Consultant Says 'Vulnerable' Indie Devs Overpaid For Marketing

Indie developers say marketing promises often come with unfavorable terms, after criticism surfaced toward a YouTube creator known as Clemmy, who runs Best Indie Games. The article sets the stage with Steam data: SteamDB estimates 18,933 games launched on Steam in 2026, averaging roughly 72 per day, with 2,600 receiving zero reviews and 7,600 getting only 1–9. Only 978 games surpass 500 reviews, about 5%, and around 364 of those are tagged as indies. Publisher executives and devs cited by the piece argue that many deals are predatory; Tim Bender of Hooded Horse criticized predatory indie publisher behavior, while programmer Tyler Glaiel said some take 50% or more of revenue.