Obsidian Entertainment - Feargus Urquhart Interview @ GameSpot

Feargus Urquhart was interviewed at International Game Developers Association Leadership Forum last week by GameSpot. The coversation centres on business issues for independent studios and issues like selling second-hand games. A snip on their current burn rate:

GameSpot: Do you think it's getting easier or harder to make it as an independent studio these days?

Feargus Urquhart: I think it depends on your perspective. I think originally you could be an indie developer and not really have to be a business man. And I wouldn't say that I'm a business man, but I have some of the traits that go along with that. And I have had to learn a lot of things about accounting, and taxes, and other things to a point. I think in the past, it was possible to be effective without being really focused on business because the teams were much smaller. If you were eight guys and you made a bunch of money on your previous product, you can go six months without signing a deal. Our burn rate is $1 million a month, so we have to have games all the time. I am not independently wealthy, so I think a lot of it is harder now if you don't understand that you really have to focus on the business side.