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Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
From revenue struggles to now rivaling AA and AAA titles on Steam, what made Indie Games climb to the top of gaming revenue charts?
The gaming landscape has transformed, and its revolution continues to be in full swing in 2025. Once that remained overshadowed by the massive AAA budgets, now, the Indie games are rivaling and, at times, surpassing big-budget Steam counterparts. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now With humble beginnings, Indie developers climbed up the incredible revenue mountain. This mountain has been driven by shifting preferences of players, some unique strengths of Indie games and more. The journey of Indie games from niche to mainstream dominance is a testament to resilience and creativity. Let us discuss more about it and its journey up to top. Indie Games are now rivaling AA and AAA titles on Steam 2025 has been a watershed moment for Indie games. Indie and small-scale AA titles now account for a huge portion of the top-performing games on Steam. With still five and a half months left before 2025 ends, there are 4600 Indie games that have already been published on Steam. For independent developers, 2025 has been one of the biggest years yet. The data shows a huge leap from 2024. Indie Games Are BEATING Triple A Studios in 2025, Here's How A decade ago, Indie games were struggling to compete with the AAA giants. But today, some titles like, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Schedule 1, Bongo Cat, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, etc., are rivaling AAA blockbusters in terms of Steam revenue and player engagement. The surge is built on the foundation of 2024, where the Indie games performed well. As per VG Insights, Indie games in 2024 generated $4 billion in revenue till September 2024. It made up to 48% of the full-game sales of Steam. The growth is not accidental but is the result of creative innovation, evolving trends and even strategic advantages which Indie developers now have mastered. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Foundation for Indie games growth before 2025 The indie ascent was not overnight. Steam for long has been a haven for Indie games. It in 2024 hosted 12,000 games from the Indie studios alone. Quite crucially, Indie games made up 98.9% of Steam releases by September 2024, showing a sheer volume of creativity hitting the platform. Indie Games are SAVING Gaming from Terrible AAA Trash. While the AAA release did dominate headlines, Indie games revenue shares climbed up steadily, doubling up since 2018. Palworld (sold 25 million units), like the title's success and breakout potential that was seen during a pandemic, laid the groundwork and introduced a wider audience to Indie's charm and innovation. Top reasons why Indie Games are Progressing to the top Affordability and accessibility AA and Indie games' inherent advantage is that they run smoothly on modest hardware at a lower price. They are budget-friendly games for developers and players, resonating quite powerfully when the players watch their expenses, offering high-value entertainment without demanding premium price tags or cutting-edge rigs. As per VG Insights, 585 of the total copies sold by Steam by September 2024 were Indie titles. This proves that affordability does drive mass adoption. Fresh ideas are filling the void Indie Games vs AAA Games: The REAL Battle of Creativity and Innovation While the big studios do often play safer with sequels, Indies thrive on creative freedom and innovation. These games, like Lethal Company, Palword, etc., explore experimental gameplay, unique concepts and also niche genres that get avoided by AAA. This thereby leads to delivering fresh and unexpected experiences that the players crave increasingly. Note: Indie games are now matching AAA titles. Steam ratings are 72 to 74% as compared to up to 74% of the AAA titles. Streamers and influencers are amplifying Indie games reach Influencer marketing in gaming has been vital for Indies that lack big marketing budgets. Streamers like caseoh_, generating 8.7 million hours that watched with the Indie titles, champion quirky and unique games. Even Vtubers like Sakura Miko have helped to amplify the Indie game hits. It offers massive visibility and drives discoverability via authentic engagement. It's due to it all that titles like Chained Together and Buckshot Roulette gained needed traction and generated millions of watch hours. Note: As per live streaming viewership analysis by Stream Hatchet, in the 2025 first quarter, 10.3% of hours watched amidst the top 500 titles were for Indie games. Stronger niche appeal Indie games are known to dominate some genres like survival, horror and co-op, wherein creativity outweighs the graphical polish. Rust, Lethal Company and other games succeeded with their focus on engaging loops and not bloated budgets. They provide unpredictable and stream-friendly content. The genres even foster shared experiences and community and quite often lower production barriers for the smaller teams. Digital distribution and support from Steam The indie-friendly ecosystem of Steam allows small indies to thrive fully. In 2024, by September, 98.9% of the releases made on Steam were Indie games. Platforms like even democratized access. In 2025, up till mid of July, 4,600 Indie games already launched, making Steam a go-to marketplace for the breakout hits. What is the future of Indie games? The indie game's future on Steam seems to be exceptionally bright. Convergence of player ratings between 72% of Indie and 74% of AAA show a shift wherein innovation and quality are in triumph over sheer budget size. In simpler terms, Indie games are not competing, they are leading. With Triple-I indies like Black Myth: Wukong, that's blurring the lines between AAA and Indie; the market is now evolving. With 2025 unfolding, as per trends, Indie games will continue to have success. As the players continue to prioritize affordability, innovation and experiences that are community-driven, Indie games will continue to shape the future of gaming with one creative risk at a time.
