{"id":14439,"date":"2025-03-21T01:20:49","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T01:20:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=14439"},"modified":"2025-03-21T01:20:49","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T01:20:49","slug":"the-creator-of-the-smash-indie-game-animal-well-is-already-working-on-his-next-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=14439","title":{"rendered":"The Creator of the Smash Indie Game \u2018Animal Well\u2019 Is Already Working on His Next Project"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"paywall\">For four years, Basso worked on a primitive version of <em>Animal Well<\/em> in his free time, supporting himself with his day job. \u201cIt was very clearly a self-indulgent side project for myself,\u201d he told me in an interview. But as the game grew more sophisticated, and Basso invested more time into it, he started to think of it differently. \u201cIt gradually started to seem more like something I could actually release, that I could maybe make a living off of,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Basso gathered his confidence and plotted an exit from his day job. His family didn\u2019t quite understand his ambitions. \u201cMy dad didn&#8217;t want me to quit my job to work on it,\u201d Basso says. \u201cThey were worried that I should keep a full-time job.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"GroupCalloutWrapper-bPWknp dhHsN callout callout--group callout--group-2\" data-testid=\"GroupCalloutWrapper\">\n<figure class=\"AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed callout--group-item callout--group-item-1\">\n<div class=\"AssetEmbedAssetContainer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-container\"><span class=\"SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB responsive-asset AssetEmbedResponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__responsive-asset\"><picture class=\"ResponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedResponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__responsive-asset responsive-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Image may contain Michel Tel\u00f3 Body Part Finger Hand Person Accessories Glasses People Child Teen and Adult\" class=\"ResponsiveImageContainer-eybHBd fptoWY responsive-image__image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9d8e9528f2127caf05eb0\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-2-2.jpg\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9d8e9528f2127caf05eb0\/master\/w_120,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-2-2.jpg 120w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9d8e9528f2127caf05eb0\/master\/w_240,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-2-2.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9d8e9528f2127caf05eb0\/master\/w_320,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-2-2.jpg 320w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9d8e9528f2127caf05eb0\/master\/w_640,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-2-2.jpg 640w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9d8e9528f2127caf05eb0\/master\/w_960,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-2-2.jpg 960w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9d8e9528f2127caf05eb0\/master\/w_1280,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-2-2.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9d8e9528f2127caf05eb0\/master\/w_1600,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-2-2.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"100vw\"\/><\/noscript><\/picture><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"CaptionWrapper-jSZdqE fJvQtP caption AssetEmbedCaption-fNQBPI dDrfgT asset-embed__caption\" data-testid=\"caption-wrapper\"><span class=\"BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptionText-bHjzlu iUEiRd kVUvEC iXWezO caption__text\"><\/p>\n<p><em>Animal Well<\/em> fans peppered Basso with questions.<\/p>\n<p><\/span><span class=\"BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptionCredit-ejegDm iUEiRd isTgyB fNaHcW caption__credit\">Photograph: Darrell Jackson<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<figure class=\"AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed callout--group-item callout--group-item-2\">\n<div class=\"AssetEmbedAssetContainer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-container\"><span class=\"SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB responsive-asset AssetEmbedResponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__responsive-asset\"><picture class=\"ResponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedResponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__responsive-asset responsive-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Image may contain Alvar Alonso Rosell People Person Accessories Glasses Face Head Photography Portrait and Adult\" class=\"ResponsiveImageContainer-eybHBd fptoWY responsive-image__image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9c641c83bcf31daef7374\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-4.jpg\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9c641c83bcf31daef7374\/master\/w_120,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-4.jpg 120w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9c641c83bcf31daef7374\/master\/w_240,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-4.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9c641c83bcf31daef7374\/master\/w_320,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-4.jpg 320w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9c641c83bcf31daef7374\/master\/w_640,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-4.jpg 640w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9c641c83bcf31daef7374\/master\/w_960,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-4.jpg 960w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9c641c83bcf31daef7374\/master\/w_1280,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-4.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9c641c83bcf31daef7374\/master\/w_1600,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-4.jpg 1600w\" data-sizes=\"100vw\"\/><\/noscript><\/picture><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"CaptionWrapper-jSZdqE fJvQtP caption AssetEmbedCaption-fNQBPI dDrfgT asset-embed__caption\" data-testid=\"caption-wrapper\"><span class=\"BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptionText-bHjzlu iUEiRd kVUvEC iXWezO caption__text\"><\/p>\n<p>They also listened attentively.