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Do you need a publisher? Or, its corollary, can you self-publish a game on your own?
The answer to this basically comes down to understanding what a publisher actually is, and what are your knowledge and capabilities to handle that.
Let's explore this through a thread!
The answer to this basically comes down to understanding what a publisher actually is, and what are your knowledge and capabilities to handle that.
Let's explore this through a thread!
Let's first debunk a still persisting misconception: a good game, no matter how good it is or how much effort you put in it, will not talk by itself.
It maybe was true 10 years ago (and even then), or for 0.001% of games, but let's be honest, there's only one Notch per decade.
It maybe was true 10 years ago (and even then), or for 0.001% of games, but let's be honest, there's only one Notch per decade.
A project is never bigger than the people behind it.
If you can't market a game or don't know (or don't want to know) what it takes, don't expect the game to do it for you.
Now we can talk about actual publishing!
IMO none of what follows can be overlooked in a 2020 context.
If you can't market a game or don't know (or don't want to know) what it takes, don't expect the game to do it for you.
Now we can talk about actual publishing!
IMO none of what follows can be overlooked in a 2020 context.
1) Distribution
Do you know how to put a game on other stores than Steam?
Nowadays, Steam is not enough to make a game sustainable. It's barely half of what it takes, maybe even a third.
Almost everything will depend on your distribution strategy.
Do you know how to put a game on other stores than Steam?
Nowadays, Steam is not enough to make a game sustainable. It's barely half of what it takes, maybe even a third.
Almost everything will depend on your distribution strategy.
Do you know:
- what are the other relevant stores?
- how to contact them?
- that it can takes several months to get there?
- how their tentacular backends work?
- how to implement their SDK?
- all the assets that must be provided to each of them?
- what are the other relevant stores?
- how to contact them?
- that it can takes several months to get there?
- how their tentacular backends work?
- how to implement their SDK?
- all the assets that must be provided to each of them?
What about consoles?
Do you know:
- that you probably won't get there without physically meeting them?
- where and when you can meet them?
- that it's an even longer process?
- how to port a game?
- about certification processes?
Can you:
- afford expansive devkits?
Do you know:
- that you probably won't get there without physically meeting them?
- where and when you can meet them?
- that it's an even longer process?
- how to port a game?
- about certification processes?
Can you:
- afford expansive devkits?
Do you know that China is the largest community of players? It'll potentially be more than 30% of your players.
Do you know:
- how to get there?
- that you'll need a local publisher?
- the cultural differences?
Do you know:
- how to get there?
- that you'll need a local publisher?
- the cultural differences?
2) Funding
Can you:
- sustain the entire team, and plan ahead risks?
Do you know:
- how too bootstrap your budget?
- how to leverage your distribution network to negotiate advances/guarantees?
- how to candidate to public funds?
- how to get private investors in the loop?
Can you:
- sustain the entire team, and plan ahead risks?
Do you know:
- how too bootstrap your budget?
- how to leverage your distribution network to negotiate advances/guarantees?
- how to candidate to public funds?
- how to get private investors in the loop?
3) Marketing
Do you know:
- who are your players?
- where to find them?
- how to speak to them?
- how to get their attention?
- how to build a long term strategy to engage them?
- what's the anatomy of a good marketing asset?
- how to leverage your distribution into that plan?
Do you know:
- who are your players?
- where to find them?
- how to speak to them?
- how to get their attention?
- how to build a long term strategy to engage them?
- what's the anatomy of a good marketing asset?
- how to leverage your distribution into that plan?
Can you:
- afford (socially and financially) going to events?
- afford 1/3rd of your budget into marketing?
- afford (socially and financially) going to events?
- afford 1/3rd of your budget into marketing?
4) Press relationship
Do you know:
- that it's not about grabbing random emails / mass mailing?
- that if you never got acquainted, you'll likely get ghosted?
- that generic mails won't make it?
- how to catch attention?
- how to make info straightforward and easy to grab?
Do you know:
- that it's not about grabbing random emails / mass mailing?
- that if you never got acquainted, you'll likely get ghosted?
- that generic mails won't make it?
- how to catch attention?
- how to make info straightforward and easy to grab?
5) Content creator relationship
Do you know:
- how to find relevant creators for your project?
- how to contact them?
- that it's not just about grabbing random emails and sending a bulk message?
- that if you never got acquainted, you'll likely get ghosted?
Do you know:
- how to find relevant creators for your project?
- how to contact them?
- that it's not just about grabbing random emails and sending a bulk message?
- that if you never got acquainted, you'll likely get ghosted?
Do you know:
- that a relevant strategy doesn't need to revolve around the most visible ones?
- the difference between a curator and an entertainer?
- how to entertain relationships?
- that a relevant strategy doesn't need to revolve around the most visible ones?
- the difference between a curator and an entertainer?
- how to entertain relationships?
6) Advertisement
Can you:
- afford it?
Do you know:
- how to advertise a game?
- where to do so?
- how to target an audience?
- how to funnel it into conversions?
Can you:
- afford it?
Do you know:
- how to advertise a game?
- where to do so?
- how to target an audience?
- how to funnel it into conversions?
7) Lifecycle management
Do you know:
- how to leverage a game before its release?
- when to release?
- how to leverage a game after its release?
- how to build a sales strategy?
- how to assess the relevancy of post-launch/live content?
Do you know:
- how to leverage a game before its release?
- when to release?
- how to leverage a game after its release?
- how to build a sales strategy?
- how to assess the relevancy of post-launch/live content?
8) Producing
Do you know:
- how to synchronise all of the above?
- how to manage a team?
- how to manage your schedule?
- how to convey information properly?
- how to manage your budget?
- how to solve issues of any kind?
- how to grab hot potatoes?
Do you know:
- how to synchronise all of the above?
- how to manage a team?
- how to manage your schedule?
- how to convey information properly?
- how to manage your budget?
- how to solve issues of any kind?
- how to grab hot potatoes?
Closing comments.
Do you know that each of those is a job on its own?
I am no one to assess on your own capabilities to understand and work toward those points, but I hope that this thread will help you to do your own introspection about your expectations and capabilities!
Do you know that each of those is a job on its own?
I am no one to assess on your own capabilities to understand and work toward those points, but I hope that this thread will help you to do your own introspection about your expectations and capabilities!