Indianapolis Star
3 days ago
- Health
- Indianapolis Star
24 states have legalized marijuana for medical and recreational use. Where does Indiana stand?
In 2025, marijuana is fully legal in 24 states and Washington DC. Although the Indiana legislature once again tried this year to pass laws legalizing medical and recreational use of marijuana, just like previous attempts, those bills ultimately died by the end of the legislative session. Here's where Indiana's marijuana laws and cannabis regulations currently stand and what the laws look like in other states. No. In Indiana, weed is not legal for recreational or medical use. CBD, Delta-9 THC and THCA, which are alternatives to marijuana, are available for legal purchase at vape shops in Indiana as long as those levels don't exceed the legal limit. Any THC product with a higher level than 0.3% is classified as marijuana and therefore still illegal. Cannabis cheat code: Marijuana is illegal in Indiana, but this loophole makes it complicated Marijuana is legal for both recreational and medicinal use in 24 states and the District of Columbia as of April 2025, according to DISA Global Solutions. The states are listed below: 46 states, Washington DC and three U.S. territories have approved some form of cannabis for medicinal use. Nebraska is the most recent state to vote in favor of medical marijuana. Story continues after photo gallery. Marijuana was banned federally in 1970 with the passage of the Controlled Substances Act, which classified marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug. More on cannabis: What's the difference between Delta 8 THC and marijuana or 'weed'? Marijuana is fully illegal for both medicinal and recreational use and has not been decriminalized in four states: There are also a few states where medical and recreational marijuana isn't legalized, but is decriminalized. Kayla Dwyer and Greta Cross contributed to this report.
Toronto Sun
7 days ago
- Toronto Sun
HUNTER: Killers, thugs thrive in justice system that refuses to repent
Get the latest from Brad Hunter straight to your inbox FREQUENT FLIER: Joseph Penfound. STPS This is the Canadian justice system on drugs. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Every day, we're bombarded with tales of incompetent judges, unrepentant criminals, softer-than-cotton parole decisions, and bail that never, ever seems to be denied. At the same time, the Chief Justice of Canada, Richard Wagner, moans that people are mean. Here are a few recent triggering moments for law-abiding Canadians. Just remember, you don't matter. $1 MILLION DAMAGE: Historic St. Thomas building reduced to rubble. STPS JOSEPH PENFOUND Cops in St. Thomas, Ont. say that 'prolific offender' James Penfound, 44, is charged with arson, failure to comply with a probation order and possession of a Schedule 1 substance after allegedly torching a historic building. Damage is estimated at $1 million, and the building was reduced to rubble. Penfound currently faces 13 charges dating to 2024. And, uh, he was on probation after being convicted of 14 criminal offences in 2021. Cops and firefighters are beyond livid at yet another bail fail. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'There's a history here of criminal behaviour, of criminality, chronic criminality. And that's where we really feel that these individuals who are in this circumstance need to be subject to tougher bail laws and to be held in custody,' St. Thomas Police Chief Marc Roskamp told CBC News . HIGH RISK: Killer Ryan Kovacs is getting summer vacay. FACEBOOK RYAN KOVACS Ryan Kovacs, 40, was convicted of second-degree murder in the 2011 stabbing and strangulation death of his former girlfriend. But as a special treat, the killer has been granted continued day parole through the summer. On July 31, 2011, Kovacs slipped into Dawn Bailey's basement bedroom in Gilford, Ont. After stabbing her several times, he set the home ablaze to cover up the murder. He was initially charged with first-degree murder. Court heard he was obsessed and bitter believing Bailey, 27, had 'screwed him over.