"Our game made €4 million," says Rise of Industry's creator. "Three years later, I was broke"

Alex Mochi, creator of Rise of Industry, shared his experience of how a successful indie game that grossed €4 million left him broke three years later. Despite strong sales and topping Steam charts, various factors including platform fees, refunds, regional pricing, and what he describes as a problematic publisher deal with Kalypso Media/Kasedo Games led to financial difficulties. Mochi eventually sold the IP for what he claims was $5,000 (though the publisher disputes this figure, stating it was $50,000 including advances). The case highlights the financial challenges indie developers face even with successful games, including revenue splits, overhead costs, and the complexities of publisher relationships.