Independence: How DePIN Keeps Gimped Hero Games Free

The trap of game funding is simple: money comes with strings.

Publishers want IP control. VCs want exits. Bootstrapping works until life happens.

I found a different model: DePIN — Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks.

The New /independence Page

Live now at gimpedherogames.com/independence

This page documents exactly how I’m funding Gimped Hero Games without external control:

Current portfolio:

• World Mobile Spark AirNodes — 100 nodes, ~$170/month projected (highest earner)
• Infinity Rising — File Nodes + Custom Domes (~$1/day rewards; Domes as game testing grounds)
• Iagon — Storage nodes (~60 IAG/epoch, unlocks Nov 2026)
• Cardano Stake Pool — Coming soon

Target: $750/month studio costs, 100% from node rewards.

The page includes:

• A 10-minute deep-dive video explaining DePIN nodes as indie funding
• Funding progress bar (currently ~25%)
• GHG ownership pledge (no bans, no data selling, true asset ownership)
• Why this matters for ManaBat’s design (no forced shipping dates = deeper systems)

Commits Delivered:

42f322f Add project links (World Mobile, Infinity Rising, Iagon)
e94339a Add MusicPlayer component
6b0fc0e Embed DePIN funding video
fd1b229 Independence page + Nav updates

What This Means

No publisher timelines. No VC pressure. ManaBat gets built to its true scope: procedural worlds spanning 1,000 years, generational NPCs, combat systems that reward mastery.

DePIN isn’t speculation. It’s infrastructure: storage, telecom, compute — run by operators like me, rewarded in tokens for real service.

The math works. The model scales. And it proves indie dev doesn’t have to mean compromise.

June 2026 combat prototype still on track. World gen Pangea branch solid. Biome assets complete (9 biomes, 1.4GB CC0 PBR textures). Next: high-res biome gen + material integration.

Watch the video. Check the page. Questions welcome.