Building a Path to Market for Independent Games

Manifesto Games, Inc., is an ecommerce retailer of downloadable computer games for PCs, Macintosh computers, and Linux machines, specializing in independently developed games aimed at core gamers. It was founded in October 2005 by industry veterans Greg Costikyan and Dr. Johnny L. Wilson, and is headquartered in New York City.

Manifesto Games is in part a wild-eyed, radical and utopian attempt to transform the game industry by recapturing the creative vigor, willingness to experiment, and exciting potential of its youth--and in part a sober, carefully planned ecommerce venture.

The machinery of gaming has run amok. Instead of serving creative vision, it suppresses it. Instead of encouraging innovation, it represses it. Instead of taking its cue from our most imaginative minds, it takes its cue from the latest month's PC Data list. Instead of rewarding those who succeed, it penalizes them with development budgets so high and royalties so low that there can be no reward for creators. Instead of ascribing credit to those who deserve it, it seeks to associate success with the corporate machine. It is time for revolution.

      -- The Scratchware Manifesto

• Gaming Needs an Indy Label
• The Scratchware Manifesto
• GDC Rant
• Death to the Games Industry (Long Live Games):
  • Article, Part 1
  • Article, Part 2
  • Presentation

Contacts

• Business partnerships: Bill Folsom (bill at manifestogames dot com)
  
• Investment information: Greg Costikyan (greg at manifestogames dot com)
  
• Press inquiries: Eleanor Lang (eleanor at manifestogames dot com)
  
• Customer service: customerservice at manifestogames dot com