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Parole Board said his risk for future intimate partner violence is high. RCMP Const. Douglas Scott when he was murdered by Pingoatuk Kolola who used the discarded faint hope clause to get day parole. RCMP PINGOATUK KOLOLA RCMP Const. Douglas Scott, 20, was shot to death while investigating a report of a drunk driver in Nunavut in November 2007. His killer was an inebriated Pingoatuk Kolola, now 55. He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole for 25 years. Eighteen years later, the Parole Board of Canada has granted Kolola day parole with his legal eagles using the late lamented loophole of 1970s killers, the faint hope clause. Faint hope was ditched in 2011, but because Kolola's conviction preceded that, he was sprung. Brian Sauvé, President and CEO of the National Police Federation, says cops are 'disgusted.' They want the feds and parole board to do a rethink. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. A Canada Border Services Agency staff member walks towards a security guard at the CBSA's GTA Immigration Holding Centre in Toronto, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS / Chris Young SAMARPREET SINGH Canadian judges love sob stories from abroad. Take penis wiggler Samarpreet Singh. The Bell Canada technician, who came here on a student visa from India and was hoping to bring the whole gang over, wanted a conditional discharge so he wouldn't be deported. In December 2023, a woman was alone in her apartment when Singh arrived to install some cable. But then, after using the washroom, he emerged with his genitals dangling out. That was about 20 minutes' worth, and he provided commentary on the victim's attractiveness and queried about her dating status. He will serve a 90-day conditional sentence on house arrest. He was convicted of committing an indecent act with the intent to insult or offend. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Hello, CBSA? Anyone? AS ADVERTISED: James Plover. FACEBOOK JAMES PLOVER James Plover had been convicted by a judge of four counts of assault by choking and uttering threats in a brutal domestic violence case. He was then released until sentencing two months later. Instead, cops allege he walked out of court and within two hours battered his 32-year-old estranged wife to death with a hammer and also attacked her friend. He is now on trial for second-degree murder. But Bailey McCourt might still be alive if Plover had been kept under lock and key. Too bad the system doesn't work that way. But hey, let's discuss James Plover's feelings. bhunter@ @HunterTOSun Toronto & GTA Toronto & GTA Toronto Blue Jays Ontario NHL
Global News
03-07-2025
- Global News
Arrest made after woman dragged into High Park woods, sexually assaulted: police
Toronto police say a 35-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a violent sexual assault against a woman at High Park last month. Police said on June 4, just before 11 p.m., a woman was walking on a paved pathway in the High Park area when she was approached from behind by a man she didn't know. 'The suspect dragged her into a wooded area of the park, where she was sexually assaulted,' said Det. Adrian Pileggi from Toronto police's sex crimes unit. The woman was able to get away from the man and got help from a passerby in the area who called police, Pileggi said. 'These are traumatic crimes,' he said. 'We recognize how incredibly difficult it can be to come forward and we're grateful for the victim in this case for her courage and her resilience.' Story continues below advertisement Toronto police have arrested and charged 35-year-old Cortny Henry. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy He is facing multiple charges, including sexual assault causing bodily harm, overcoming resistance by choking, uttering threats, forcible confinement, robbery, unlawful possession of a Schedule 1 substance and failing to comply with a release order. Pileggi said the accused has a criminal record and was on probation at the time of the sexual assault. The force released a photo of the accused as police believe there may be more victims. Cortny Henry, 35. Provided / Toronto Police Supt. Andrew Ecklund, with 11 Division for the area, said the accused was arrested outside the city. There have been no other assaults reported at High Park, he said. 'I want to acknowledge what a terrible and traumatic incident this was first and foremost to our victim, and also for the wider community,' Ecklund said. 'High Park is one of the city's most cherished public spaces and this assault understandably caused fear and concern to the community.' Story continues below advertisement 'High Park is a safe park,' Ecklund said, adding that this type of crime is very rare, particularly in the park. Ecklund said that since the incident, there has been an increase in police patrols, which will remain in place for the summer. 'No one should feel unsafe walking in their own neighbourhood or alone in a public park,' he said.
