Game development is a tricky endeavor, especially if you don’t know where to seek information and help. With so many engines, libraries, frameworks, programming languages to choose from, the entire process can feel overwhelming.

The best way to counter that feeling is to reach out to people with experience. You aren’t alone. Chances are, someone has been where you are right now, thinking the same things.

Online communities and forums for game developers exist to solve the problem of feeling alone. They help you to get in touch with fellow developers who can not only give experience-based tips and advice, but also playtest your game and suggest improvements.

Senior programmers, artists, sound designers, enthusiasts, indies- you’ll find everyone in these forums.

These communities are also a good source of daily updates and knowledge around the latest innovations and trends in the industry. As a game dev, the learning never stops. Through communities of like-minded professionals who knows, you may even find your indie game dev team in one of the forums!

To help you out here are five indie game development communities that you should check out!

1. Reddit (r/gamedev)

r/gamedev is one of the most popular places for game devs. It boasts a thriving community of over 311K members. You are bound to find professionals from all areas of game development, be it artists, designers, programmers, etc. Another feature that makes Reddit an ideal choice for the Unity indie game dev community is its sheer popularity. You can showcase the work you’ve made, post questions to find help, connect with like-minded makers, find free arts and assets, and much more.

For an indie game developer looking for a community to join, Reddit is definitely one of the best places to start. If you don’t like r/gamedev subreddit for some reason, there is no need to fret. You can join r/indiegames, r/playmygame, or r/gamedevscreens.

2. Slack (IndieDev)

IndieDev is a very powerful and popular Slack community for game devs. You have to apply to join, so keep that in mind. Fill out the Google form, and you will get a reply within 48 hours.

Once you are in, the community is very well run. Moderators are almost always online to ensure that the group is organized. There are a lot of channels which you can choose to join.

Don’t worry if you are not familiar with Slack’s interface. The auto-redirect feature in the channel will almost always ensure that the user reaches the correct group for the topic they care about.

3. Discord (Game Dev League)

Game Dev League is a very popular Discord community. Discord moderators are online at all times, ensuring the server runs smoothly and that the pages are organized in a clear way.

There are many channels with some dedicated to showcasing, and some answering questions on creation. It’s a community that is truly built by game developers, for game developers.

4. Facebook (IndieGameDevs)

IndieGameDevs is a solid indie game dev community. It’s a generally smaller group, having about 115k members. In the words of this group’s moderators, IndieGameDevs is a place to “ask your doubts, seek guidance, learn, and share your progress.”

You will find a thriving community, and by sharing your success, you can also garner the support you need to make your game a huge success.

5. Reddit (r/IndieGaming)

Wait what??! Reddit again? Sure why not! There are no rules here!

r/IndieGaming is another highly active indie game development community where you’ll find many like-minded creators. With 219k members, this group offers you everything under the umbrella of game development. It’s one of the more active subreddits where you can tons of makers and tons of resources (both for upskilling as well as for playing your games).

Go join a game development community!

With expectations so high for games these days, it’s tough to be a “lone wolf” out there. To get a game over the finish line requires the help and support of a strong community. Inspiration is important. The feedback is important. The celebrations are important. Find a community today. You’ll need it more than you could ever imagine.

Join today and be a regular. Form connections. Post your questions. Provide your answers. And remember, Beamable is here for you as well! If we can do anything to help with your game development, let us know.