23 Daily — Barcelona-based indie studio 2Awesome Studio recently shared insights into the development journey and challenges of their cyberpunk-flavored Metroidvania game, Altered Alma. The project raised over €260,000 on Kickstarter from more than 5,100 backers, far exceeding the initial €40,000 goal, and is set for release in 2026. according to gamesindustry.biz.

Successful crowdfunding and development progress

Altered Alma is 2Awesome Studio’s largest project to date, with development starting in 2023. The team expressed confidence in its near completion status, highlighting strong wishlist numbers, positive reception during Steam Next Fest, and the prestige of being featured in the curated Indie Arena at Gamescom.

Development philosophy and team expansion

As an open-world Metroidvania, the game required significant effort and resources. Alexander Santiago, co-founder of 2Awesome, noted the industry is shifting toward smaller budgets and focused games, which will inform the direction of future Altered Alma titles to be more streamlined in scope.

Diversified funding and business model support

Founded in 2014, 2Awesome Studio has relied on multiple funding streams including Kickstarter, government grants, loans, and publisher partnerships. Prior successful Kickstarter campaigns include Dimension Dive in 2017 raising nearly €37,000 and AK-xolotl in 2022 raising over €130,000. Additionally, the team provides outsourcing and porting services to complement income, gaining reputation through reliable delivery and collaborations such as porting Othercide to Nintendo Switch.

Editor's take: Balancing diversified growth and focused strategy in indie development

2Awesome Studio illustrates how an indie team can navigate large-scale game development challenges by leveraging varied funding sources and supplementary services to stabilize operations, while adapting to market trends favoring smaller, focused projects. Entrepreneurs can learn from this model the importance of flexible financing and partnerships beyond creative development. Validation can come through participation in major game events, crowdfunding success, and market reaction. This case highlights how emerging indie studios can carve out space in a competitive game industry by balancing scale with focus, crafting a potential blueprint for future projects.