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Publishing a game.
Author
Lets say I were to go to a publisher with a nearly complete game (meaning it could use some better art, music, and sound). What sort of royalties, should I expect to see if I asked the publisher to give me resources needed to complete game, market the game, and handle distribution.
Thanks in advance,
Inigmas
Maybe 20% or 25% if you''re really lucky. Remember, the publisher doesn''t make all that much either. Consider that the retailer will take a large chunk of your game''s shelf price. The publisher gets that and then you get yours. 
Ask for a good bit of venture capital (enough to pay your whole team''s salary for a year and equipment costs). Try to prepare to set yourself up for your next game.
Charles
Ask for a good bit of venture capital (enough to pay your whole team''s salary for a year and equipment costs). Try to prepare to set yourself up for your next game.Charles
the odds of you getting 20-25% is about as likely as
Armageddeon happening tomorrow ..
as a company (or single person) trying to goto a publisher
and get them to distribute your game (assuming it''s even any good..which they don''t know about) you''d be lucky to
get them to publish it, if you do .. 5% would probably be
optimal
Armageddeon happening tomorrow ..
as a company (or single person) trying to goto a publisher
and get them to distribute your game (assuming it''s even any good..which they don''t know about) you''d be lucky to
get them to publish it, if you do .. 5% would probably be
optimal
Giving you "resources needed to complete the game"? If you get money in advance then that''s probably all you''ll get, 0%.
Let''s look at it, an ''average game'' here sell''s for about $20 to $50 AUS,
Software stores get, what 10% to 50% of that.
Then you have Shipping costs, import/export taxs/fees, then the publisher takes their bit, then you get your bit. Not much is left over.
Software stores get, what 10% to 50% of that.
Then you have Shipping costs, import/export taxs/fees, then the publisher takes their bit, then you get your bit. Not much is left over.
Author
By "resources needed to complete the game", I meant the little bit of art, sound effects, and music needed to spit shine the game and get it ready to be released.
Normally the publisher will pay an advance which you use to get the extra work done.
Even with an advance you should get a royalty of 15 - 20% (it depends how good the game is and how big the advance.
The oppperative word is SHOULD. You will actually get between 0 - 20% depending on how good it is and how good you are at doing a deal (and how good your presentation to the publisher was.
This all assumes fullprice software. If it isn''t then the numbers vary.
Dan Marchant
Obscure Productions
Even with an advance you should get a royalty of 15 - 20% (it depends how good the game is and how big the advance.
The oppperative word is SHOULD. You will actually get between 0 - 20% depending on how good it is and how good you are at doing a deal (and how good your presentation to the publisher was.
This all assumes fullprice software. If it isn''t then the numbers vary.
Dan Marchant
Obscure Productions
You are likely to get your pay in terms of % royalties. Anything that you get up front will come out of these royalties, and the more time and money you need, the less royalties you can expect to recieve.
The other question is whether your game will end up being commercial quality. If not then you can do worse than doing a shareware release, or publishing with a budget company.
Xtreme Games LLC (www.xgames3d.com) are not too bad from what I''ve heard. They will give a 50% royalty and free advice, but I don''t think they''re big on advances.
If you truly think that your design has what it takes to make it in the commercial world than shop around a bit. Most big publishers offer pretty simular deals. Your royalties will be comparitively low, but you''ll reach a bigger audience, and as a result you''ll make more money overall.
--------------------------------------
Why run? You''''ll only die tired.
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The other question is whether your game will end up being commercial quality. If not then you can do worse than doing a shareware release, or publishing with a budget company.
Xtreme Games LLC (www.xgames3d.com) are not too bad from what I''ve heard. They will give a 50% royalty and free advice, but I don''t think they''re big on advances.
If you truly think that your design has what it takes to make it in the commercial world than shop around a bit. Most big publishers offer pretty simular deals. Your royalties will be comparitively low, but you''ll reach a bigger audience, and as a result you''ll make more money overall.
--------------------------------------
Why run? You''''ll only die tired.
--------------------------------------
Most publishers offer 15-25% of the profit, what I know.
So for a small game that might cost about $9.95 you can get about $1 per copy sold.
/MindWipe
"If it doesn''t fit, force it; if it breaks, it needed replacement anyway."
So for a small game that might cost about $9.95 you can get about $1 per copy sold.
/MindWipe
"If it doesn''t fit, force it; if it breaks, it needed replacement anyway."
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