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Are game development hackathons actually worth it?

In this episode of Pixel Pushers, I sit down with indie developer Drew from SADJOY to talk about the real side of hackathons — the opportunity cost, burnout, Meta-sized prize pools, funding struggles, and whether they actually help you ship a successful indie game.

We cover:
• Game dev hackathons vs building your own game
• The Meta hackathon experience (big money, big risk)
• Indie game marketing with $0 budget
• Why polish and retention matter more than ever
• GDC networking strategies for developers
• Building games for Playdate, Reddit, Snapchat & niche platforms
• How to market games without becoming a full-time influencer
• The future of indie game publishing

If you're an indie developer, solo dev, or thinking about entering a hackathon like Ludum Dare or Meta’s challenges, this conversation breaks down what it’s really like behind the scenes.

Drew shares how he approaches experimental platforms like Playdate, Reddit’s game ecosystem, and even legacy hardware — and why niche audiences might be the future for small studios.

We also talk about:
• Shipping vs polishing
• Market fit vs creative freedom
• Funding indie games in 2026
• Why every developer is now half marketer

🎮 Featuring games like Fingerholers, Animal Crackers, Monster Dating, and more experimental indie projects.

Socials and Stuff for our Dev Guest Drew
IG:   / sadjoycreative  
LinkedIn:   / mohdi  
Dev Studio Site: https://www.sadjoy.com/
Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/sadjoy.com

Host: Deepak
Twitter: https://x.com/brown_lantern