In the age of slop, craft is rebellion - by Anu Atluru

A while back, I said I’d be experimenting with new ways to share what I’m thinking about, what I’m tinkering with, and conversations I’m having. The Craft is one such experiment — a multi-format series I’m exploring here, all about the art of making things well, and what makes the maker, too. For this edition, I grabbed coffee with Neal Agarwal, the indie game artisan behind Neal.fun, a cult-favorite corner of the internet home to weird, delightful, wildly viral games like The Password Game and Infinite Craft. Neal is a quiet legend in the indie game world. He’s made the web his canvas for playable art and joyful mischief — a kind of one-man artisanal rebellion against the slopification of everything. I’ve long admired how he’s carved a beloved niche, stayed independent, profitable, and rooted in craft — all while reaching millions. We covered a lot — and Neal asked me a few questions too. Some hot topics from our conversation: Making 100 games before turning 20 His one and only job —

A while back, I said I’d be experimenting with new ways to share what I’m thinking about, what I’m tinkering with, and conversations I’m having. The Craft is one such experiment — a multi-format series I’m exploring here, all about the art of making things well, and what makes the maker, too. For this edition, I grabbed coffee with Neal Agarwal, the indie game artisan behind Neal.fun, a cult-favorite corner of the internet home to weird, delightful, wildly viral games like The Password Game and Infinite Craft. Neal is a quiet legend in the indie game world. He’s made the web his canvas for pla