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Episode Summary

The indie game funding landscape has been completely transformed over the last five years, leaving developers confused about their options and struggling to get their games across the finish line. Traditional publishers are pulling back from full development funding, venture capital has become harder to access, and the old playbook simply doesn’t work anymore.

In this comprehensive episode, we’re joined by Harlis Öunapuu, co-founder of the Almost Ready Games Fund, who brings a unique perspective combining deep games industry experience at companies like Paradox Interactive with finance and investment expertise. Harlis reveals how his company has created a revolutionary middle ground between traditional publishing and venture capital funding.

We dive deep into the current state of the funding market, break down the critical distinctions between project financing and equity deals, and reveal the three fatal errors that almost guarantee your funding pitch will fail. Plus, Harlis explains exactly how to determine if your project is actually ready for funding conversations and shares the specific criteria that make games stand out in today’s competitive landscape.

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Meet Our Guest: Harlis Öunapuu

Harlis Öunapuu is the co-founder of Almost Ready Games Fund, a revolutionary funding company designed specifically for games nearing launch. With a unique background spanning both the games industry and finance, Harlis spent five years at Paradox Interactive working across finance, production, and business development, including helping establish Paradox Arc for smaller projects.

After a three-year stint as head of product at a Stockholm startup where he gained hands-on development experience, Harlis recognised a critical gap in the funding market. Traditional publishers were becoming increasingly risk-averse, while venture capital remained focused on equity deals that didn’t align with most indie developers’ goals.

Almost Ready Games Fund emerged as the solution: providing capital and strategic support for games 6-9 months from release, while allowing developers to maintain complete IP ownership and creative freedom. As one of their funded developers put it, they’re “coaches with deep pockets.”

Website: Almost Ready Games Fund

LinkedIn: Harlis Öunapuu

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Key Takeaways

“The people in business development are honestly some of the nicest people I know in the business. There’s nothing to be worried about there. Spend a few days really digging into what different funding options are, and once you have that basic understanding, it suddenly doesn’t feel scary anymore.”

— Harlis Öunapuu, Almost Ready Games Fund

• The Funding Landscape Has Fundamentally Shifted: Traditional third-party publishing has moved to co-publishing models, while big publishers prefer buying studios outright rather than funding individual projects. This leaves a critical gap for indie developers seeking development funding.
• Project Financing vs Equity Deals: Understanding the difference is crucial. Equity deals involve selling company ownership to investors, while project financing provides money for development in exchange for revenue share from that specific game.
• The “Almost Ready” Sweet Spot: Games 6-9 months from release with funding needs up to $250,000 represent the ideal candidates. These projects need final polish, marketing support, localisation, or additional team members to cross the finish line.
• Marketing Mindset is Essential: Successful funding candidates show genuine curiosity about the business side of game development. You don’t need a complete marketing plan, but you need a plan for putting together a plan.
• Playables Are King: Having a playable demo is absolutely critical in today’s funding environment. If you’re pitching without one, expect to be told to come back when you have something people can actually experience.
• Revenue Share Structure Matters: Unlike traditional publishers who take 30-50% forever, Almost Ready Games Fund uses a recoup model: 50/50 split until they recover their investment, then drops to single digits long-term.
• The Three Fatal Pitch Errors: Lack of a pitch deck (even a simple one-pager), burying the lead with 17 slides before explaining what the game actually is, and failing to clearly communicate your game vision with concrete references.
• Relationship Building is Long-Term: The best funding partners act as mentors and coaches, providing strategic advice and networking opportunities that extend well beyond the initial project.

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Show Notes & Mentioned Resources

• Almost Ready Games Fund: Revolutionary funding for games 6-9 months from release
• How to Pitch Games Podcast: TinyBuild’s podcast featuring Corey Kaplan on game pitching strategies
• Game Discover Co: Simon Carless’s essential newsletter for game industry insights
• How to Market a Game: Chris Zukowski’s comprehensive marketing resource
• Victoria Tran: Industry expert insights on game marketing and community

Games Mentioned

• TetherGeist: O. and Co. Games’ project funded by Almost Ready Games Fund
• Luck Be a Landlord: Harlis’s game recommendation featuring simple systems that create engaging gameplay
• Mice Maze: Previous episode connection by the same developer as Luck Be a Landlord
• Hearts of Iron: Paradox game where Harlis implemented meta progression systems

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