There are certain misconceptions about video game development by those who don’t know the “intricacies” of how games truly get made. One of the biggest misconceptions is that “anyone can make games and release them without serious help.” That’s an oversimplification on many levels, and not true for many people. Some need guidance and assistance from people and indie gaming labels to get to where they need to be, and in Hungary, the HEJ Collective was there to help make indie games via special “challenges” they’ve put out since 2019.

Their challenges not only brought teams together but gave them the ability to show off what they made, make connections, grow their ranks, and more. It’s truly inspiring, which is why we’re happy to congratulate them on their next feat: becoming an official indie gaming publishing label.

In a press release, the collective revealed that they will be “a seasonal label that publishes the best games emerging from the collective’s monthly challenges. Each season, only two to three titles are selected to make the journey from game jam prototype to commercial release.

To get them there, HEJ runs the HEJ Collective Mentoring Program. Over a focused 4- to 6-month development period, participating teams receive mentorship from experienced Hungarian game developers, designers, artists, and QA testers, gaining practical experience in preparing and releasing games on Steam.”

The first title, Grapple Bear, will drop on July 17th on Steam:

And the second title, Weather Dagger, is actually out right now!

It’ll be interesting to see what the HEJ Collective does in the future.