The IndieGuild handbook

Updated October 24, 2026 · 5 minute read

How IndieGuild works and what's allowed, all in one place. If your question isn't answered here, email me at hello@maevyra.com and I'll add it.

For game devs

• Post a role. Set up your studio and post up to 4 roles, each with its craft, pay type and timeline, plus a budget if you want to share it. Creators who fit and have role alerts on get it in their inbox, and it shows on the Job board.
• Say what you use AI for. When you publish your studio, you answer whether you use AI and for what. It shows on your studio page and role cards, so creators know before they share their work with you.
• Find people yourself. Browse profiles, or use Find my match to get a short list for your game. In the Gameplay studio you can hear music, sound and voices over your own gameplay clip, and the clip stays on your device unless you share it.
• Message anyone. You don't have to post a role to reach out. Just keep it real, with what the work is and what you can pay.

For creators

• Make a free profile. Add your work: music, sound, voice clips, art, VFX, writing excerpts, translation samples, video or code. Nothing is public until you publish, and you can unpublish anytime.
• Turn on role alerts to get roles that fit your craft in your inbox, and check the Job board for studios that are hiring.
• Pitch studios directly. My guide to pitching a game dev has a first message that doesn't sound like spam.

Paid, rev share and hobby

All three are welcome here, as long as they're labeled honestly:

• Paid: you get paid for the work, per piece, per hour or per project.
• Rev share: you get a share of what the game earns, usually nothing up front. Put the share, credit and who owns the work in writing.
• Hobby: no money, just the fun of making a game together and a credit.

Calling a rev share or unpaid role "paid" is not okay, and those roles get taken down.

What's not allowed

• Work that isn't yours, or that you don't have the rights to share.
• AI-generated portfolio work. No AI-generated music, sound, voices or art on a profile. Cleanup, noise removal, mastering and editing tools are fine.
• Confidential work you're not allowed to show, or anyone's private information.
• NFT, blockchain and crypto-token games. No roles or studios for them. Regular in-game currencies are fine.
• Scraping, downloading or training on other people's work, including cloning a voice or copying someone's style with AI.
• Spam, fake credits and harassment.

I remove content and suspend accounts that break these rules, and I tell you why. Stealing work or scraping it can mean the account is closed for good.

How your work is protected

Samples stream for listening and pictures show for viewing, with no download button. Artists can add their name as a small watermark, and musicians, sound designers and voice actors can upload a protected preview (lower quality, with a soft chime) instead of their master. If the exact same file shows up on a second account, I get an alert and check it. Nobody's uploads are ever used to train AI. The full details are on Protecting your work.

Money and contracts

IndieGuild doesn't handle payments or take a cut. You and the person you work with agree on everything directly, and pay however you both like. Before work starts, write down what's being made, the pay and when it's paid, how many revisions, the deadline, credit, who owns the work, and whether AI can be used on it. My pricing guides for music, sound and voice, art and localization can help you set a fair number.

Staying safe

• Nobody should ask you to pay to apply, to get a role, or to "unlock" work.
• A free test that's really the whole job is a red flag. Short paid tests are normal.
• Be careful with strange payment requests, like overpaying you and asking for change back.
• Check the project. A game page, a build, screenshots or a devlog are good signs.

See something wrong? Use "Report stolen work" on the page, or email hello@maevyra.com. You don't need an account. I review every report.

Frequently asked questions

Is IndieGuild free?

Yes. Making a profile, posting roles, matching and messaging are free for game devs and creators, and I don't take a cut of anything you pay or get paid.

Can I post a rev share or hobby role on IndieGuild?

Yes. Paid, rev share and hobby roles are all welcome, as long as each role is labeled honestly so creators know before they reply.

Is AI-generated art or music allowed on IndieGuild?

Not on profiles. Portfolio work has to be human-made, with no AI-generated music, sound, voices or art. Cleanup, mastering and editing tools are fine. Studios say what they use AI for, and it shows on their studio page and role cards.

Are NFT or blockchain games allowed on IndieGuild?

No. IndieGuild doesn't allow roles or studios for NFT, blockchain or crypto-token games. Regular in-game currencies are fine.

How do I report stolen work on IndieGuild?

Use "Report stolen work" on the page where you found it, or email hello@maevyra.com. You don't need an account. Say where your original is, and stolen work is removed as soon as it's confirmed.