Tim Bender, head of publisher Hooded Horse, has criticized most indie publishers in an interview, encouraging developers to handle their own releases. He argues that armed with analytics and marketing resources, indie teams can outperform traditional publishers. Bender describes many in the industry as opportunistic and incompetent.
In a recent interview with PC Gamer, Tim Bender, the head of Hooded Horse—a publisher noted for Manor Lords and the forthcoming Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era—voiced strong reservations about the indie publishing landscape. He advocated for self-publishing among independent developers, asserting that they possess the necessary insight and dedication to succeed on their own terms without external interference that often prioritizes profit over quality support. Bender emphasized that developers today have ample tools at their disposal to navigate marketing independently. Resources such as Chris Zukowski’s blog, How to Market a Game, and Simon Carless’s GameDiscoverCo newsletter provide essential guidance, complemented by analytical services that enable data-driven decisions. With these, Bender claims, indie creators can achieve sales figures surpassing those obtained through partnerships with nearly all indie publishers. He painted a stark picture of the sector's underbelly, labeling the majority of indie publishers as 'predators' and 'opportunists' driven by self-interest. As Bender explained, these entities tend to amass a portfolio of titles, funneling resources into potential hits while neglecting or discarding underperformers, all while extracting fees through recoupment mechanisms. 'They’re looking to sign a bunch of games to invest in the ones that are otherwise successful, make them bigger, ignore and drop—basically abandon—the ones that aren’t, while sucking up whatever they can through recoup,' he stated. Furthermore, he critiqued their overall competence, noting that most 'don’t add a lot' in value. Despite these broad indictments, Bender clarified that Hooded Horse operates differently, securing projects without resorting to such tactics. His comments stem from ethical concerns, aimed at alerting indie teams to potential pitfalls in the industry. The interview, published on January 28, 2026, highlights ongoing tensions in indie game publishing amid a growing emphasis on developer autonomy.
