Independent game development is often seen as a difficult path to financial success, but the creator of Dwarves: Glory, Death and Loot has shared a rare success story—along with a reality check about how game sales translate into actual earnings.
Hamma Studios, the solo developer behind the strategy auto-battler RPG, recently celebrated the fourth anniversary of the game’s earliest prototype by revealing that Dwarves: Glory, Death and Loot has now sold more than 300,000 copies across Steam, Nintendo Switch, Android, and iOS. The milestone marks a dramatic transformation from a hobby project into a full-time career.
Sharing the update on Reddit, the developer wrote,
“That prototype became Dwarves: Glory, Death and Loot and has now sold 300,000+ copies, completely changing my life.”
300,000 sales didn’t mean becoming a millionaire
Although the sales figure is impressive for an indie title, Hamma Studios explained that the final earnings were far lower than many people might expect. After taxes, Steam’s revenue share, publisher cuts, and other business expenses, the developer said the game’s commercial success did not result in millionaire status.
Even so, the remaining income has been enough to comfortably pursue game development as a full-time profession, highlighting how successful indie games can provide long-term career stability even when gross sales figures don’t tell the full financial story.
The developer also encouraged aspiring creators not to give up, noting that the project began as a simple prototype shared on Itch.io in 2022. At the time, the demo received just over a thousand plays, but the positive response motivated continued development.
Released in full earlier this year, Dwarves: Glory, Death and Loot has earned a “Very Positive” reception on Steam, with thousands of player reviews praising its strategic gameplay and replayability. According to SteamDB estimates, Steam accounts for more than half of the game’s overall sales, helping establish it as one of the year’s notable indie success stories.
For Hamma Studios, the biggest takeaway isn’t the revenue figures but the perseverance behind them. As the developer summed up, “Guess the most important part is to just never give up.”
