed: Unity

People have also criticized some Triple-A titles for offering very little value in terms of replayability and gameplay, despite costing the price of a full game. Star Wars Battlefront II is a prime example. It offered a pay-to-win advantage to players and featured lots of micro-transactions.

Related: Why You Shouldn't Pay for Season Passes or DLC

What Are Indie Games?

minecraft

In stark contrast to AAA titles, smaller studios or individuals develop indie games, not huge teams. These are sometimes passion projects funded by developers themselves. Many indie studios rarely receive any support from publishers.

Indie, in this case, just means "independent" and illustrates that the developer works alone; a small group or an individual, as mentioned, free to do as it or they please because another company that develops and/or publishes games doesn't own them.

Most indie developers now turn to crowdfunding to cover development costs. Because of budget constraints, the games are often smaller in scale, and not as long either.

That's not necessarily a bad thing. Devs design indie titles for much wider audiences to generate more interest, and the pricing is often low. Markus Persson and Rolf Jansson created Minecraft, which released as an indie title and created a whole new genre of games, and it cost $13 per copy in its original versions.

It's a simple exploration-based video game that may seem like a game from the 90s, but there's a surprising amount of detail in it. Many indie titles also use pixelated art styles to focus more on the narrative instead of the graphics.

Related: How to Set Up a Minecraft Server for Free

As a result, indie games don't always look as graphically sharp as AAA titles. However, they make up for it in terms of gameplay. Some of the most critically acclaimed indie titles of the past years include:

  • Stardew Valley
  • Celeste
  • Hades
  • Dead Cells
  • Spelunky
  • Cuphead
  • Super Meat Boy
  • Bastion

Interest in Indie Gaming Is on the Rise

Indie gaming is on the rise as many larger developers have faced delays and buggy launches. Games like Stardew Valley offer infinite replayability, and they don't cost a lot either. Big publishers, however, are taking notice.

Microsoft bought Mojang Studios, the name behind Minecraft, for a whopping $2.5 billion. Nintendo has a dedicated program for indie game developers, and even Sony has a dedicated program for independent titles called Playstation Indies. If you have a Nintendo Switch and like indie games, there are quite a few that you should try out.