Solo Dev - It Takes a Village

What do you think a solo developer is? 

Solo-dev is a title that I feel like has a bit of fuzzy edge, in my mind at least. I often describe myself as a solo developer. I do all the programming, the art, the writing, the music on my own, that’s true. 

But I am not the only one spending time on this game. Caoimhe, the other half of Rún Stiúideo handles all of our social media and if it wasn’t for her you would never have even heard about us. 

When we work on our Irish translations, my entire family sit around the kitchen table and go through the game line-by-line to make sure that the tone, the, the humour, even the references come across in both languages. 

Recently I took part in IAMCR 2026 in Galway and showcased the work we have been doing on translating the Corner Cafe into Irish. My Dad came along with me, because without his contributions and help there would probably be no translation. The same can be said for my Mom.

Even our studios logo was designed by my very talented sister Lorna, who has also helped a lot in giving feedback of the art of the game. 

Make it stand out

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Caoimhe’s brother James is a fashion designer and has done the coolest thing imaginable and designed a bunch of futuristic Irish outfits for the game (more on him and the outfits in an upcoming video).

Stephen Newe, a very talented marketer has really gone above and beyond in helping us get our name out there. CREW and Racán Collective have helped us in both giving us a home to work in and also in making sure we actually know how to run a sustainable game studio. 

And that is not even mentioning the friends and colleagues that have given us advice and feedback at every step of the journey.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, being a solo-developer doesn’t really mean that you are doing it on your own. It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes one to make a game too. 

And I am very grateful for my village. 

So now I’ll ask you. What do you think a solo developer is?