Developer of a new platformer in the style of the 90s. Windy is celebrating small wins after the game's launch garnered nearly 300 mostly positive reviews, although the reality of the developer's financial situation can be a little daunting for would-be indie developers.
Windswept is an extremely charming platformer starring a duck named Marbles and a turtle named Checkers, billed as an “enjoyable” adventure that you can play in both single-player mode and local split-screen co-op. It launched on November 11 and has since attracted a modest 287 people. Reviews on Steam97% of which are classified as positive and earn the game a coveted “Very Positive” rating on the platform as a whole. While it's hard to see this as a negative for small independent developer Weatherfell, the profits made by lead developer PeekingBoo were barely enough to make ends meet.
In just 1 week you: – Paid for my wedding – Paid to renovate my bathroom that flooded in October 2024 – Paid to replace a broken dryer – Paid for the future allergy medicine Nugget. This is the impact you have on my life. From the bottom of my heart – thank you! 🤎💚 https://t.co/8YqKUGec58 pic.twitter.com/FLBmcsF9ePNovember 17, 2025
It's no surprise that a developer's debut game with less than 300 reviews doesn't make anyone rich, but PeekingBoo's candid look at the financial struggles indie developers have to deal with is a reality check for me as someone who's long dreamed of making his own game someday. It's also worth noting that Windswept is available on Switch, PlayStation and Xbox, as well as Steam and Xbox. Epic Games Store, which once again highlights how difficult it is for a small game developer to make a profit.
On the other hand, PeekingBoo did provide update as recently as November 30, 19 days after launching Windswept, he has since “broken even,” which essentially means he's made as much money as he spent making the game. It's all profit from here, baby, although the big question is whether it will be enough to satisfy not only his personal needs and the needs of his family, but also future game development efforts.
That's all upcoming indie games we can't wait to play.
