Indie Game Dev Reveals Streamlined Workflow Without Commercial Engines

Indie game developer Noel Berry shares his unconventional workflow of making video games in 2025 without using commercial game engines, opting instead for lightweight open-source libraries and custom tools tailored to his specific needs for greater control, portability, and avoiding potential ethical concerns with proprietary software.

• The author prefers to create custom tools and systems for game development instead of using large commercial game engines like Unity or Unreal.
• The author's workflow involves using open-source libraries like SDL3, Dear ImGui, and programming languages like C# to create games without relying on proprietary engines.
• The author emphasizes the benefits of using custom tools, such as having more control, avoiding potential issues with proprietary engines, and the ability to work on any platform, including consoles and Linux.