Traditionally, indie studios and small teams developed for a single console first before porting to PC—a tradition that has since flipped to “Steam first.” This talk challenges that modern default. By exploring the technical advantages of a single hardware spec, the business benefits of dedicated console audiences, and the artistic merit of crafting a canonical, intended experience, we will examine why developing for console first might be the smartest strategic decision for your studio.
In this 50-minute session, we will dive deep into the strategic advantages of developing and releasing your game on a console first. Drawing from my history working on early XBLA titles, PlayStation Strategic Content, and Dreams, this talk unpacks why the “PC-first” mentality became the default and why shifting your focus back to console can elevate your game. We will break this down into three core pillars: Technical, Business and Artistic.
The biggest barrier is often simply knowing you can. In a world of distraction and slop you can always grow and expand in the future. Why not FOCUS, make interesting technical decisions, different business choice and strong artistic choice in developing for one console first.