Where to find an indie game dev community (2026)

Updated October 30, 2026

"Community" means different things depending on what you need: feedback on your build, people to make a game with, paid work, or just other devs who get it. Here's what each place is actually good for, and the catch.

Full disclosure: I founded IndieGuild, so it's on this list. I've tried to be fair about everything else, and I've put IndieGuild's downside right next to the others.

The list

• Big game dev Discord servers

  Good for: real-time chat with lots of devs at once. GDL Game Dev League, the Brackeys community server, How To Market A Game and Game Dev Network are some of the big ones, with channels for help, showing off work, and finding collaborators. How To Market A Game leans toward marketing and Steam questions, which is handy once you're thinking about launch.

  Downside: big servers move fast, so your post can scroll away in minutes, and every server has its own rules about self-promo and hiring posts. You get the most out of one when you show up regularly and help other people too.

• r/gamedev, r/IndieDev and r/INAT

  Good for: r/gamedev is the big general game development sub, good for questions, postmortems and industry talk. r/IndieDev is friendlier to showing off your own game. r/INAT ("I need a team") is where people post rev share and hobby projects looking for teammates. Posts stick around and you can search old threads, which Discord is bad at.

  Downside: each sub has strict rules about self-promotion, and some posts get buried with no replies. Read the rules before your first post, and expect to give before you get.

• itch.io community and game jams

  Good for: itch.io has forums, devlogs and a huge list of game jams. A jam is the fastest way to meet people because you're making something together right away, and most jams have their own community page for finding a team and swapping feedback on entries.

  Downside: jam communities tend to go quiet once the jam ends. If you meet someone good, follow them or swap contacts before everyone scatters.

• Bluesky and X gamedev circles

  Good for: following devs whose work you like and showing your own progress. #gamedev is always busy, and #screenshotsaturday is a long-running weekly tradition where devs post a GIF or clip of what they made that week. It's a nice way to build a little audience and meet devs at the same stage as you.

  Downside: it's slow to build up, and what people see depends on the feed. It's better for staying in touch and sharing progress than for getting detailed feedback or a real conversation.

• Unity, Godot and Unreal forums and Discords

  Good for: technical questions about your engine. Unity Discussions, the Godot Forum and the Unreal Engine forums are where people who use the same tools as you hang out, and each engine also has Discord servers run by the company or its community. Many of these forums also have a section for collaboration or job posts.

  Downside: they're about the engine, not your game. Great for "why is my shader broken," less great for feedback on game feel or finding a long-term team.

• Local meetups and IGDA chapters

  Good for: meeting devs in person. Lots of cities have indie dev meetups, playtest nights or show-and-tell evenings, and the IGDA (International Game Developers Association) has local chapters in many places. Global Game Jam also runs at local sites every year. Talking to someone face to face and watching them play your game teaches you things a Discord thread won't.

  Downside: it depends a lot on where you live. Smaller towns may not have anything regular, and IGDA membership costs money (though plenty of local meetups are open to anyone).

• IndieGuild

  Good for: a smaller, focused place for indie devs and the people who make games with them. There's a Community board where you can post a "Show your build" thread and get replies tagged as a bug, an idea or a comment, ask for help, or find people to party up with, plus a Playtest swap where you test someone else's game to earn a tester for yours. The Job board has roles labeled paid, rev share or hobby. Jam Crew lists upcoming game jams so you can tap "I'm in" and find a team. And the Roundtable is a free spotlight that features six members at a time, with the seats turning over twice a week. It's free and takes no cut of any gig.

  Downside: it's new and much smaller than the big Discords or Reddit, so some threads get fewer replies today. It works best alongside one of the bigger communities, not instead of them.

Which one fits you?

• Solo dev who wants feedback: post a GIF with #screenshotsaturday, share on r/IndieDev, or start a Show your build thread on IndieGuild's Community board and try the Playtest swap. For engine bugs, ask in your engine's forum or Discord.
• Looking for a team: join a game jam, post on r/INAT, or post a role on IndieGuild labeled rev share or hobby. My guide on how to find people to work on your game covers the post people actually answer and what to put in writing.
• Looking for paid work: the hiring channels in big Discords, r/gameDevClassifieds, your engine's job forums, and a free IndieGuild profile so matching roles land in your inbox. More in how to find work as an indie game developer.
• Jam people: itch.io's jam list, Global Game Jam, and Jam Crew on IndieGuild so other jammers can find you before the jam starts.
• You just want other devs who get it: pick one Discord and one local meetup if you have one, and show up regularly. Being a familiar name matters more than being everywhere.

Need an artist rather than a community? I keep an honest list of where to find artists for your indie game too.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find an indie game dev community?

The main places are the big game dev Discord servers (GDL Game Dev League, Brackeys, How To Market A Game, Game Dev Network), Reddit (r/gamedev, r/IndieDev, and r/INAT for finding a team), itch.io's forums and game jams, #gamedev and #screenshotsaturday on Bluesky and X, the official Unity, Godot and Unreal forums and Discords, local meetups and IGDA chapters, and IndieGuild, a free community for indie devs and creators with a Community board for sharing builds and getting feedback, a Job board, Jam Crew for finding game jam teams, and the Roundtable spotlight. Most people end up in two or three of these.

What's the best Discord server for indie game developers?

There isn't one best server. GDL Game Dev League, Brackeys, How To Market A Game and Game Dev Network are big general ones, and your engine's community server is usually the best place for technical questions. Join a couple, read the rules, and stay in the one where people actually answer you.

How do I find other indie devs to make a game with?

Join a game jam (on itch.io, or with Jam Crew on IndieGuild, where you tap "I'm in" on a jam so teams can find you), post on r/INAT for rev share and hobby teams, or post a role on IndieGuild's Job board labeled paid, rev share or hobby. A jam is the lowest-risk way to see if you work well with someone. IndieGuild's guide on finding people covers the rest: how to find people to work on your game.

Where can I get feedback on my indie game?

Post a GIF or short clip with #screenshotsaturday on Bluesky and X, share it on r/IndieDev, ask in your engine's Discord, or post a Show your build thread on IndieGuild's Community board, where replies can be tagged as a bug, an idea or a comment. IndieGuild also has a Playtest swap where you test someone else's game to earn a tester for yours.

Are there in-person indie game dev communities?

Yes. Many cities have indie game dev meetups, and the IGDA (International Game Developers Association) has local chapters around the world. Global Game Jam also runs at sites in lots of cities every year. Search your city's name plus "game dev meetup" or look up your nearest IGDA chapter.

Is IndieGuild free?

Yes. The Community board, Playtest swap, posting roles, browsing the Job board and messaging people are free, and IndieGuild takes no cut of any gig. What you pay or get paid is between you and the person you work with.

More guides

• How to find people to work on your game
• How to find work as an indie game developer
• Where to find artists for your indie game
• How to find a programmer or teammate for your indie game
• Rev share agreement for indie games: checklist and free template
• All guides