<\/p>\n<p><\/span><span class=\"BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptionCredit-ejegDm iUEiRd isTgyB fNaHcW caption__credit\">Photograph: Darrell Jackson<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Then, in 2021, a turning point: Basso got in touch with Dan Adelman, an industry vet known on the business development side, for help. \u201cI was kind of an introverted person that doesn&#8217;t feel very comfortable posting things online and marketing the game,\u201d Basso says. Adelman is well known for running Nintendo of America\u2019s indie program and championing small developers. \u201cLuckily enough, he was into the project,\u201d Basso says. \u201cHe wanted to start working together and then, from that point forward, I felt like I just became a much luckier person.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Basso and Adelman began applying to events like <a data-offer-url=\"https:\/\/www.dayofthedevs.com\/\" class=\"external-link\" data-event-click=\"{&quot;element&quot;:&quot;ExternalLink&quot;,&quot;outgoingURL&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.dayofthedevs.com\/&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dayofthedevs.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Day of the Devs<\/a>, an indie showcase, to let people see the game. Their efforts paid off, with Bigmode\u2014the publisher run by YouTuber videogamedunkey\u2014signing <em>Animal Well<\/em>. \u201cA little less than a year after working with Dan, I had saved up enough money and had a road map to finishing the game,\u201d Basso says. He quit his job to focus on <em>Animal Well<\/em> full-time. \u201cIt ended up still being about three years until it was done,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\">Over the many years of <em>Animal Well<\/em>\u2019s development, friends urged him to release what he had when interest seemed to be high. \u201cI knew where the quality bar was for myself and what people expect out of a game,\u201d Basso says. He didn\u2019t like the idea of \u201ccashing out\u201d on what he felt wasn\u2019t a complete project, despite the long years that had gone into it. \u201cIt was hard to explain how much work actually goes into releasing a polished game,\u201d Basso says. \u201cYou can&#8217;t just kind of put pencils down at any point and click the release button on Steam.\u201d How his game debuted mattered. If people like it, \u201cthey&#8217;ll trust you in the future to buy one of another game.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed\">\n<div class=\"AssetEmbedAssetContainer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-container\"><span class=\"SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB responsive-asset AssetEmbedResponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__responsive-asset\"><picture class=\"ResponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedResponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__responsive-asset responsive-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Image may contain Crowd Person People Audience Adult Child Clothing Hat Speech Indoors Lecture Room and Seminar\" class=\"ResponsiveImageContainer-eybHBd fptoWY responsive-image__image lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9d8e9528f2127caf05eb1\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-3.jpg\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9d8e9528f2127caf05eb1\/master\/w_120,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-3.jpg 120w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9d8e9528f2127caf05eb1\/master\/w_240,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-3.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9d8e9528f2127caf05eb1\/master\/w_320,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-3.jpg 320w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9d8e9528f2127caf05eb1\/master\/w_640,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-3.jpg 640w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9d8e9528f2127caf05eb1\/master\/w_960,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-3.jpg 960w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9d8e9528f2127caf05eb1\/master\/w_1280,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-3.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/67d9d8e9528f2127caf05eb1\/master\/w_1600,c_limit\/Billy-Basso-GDC-Culture-3.jpg 1600w\" data-sizes=\"100vw\"\/><\/noscript><\/picture><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"CaptionWrapper-jSZdqE fJvQtP caption AssetEmbedCaption-fNQBPI dDrfgT asset-embed__caption\" data-testid=\"caption-wrapper\"><span class=\"BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptionText-bHjzlu iUEiRd kVUvEC iXWezO caption__text\"><\/p>\n<p>During his GDC talk, Basso walked through the years of development that went into <em>Animal Well<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><\/span><span class=\"BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptionCredit-ejegDm iUEiRd isTgyB fNaHcW caption__credit\">Photograph: Darrell Jackson<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For four years, Basso worked on a primitive version of Animal Well in his free time, supporting himself with his day job. \u201cIt was very clearly a self-indulgent side project for myself,\u201d he told me in an interview. But as the game grew more sophisticated, and Basso invested more time into it, he started to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":347,"featured_media":14440,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[703],"tags":[953,3724,3725,746],"class_list":["post-14439","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-console-games","tag-gdc","tag-indie-games","tag-video-games"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Creator of the Smash Indie Game \u2018Animal Well\u2019 Is Already Working on His Next Project | Unlock Informed Choices with Us<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Billy Basso talks about the seven years he spent developing his 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Farokhmanesh","author_link":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?author=347"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"For four years, Basso worked on a primitive version of Animal Well in his free time, supporting himself with his day job. \u201cIt was very clearly a self-indulgent side project for myself,\u201d he told me in an interview. 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