indie games are still a hugely important part of the industry, Peak is a recent great example of a small team making something fast that is novel and successful.
My experience is similar enough to the author's though. I was a Masters level dueler in starcraft2 and had a huge passion for the game, and a huge part of that was that the community was exciting at that time. I participated in the subreddit, I wrote articles, I casted games on the side. My friends played the game. I eventually had a go/no-go moment where I could've kept pouring myself into the community, potentially worked with folks like Artosis and Tasteless, etc.
But all signals were that the community was dwindling and blizzard wasn't properly invested in the game, which lowered my motivation a lot over time. So my decision was No.
The only real complex problem a start-up has to solve is making the product successful. Engineers that love "complex problems" with no love for the product / space it's in is usually a recipe for disaster.
Comments here feel a bit rough. If you've got the time, I'd recommend a read here.
Regardless of the "stats" here (absurd price point, 2 days / 18 miles, plenty of supervision), it feels the author is as self-aware as one would hope. The article, longer than necessary to be sure, is still well-written.
His experience, his feelings throughout -- make any arguments you want about them, but it feels genuine. I learned a good amount about Black Tomato et al., and regardless of their merits, they do exist and people are using them.
Oatly is a successful brand and their marketing is clever, but that doesn't mean they are "The New Coke".
Oatly has never pretended sugar is good for you, it's listed on the box, we all see it. And I don't think they should be put on blast for their use of canola oil of all things..and by the way nobody is drinking it because of the health benefits of that.
The most effective thing they did from a marketing standpoint was an anti-dairy campaign. Their biggest achievement is making people go "Yea... cow's milk is kinda weird, why wouldn't I drink an alternative that tastes just like it".
Coke, cigarettes, sugar campaigns -- They sold you on this idea that life can be more amazing if you just use this product.
Oatly did something different. They said "Hey your life can be about the same as it is now, enjoying dope milk, but without drinking cow's milk like a weirdo". And it worked.
Looks like you're ignoring the main theme here. People do choose oat milk because it is supposed to be a healthier or more sustainable alternative to cow's milk, but the reality is that it could be worse. Ignoring the GI for example is what would make it 'the new coke', like we did for sugar itself in past decades.
> People do choose oat milk because it is supposed to be a healthier or more sustainable alternative to cow's milk, but the reality is that it could be worse.
Surely the environmental costs associated with feeding and raising cows far outweigh whatever environmental impact of Oatly’s plant-based ingredients. Not sure about the health aspect though.
I always thought the reason why people choose milk alternatives is they're either vegan or intolerant. Personally I find oat milk the least unappetizing.
