The Indie Magazine Glows Up
When we launched Debug, it was with a simple goal: to celebrate the people who make games, in all their messy brilliance. Now, a few years and a few thousand subscribers later, we’re levelling up to Debug 2.0.
This isn’t just a facelift; it’s a ground-up refresh of how we think about what Debug is, who it’s for, and how we serve the indie games community. It’s bigger, better supported, and (we hope) more meaningful than ever.
A Magazine Reinvented
Let’s start with the most tangible upgrade: the magazine itself. Debug is now 116 pages, starting with Debug #12 onwards. That’s up from just 80 when we launched two years ago — a significant leap in print real estate that lets us tell deeper stories and feature more games, more developers, and more voices.
That expansion gives our editorial team the breathing room to craft each issue into something truly special. With more space comes more opportunity to dig deeper into the stories behind the games. To travel, to interview, to photograph, and to produce features that stand the test of time rather than rush to meet the next deadline.
It also means better value for our readers. Shipping costs have risen dramatically, yet the cost to ship a 116-page magazine is effectively the same as an 80-page one. By producing larger, more complete issues, we can focus on quality; both in content and logistics, ensuring every copy that lands on your doorstep feels worth the wait.
The layout has evolved too. Where early issues had a charming roughness to them, Debug 2.0 is altogether more polished, but no less personal. We’ve refined the typography, introduced new design systems, and made space for photography again (yes, actual photographers, like the good old days!). The result is a magazine that feels weighty and expressive. It’s still indie, but it’s grown into its skin.
There’s a subtle shift in editorial direction as well. While Debug has always covered a wide breadth of games, we’ve now added a stronger focus on people: features about how games are made, why people make them, and what it feels like to build creative work in an ever-shifting industry. That human lens runs through every issue now.
You’ll find interviews not just with developers, but composers, narrative designers, accessibility advocates, archivists, educators, even parents making games for their children. One standout new addition is Danny Wadeson’s “The Discipline of Narrative Design”, an ongoing column digging into the craft, structure, and emotional stakes of storytelling in games. It’s sharp, insightful, and essential reading.
Another is Luis Aguasvivas’s “The Anthropocene Medium”, a column interrogating the industry’s relationship with climate collapse: how games contribute to it, how developers are resisting it, and whether our medium can genuinely be a force for good. These pieces sit alongside our usual blend of previews, reviews, studio visits, and deep dives, adding new critical weight to each issue.
The Hub Grows
Long-time readers will know The Hub as the magazine’s front section, a curated space for all things tactile, real-world, and slightly unexpected. It’s where Debug has always showcased the physical side of games: events we’ve visited, shows we’ve run, the wild DIY creations of the indie scene, and of course, the latest in physical media from vinyl soundtracks to cartridge releases.
With Debug 2.0, The Hub has doubled in size, and its scope has expanded with it.
Alongside dispatches from festivals like EGX and gamescom, and spotlight features on beautifully strange peripherals and lovingly pressed vinyl, you’ll now find new regular segments like “What We’re Playing”, a rotating set of short, personal writeups from the Debug team, contributors, and friends. It’s a simple idea, but it adds a warm, communal energy to the section and to the magazine as a whole.
In short, The Hub has become a proper pulse for Debug: a place to celebrate the messy, physical, joyfully human side of games culture before we dive into the deeper dives. Expect more real photos, more guest voices, more surprise mini-features, and always, more of the weird and wonderful.
A Support System That Works
Of course, none of this means much if the infrastructure doesn’t hold up, and we’ll be the first to admit, we’ve had our growing pains. Over the past year, a combination of rapid growth and external challenges (including the recently introduced US tariffs, which hit our shipping and production costs hard) caused delays, missed deliveries, and a support backlog we weren’t proud of.
That’s why part of Debug 2.0 is an overhaul of our support systems. We’ve streamlined our subscriptions, introduced better tracking, and significantly improved our internal tooling. Most importantly, we’ve built an action plan to make sure our support, when needed, is timely, friendly, and world-class.
We know some readers didn’t get Debug when they should have. We know others waited too long to hear back. That’s on us, and we’re fixing it. Going forward, we’re committed to not just publishing a great magazine, but delivering it reliably, and treating every reader like the vital part of this community that they are.
Physical Means Something
At a time when so much games media has gone digital, and often algorithmic, Debug is proudly print-first. That’s not just a stylistic choice. We believe in the permanence of a magazine. In its ability to slow things down. In the way it feels when you flip through pages of brilliant games you’ve never heard of. It’s something worth collecting, revisiting, and keeping.
We also believe in making it accessible. That’s why Debug has always kept its pricing fair, with options for digital-only and subsidised student access. It’s also why we launched Debug++, and made it easily accessible for everyone without costing a penny. With the 2.0 relaunch, Debug++ remains untouched — still free, still yours to read wherever and however you like.
It Hasn’t Been Easy
Debug is built by two brothers working around full-time jobs, driven by a shared love for games and the people who make them. It’s taken time, sacrifice, and more late nights than we can count. But we’re proud of what it’s become and even more excited about where it’s headed.
But let’s not sugarcoat it: growing Debug has taken time, missteps, and a lot of learning. What began as a passion project is now something much bigger.
We’re proud of what we’ve built, and excited for what’s ahead. Debug is more than a magazine. It’s a platform, a community, and a celebration. And none of it would be possible without you.
Thanks for sticking with us. We can’t wait to show you what’s next.
We’re already hard at work behind the scenes on the return of the Indie Game Awards — a celebration of creativity, craft, and community, judged with care and presented in front of a live audience. We’ve had thousands tune in, hundreds of developers take part, and with the next edition we’re aiming even higher. And if all goes to plan, the awards might not be the only exciting thing on the horizon.
How You Can Help
Debug is growing, but we’re still a small team and we rely on the support of the community to keep going. If you like what we’re doing, there are a few easy ways to get involved:
Tell us about your game. Whether it’s a work-in-progress, a passion project, or a polished release, we want to hear about it. We’re always looking for interesting stories and games to feature.
Spread the word. Share the magazine with friends, post about it on social media, or bring it to your next local game dev meetup. Every new reader helps us keep printing and growing.
Advertise with us. If you’re part of a studio with a marketing budget, consider placing an ad. We offer fair rates and work directly with teams to make sure your presence fits the magazine. You’re not just buying space, you’re supporting independent games media.
Above all, just stay connected. Debug is made for and with the community, and your support in any form means the world to us…
