What defines an indie game and how has the industry evolved?

An indie game is like a small toy made by one person or a few friends instead of a big toy factory.

Imagine you're playing with your favorite building blocks, each block is a part of the toy, and you can put them together in any way you want. That's kind of how indie games work, they’re made by smaller teams or even just one person who decides what to build, how it looks, and how it plays.

A long time ago, making games was like being in a big toy factory, you needed lots of people, money, and time. But now, with special tools called game engines, anyone can make a game on their computer or phone, just like how you can use your building blocks to make anything you imagine.

Also, there are places online where people can share their games for others to play, it’s like showing off your block tower at the park and letting everyone try to copy it. This makes it easier for small teams and solo creators to reach lots of players all around the world.

So now, indie games have become more popular because they're fun, creative, and easy to make, just like how you can build anything with your favorite blocks!