IndieBox was a monthly independent video games (indie game) subscription box service. Working directly with the indie game developers, IndieBox designs and manufactures boxed collector's edition physical releases of games that are typically only available in digital form. The company started operations in May 2014.[1] Included in every monthly box is a digital rights management-free (DRM-free) game disc (custom-designed rewritable USB-stick for most boxes released before July 2016), Steam key, full-color printed instruction game manual, game soundtrack CD, sticker, and an exclusive collectible, such as a plushy or action figure of a notable character from that game. All games are packaged in a physical game box similar to software titles in the 1980s and 1990s.[2]
 | |
| Company type | Distributor |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
IndieBox was founded by John Carter, Jason Blank, and James Morgan, and are assisted by various teams of volunteers to help with design, packaging, and shipping. They formed the company to create a Book of the Month Club-type service for independent video games; subscribers would not necessarily know what game they were getting, but the company's curation process would assure they would be getting a game with a strong reputation.[2] When they started, they had to cold call several developers to gain interest, eventually signing on Rain Games to use their game Teslagrad as the first IndieBox title.[2]
In October 2016, IndieBox partnered with GameStop to release a limited set of steelbook-case packages for ten titles, half of which had already previously received a collector's edition through IndieBox's service, to be retailed in the GameStop stores under the name "GameTrust Collection", based on GameStop's GameTrust publishing arm.[3]
In October 2017, IndieBox announced it was closing down its subscription product; the company cited that the market for physical box releases was not as large as they had anticipated to cover all costs of preparing the boxes for subscribers. After completing its final box and handling existing accounts, the company will transition to help support online marketplace features for indie developers.[4]
Past IndieBoxes:
| Torchlight II | September 2017 |
| Invisible, Inc. | August 2017 |
| The Banner Saga | July 2017 |
| Hollow Knight | June 2017 |
| Nefarious | May 2017 |
| Super Meat Boy: Dr. Fetus Edition | April 2017 |
| Typoman: Revised | March 2017 |
| Wasteland 2 | February 2017 |
| Hue | January 2017 |
| Forced: Showdown | December 2016 |
| Halcyon 6 | November 2016 |
| Jotun | October 2016 |
| Rive | September 2016 |
| The Stanley Parable | August 2016 |
| Hand of Fate | July 2016 |
| Moon Hunters | June 2016 |
| Dust: An Elysian Tail | May 2016 |
| Galak-Z | April 2016 |
| Assault Android Cactus | March 2016 |
| Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime | February 2016 |
| Nuclear Throne | January 2016 |
| Armello | December 2015 |
| Freedom Planet | November 2015 |
| Axiom Verge | October 2015 |
| TowerFall | September 2015 |
| Apotheon | August 2015 |
| Guacamelee! | July 2015 |
| Captain Forever Remix | June 2015 |
| Dyscourse | May 2015 |
| Lovely Planet | April 2015 |
| The Next Penelope | March 2015 |
| Risk of Rain | February 2015 |
| Super Win The Game | January 2015 |
| Rogue Legacy | December 2014 |
| SteamWorld Dig | November 2014 |
| Brütal Legend | October 2014 |
| Luftrausers | September 2014 |
| MouseCraft | August 2014 |
| Forced | July 2014 |
| Escape Goat 2 | June 2014 |
| Teslagrad | May 2014 |
References
edit- ^ Chalk, Andy (June 19, 2014). "IndieBox gambles on a resurgence of interest in boxed videogames". PC Gamer. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
- ^ a b c Chalk, Andy (August 15, 2014). "Inside IndieBox, the startup bringing back the glory of 80s game packaging". PC Gamer. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
- ^ McAloon, Alissa (October 20, 2016). "IndieBox is bringing select indie games to GameStop stores". Gamasutra. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
- ^ Wawro, Alex (October 2, 2017). "IndieBox shuts down its 'indie game in a box' subscription service". Gamasutra. Retrieved October 2, 2017.