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How to Make a Video Game All By Yourself

Buy the book & make your game! Out NOW on paperback & ebooks.
Make your own game. It's time to get started. 4.5 stars from 92 reviews. Over 3,000 copies sold!
Quick links to buy the book:
Amazon, Google Play, Gumroad, or Itch.io

Unleash your creativity and bring your game ideas to life! Written by games industry veteran Matt Hackett, this inspirational & motivational guide takes you through the process of discovering your passion, picking the right game engine, and finding the fun in your unique game.

Filled with advice, personal anecdotes, handmade illustrations, and quotes from renowned game developers, this book is the ultimate resource for creative folks looking to make their own video game. It’s a lean, practical guide that gives you the tough love and encouragement you need to ship your game! Let’s get started.

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You can make your own video game!

You are capable of making a video game all by yourself. The tools and information are out there, but it's common to get lost on basic questions like:

  • What game do I want to make?
  • What game engine should I use?
  • How do I make this game fun?

This book will help guide you along the way. I've been making games all by myself for almost 30 years, from hobbyist toys for friends to world-class mobile games for big companies. I poured that experience into this book, distilled and simplified down to a lean, easily consumable format. It contains:

  • 10 chapters
  • 200 pages
  • 27 inspiring quotes
  • 33 hand-drawn illustrations
  • A video game you made

Everything you need to make a video game is at your fingertips right now but it's obscured from you behind a thick layer of indecisiveness and self doubt. How to Make a Video Game All By Yourself guides you through the fearsome labyrinth of game development, all the way to the finish line.

Pages from How to Make a Video Game All By Myself aligned in 4x2 grid
Pages from How to Make a Video Game All By Yourself

Reviews

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A concise, clear guide on how to make games without diving into any of the technical specifics. Sort of like an incredible pep talk. Comprehensive without being exhaustive. Big take aways: start small, cut excess, and ship games. Keep doing it and get better over time.

-Brett Chalupa
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Great Mentorship distilled into Paper and Ink

This is a really encouraging read for anyone having the trouble making the leap. If you read between the lines, it's applicable to nearly any artf-orm. An alternative title might be "Zen and the Art of Indy Game Dev," as it's less of a "how to" manual and more philosophical on the topic of getting started.

-Lee Dydo
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A tiny package packed with tons of amazing advice and tips

This book has so much amazing practical advice for aspiring game developers, it's wonderfully illustrated and full of inspiring quotes and advice, would highly recommend for any one looking to get into game development

-Craig Fisk
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This makes me want to make my game NOW! And I feel like I can do it!

This is a must have for anyone, like me, who has been on the sidelines *wanting* to make a game, but not knowing how/where to really start. It even got me to just pick an engine already...I've been spinning my wheels on that decision for literally years!

-James
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
There's Much More to Game Dev than the Tech, So Get This Book

This is the perfect book for someone just getting into game development -- or maybe they've been in it a while and feel they're flailing more than they should. This book can help you nail down some of those feelings and give you the confidence to keep working on your game.

-Jay Jennings

Buy your own paperback copy and get started!

How to Make a Video Game All By Yourself

Get your shiny new paperback book

Paperback 14.99

Testimonials

To others maybe it’s just a “book”, but to me it’s more than that. It’s fixed a big problem I used to face lot. The past me will drop the 3 projects and keep seeking the perfect system, which I recently realized that was just an excuse to trick myself into thinking I’m productive

-MikadoSC
I strongly advise anyone serious about making games or running a game development studio to get the book, it's well worth reading and will influence you to think differently.
-Ｆａｉｓａｌ
I'm at a loss for words, the whole book felt like a warm cozy night in front of a fireplace. It literally filled me with determination. I loved the art style, design and font and everything. 1000/10 - now off to work on my game!

-openarcade
For me personally, I wish i had read this at the start of my journey haha. It's reiterating a lot of the things I've come to know, but it's definitely something i'd recommend to newer developers

-Graham Reid
This book instantly gave me the feeling that's it's help from someone who is going a path and writing down notes and summarizing for others that will later come the path so they get the help that wasn't there in the time of writing. That's what I appreciate the most personally ❤️

-Rihards Valters
I just bought your book last week and it's fantastic ♥ A lovely quick read and very true. Thank you for writing it!

-Stormcloak Games
The book is a delight.

-Lennart Steinke

Buy your one-of-a-kind signed paperback

How to Make a Video Game All By Yourself (paperback signed by the author)
Get yourself a physical copy of How to Make a Video Game All By Yourself, signed by author Matt Hackett.If you’d like a copy shipped outside of the United States, please let me know.
Gumroad

Watch this review by Thomas Stewart

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Hear all about the book in this podcast episode

Download Lostcast 249: Matt's new book How to Make a Video Game All By Yourself to hear all about the book in a fun, conversational way.

Press Kit

How to Make a Video Game All By Yourself Press Kit
HTMAVGABY_PressKit.zip
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