20-06-2025
Deadly opioid 40 times more powerful than fentanyl smuggled into Canada inside PlayStations, basketballs
The video call is grainy, but it's crystal clear what the person on the phone is trying to sell: illicit drugs, packaged and ready to be shipped to Canada. The seller, who goes by the name Kim, says he sells cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA and nitazenes, a powerful class of synthetic opioids most people have never heard of — but which can be up to 43 times more powerful than fentanyl. It can kill people, right? So, I just want to make sure that you know that, the CBC journalist asks in a secretly recorded phone call. That is the game, the seller replies. The seller is one of the 14 people the CBC's visual investigation unit spoke to in text messages and phone calls after finding them through ads posted by users on major social media platforms such as LinkedIn, X and Reddit and e-commerce websites advertising nitazenes for sale. WATCH | How synthetic opioids get into Canada: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Worse than fentanyl: How smugglers get a new, deadly drug into Canada A CBC News visual investigation tracks how deadly and super-potent synthetic opioids called nitazenes make their way into Canada, where they have killed hundreds of people. With open source support from investigators at Bellingcat, CBC finds hundreds of ads for nitazenes online, posted to social media and e-commerce sites, and talks to the sellers behind them to expose how these deadly drugs get smuggled to Canada. These ads, posted in the open, contain contact information that put CBC in touch with drug dealers who claim to be part of international criminal networks. CBC did not purchase any illegal substances. Nitazenes, which have never been approved for medical use and are Schedule 1 drugs under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, have increasingly been turning up in drug busts across Canada. Last year, two lab busts in Quebec alone may have accounted for more than a million counterfeit pharmaceutical oxycodone pills, which were actually protonitazepyne, a type of nitazene — or analog — according to the RCMP. Nitazenes have killed hundreds of Canadians over the past four years, according to data collected by CBC's visual investigations unit from coroners across the country. [North Americans] not only are the largest consumers of nitazines, but really have the biggest problem as it relates to the number of deaths, said Alex Krotulski, director of the Center for Forensic Science Research & Education in Pennsylvania, a toxicology lab that tests for nitazenes in Canada and the U.S. This is really becoming an established drug class of novel synthetic opioids. A more potent high Nitazenes aren't nearly as popular as fentanyl and its analogs, but they offer a more potent high, making them appealing to drug dealers. Drug users might not even know they're consuming nitazenes, which can be laced into counterfeit pills. It makes me angry, said Montreal resident Christian Boivin after CBC shared its findings with him. Boivin's 15-year-old son Mathis (new window) died of a nitazene overdose last year after consuming what he thought were oxycodone pills. "[These sellers] don't have a conscience. They're bad people and they just want money… they don't care about lives." Mathis's story isn't an isolated case. Because public-facing statistics group them as non-fentanyl opioids, CBC reached out to coroners in all 13 provinces and territories to compile data on the total number of deaths from nitazenes in Canada. The data received was incomplete — for example, Manitoba only provided statistics for 2024 — but indicates there have been nearly 400 deaths directly attributed to nitazenes or suspected to involve nitazenes since 2021. The true number of deaths is likely even higher. I guarantee you because of the variability in toxicology testing, the variability in practices and variability in funding availability… [the number of deaths] is underreported, said Donna Papsun, a forensic toxicologist at Pennsylvania-based NMS Labs, which tests samples from across Canada. If they're not looking for it, you can't find it. Going by the available data, the most deaths were in Alberta, with 121 since 2021, followed by Quebec with 91 and B.C. with 81. We're worried that this will continue to rise as an ongoing threat, said Dan Anson, director general of intelligence and investigations for the Canada Border Services Agency. Sellers reveal how they smuggle drugs One of the ways that nitazenes make their way into Canada is through sellers who advertise on social media networks by posting images of powders overlaid with contact information. Online ads are how this market functions right now, Anson told CBC. CBC's visual investigations unit, with support from open-source investigators