The publishing challenge: what does publishing mean and do I need a publisher?: a practical guide for independent videogame developers

273 Pages·2020·7.908 MB·English

by  Limpach, Odile

The Publishing Challenge
for Independent Video
Game Developers

The Publishing Challenge
for Independent Video
Game Developers
A Practical Guide
Odile Limpach
CRC Press
Taylor & Francis Group
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Contents
Foreword, xiii
Acknowledgments, xvii
Author, xix
Contributors, xxi
Chapter 1 ◾ Introduction 1
REFERENCES 11
Chapter 2 ◾ An Overview of the Indie PC and Console
Market 13
Imaad manzar
LOOKING AT REGIONS 14
SIFTING THROUGH GENRES 16
UNDERSTANDING PLATFORMS 18
REFERENCES 24
Chapter 3 ◾ What Does Publishing Mean? 27
NO “ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL” DEFINITION 28
DETAILED STRUCTURE OF PUBLISHING 29
Distribution 30
Funding 31
Development 37
Support Services 41
Communication 48
vii
viii ◾ Contents
WHO ARE THE PUBLISHERS? 56
First-Party Publishers 56
Online/Streaming Distribution Platforms 59
Developer–Publishers 59
Media Companies 60
Publishers with Small or Mid-Size Development Teams 61
Mobile-Only Publishers 61
Publishers with an Investment Background 61
Boutique Publishers 61
A CLOSER LOOK AT BOUTIQUE PUBLISHERS 62
ONLINE STORES DISTRIBUTION LANDSCAPE 66
IT IS ALL ABOUT COMMUNITY BUILDING AND SERVICING 76
REFERENCES 85
Chapter 4 ◾ Choosing Your Publishing Strategy 89
CHECKLIST TO CONSIDER EXTERNAL PUBLISHING 91
Do You Have the Right Team to Develop and Finish Your Game? 92
Are You Ready and Able to Produce a Polished Prototype? 93
Are You Ready to Prepare High-Quality Pitching
Documentation? 94
Are You Looking for Project or Company Funding? 96
Are You Ready to Enter a Close and Intense Business
Relationship? 98
Are You Ready to Spend Time Pitching, Negotiating, and
Be Rejected? 99
Are You Able to Finance the Gap Until the Contract Is Signed? 100
What Is Your Cash Flow Situation for the Complete Length of
the Project? 102
Are You Ready to Split the Revenue and Recognize the Value
of the Partnership? 103
Are You Ready to Eventually Share Your Intellectual Property
(IP) and Enter a Long-Term Relationship? 103
Do You Clearly Know Your Objectives for Your Game and
Your Company? 105
Contents ◾ ix
Are You Ready to Accept Change Requests According to the
Publisher’s Feedback? 105
Are You Ready to Fight through and Negotiate a Long
Legal Agreement? 106
Do You Know a Lawyer to Support You in Setting Up
the Contract? 107
Are You Ready to Manage the Relationship? 108
Do You Have a Long-Term View of the Publisher
Sustainability? 109
Do You Understand the Structure and Organization of the
Publisher and Their Philosophy? 109
Are You Ready to Accept Strict Deadlines and Adapt Your
Production Pipeline Accordingly? 111
Are You Ready to Maintain Clear Documentation of
the Project? 112
Are You Ready to Follow a Clear and Transparent
Communication Schedule? 113
How Important Is It to Reach as Many Countries as Possible? 113
Do You Have the Workforce and Willingness to Carry Out
Marketing Activities? 113
Do You Know Your Target Group, Your Unique Selling
Propositions, and Your Objectives? 115
Do You Have the Necessary Budget to Fund a
Marketing Campaign? 117
Do You Know How to Best Manage the Lifetime Sales of
Your Game? 117
Are You Ready to Cooperate and Share Responsibilities for
Building Your Community? 118
Do You Already Have a Vibrant Community and Efficient
Social Network Management? 118
HOW PUBLISHING AND FINANCING ARE CLOSELY
INTERWOVEN, BY THIERRY BAUJARD 122
Which Financing at Which Stage of the Project? 122
Project versus Company Funding 122
What Are the Different Sources of Financing (Public/Private) 125