The game industry is witnessing an indie renaissance. After years of big publisher domination and cold war spending that escalated AAA budgets to hit $40 million+ , development is returning to the garage. The emergence of digital distribution and proliferation of new platforms, combined with an evolution in tools and technology, has made game making as much fun as game playing, attracting new players but also familiar faces. But as many learned the first time around, not all roads are paved with gold. In the panel the speakers explore real-world examples of successes and failures in their own careers to distill lessons of critical relevance to indie game makers today.