at Bellingcat (new window) , found hundreds of ads in user-generated posts for more than a dozen types of nitazenes on social media platforms, including X, Reddit, LinkedIn, Behance (a graphic design website owned by Adobe), and e-commerce websites in India such as Exporters India, Dial4trade and TradeIndia. They surfaced by the dozens in Google image searches for keywords related to nitazene analogs. It often took mere minutes to receive a reply after responding to an online ad. Sellers were quick to share videos of their labs and products, even offering a step-by-step guide on how they would ship the drugs to Canada: first, by mislabelling the packages, then by concealing them inside PlayStation 5s, deflated basketballs, teapots and Chinese herbal packages. They would then be shipped via courier or the mail. Previous reporting (new window) on the topic in the U.K. even had the drugs hidden in dog food and catering supplies. One seller told a CBC reporter that shipments of nitazene could even be delivered the same day from Detroit, Mich., to Windsor, Ont. You'll see some pretty bizarre levels of creativity when it comes to importing illegal drugs, said Anson. They're coming from online marketplaces ... and they're going to come through postal courier. When reached by CBC for comment, LinkedIn, Reddit and Adobe removed the posts containing ads that were flagged. X did not respond to a request for comment and the flagged posts were still live at the time of publishing. A Google spokesperson said it complies with valid legal removal requests from the public and authorities. Dial4Trade and Exporters India, two India-based e-commerce platforms where ads were found, told CBC they added restrictions to block nitazene ads. TradeIndia, another platform, said it removed the flagged ads. A global network It became clear that sellers of nitazenes are spread across the globe, and aren't always who or where they purport to be online. On the e-commerce site TradeIndia, next to the heading Etonitazene Powder, was a picture of a brown powder offered by a Chinese biotech company. On its website, the company states nothing is above the human health. It has an address listed in Shanghai that doesn't exist on Google Maps. But the company was quick to explain why the address didn't exist when asked in a secretly recorded phone call. It's very dangerous to sell in China, a man who went by Jerry told a CBC reporter during a call with a Mandarin translator. Jerry said he and his partners needed a fake address to make the company seem real, but also so they couldn't be discovered by Chinese authorities. Videos inside overseas drug labs To show they were legitimate distributors, they shared videos from their lab — and said the name of the CBC reporter and the date to prove the video's authenticity — and showed us past shipments to Canada. They even offered to send samples of nitazenes for free to test for purity. But the sellers weren't just from China. CBC spoke to sellers who claimed to ship from the U.S., the U.K., India, even the Philippines. Over video, one seller who said they're from the U.K. showed shipment records that he said were for drugs going to Grande Prairie, Alta. Like any global trade, some nitazene sellers said they were struggling with the impact of U.S. tariffs. A person representing a company called Umesh Enterprises that claimed to be based out of India said nitazenes are coming from India.... due to the issues going on between the U.S. and China with the tariffs, they said during a call. There's been a lot of blockage from China so…. we go with India. The speaker, like many of the sellers, acknowledged that importing nitazenes to Canada is illegal and knew how lethal these synthetic opioids can be. [These sellers] don't care how many people they take down or how many families they hurt, said Toronto resident Dale Sutherland, whose 22-year-old son Corey died from an overdose involving a nitazene in 2022. It's very frustrating…. we have to have more regulations, more strict penalties. In response to CBC's findings, Canada's fentanyl czar, Kevin Brosseau, said in a statement the emergence of nitazenes, and other highly potent synthetic opioids, is something I am concerned about and am taking very seriously. Brosseau pointed to the federal government's recently tabled Bill C-2, or Strong Borders Act (new window) , which will give Canada Post more authority to open mail and remove barriers to law enforcement inspecting mail during an investigation. Critics of the proposed act (new window) say that it would curtail civil liberties. This month, a coalition of more than 300 civil society groups demanded the complete withdrawal (new window) of Bill C-2, warning it would expand government surveillance. Eric Szeto (new window) , Jordan Pearson (new window) , Ivan Angelovski (new window) · CBC News ·
