Being a game developer or designer, you usually have a lot of different goals and objectives that you can be aiming for while you're making your game. It always falls under the dilemma of having to choose between your brain and your heart. That dilemma is present in a lot of spheres in life and is only accentuated in artistic and creative fields and industries like gaming. Your brain most likely will opt for the option that will generate the most amount of money and that typically is the more logical option, whereas your heart will tend to lean towards your more artsy and emotional side. Applied in gaming, that decision has to be made when choosing whether you want to follow the path that will sell more or follow the one that you feel represent more what you were going for.
Know where you're going
If you end up choosing the more logical and rational side, you'll aim to make your game as likeable as possible so that players and potential publishers can fall in love with the game as soon as they play it. Your goal at that point would probably be to get your game in front of some investors or publishers to get them to pick it up. If you've followed a few posts or have been to the Webinar #1, you would know that one of our games got picked up by a publisher. Whenever I say that, a lot of people ask: You must now be rich. And the truth is I am. haha, no, not quite but there's this assumption that if your game has been published, it automatically means that you made a lot of money. Let's get things straight, it does not!
Different strokes for different folks
There are so many publishing deals and publishers out there that it almost doesn't give you any information when someone tells you that their game was published. All you know is that the game was essentially shared through some type of gaming network that can potentially bring you extra revenue. However, not everyone is looking for the same clauses. For example, my publishing deal was on a per download basis as opposed to some other ones that could have a flat rate for the whole contract. Obviously the more budget the publisher have and the better the deals are, but also the more you'll have freedom to negotiate your deal.
Do it for the gram!
A lot of times too, it could be a newer publisher and they don't have that much money, in which case some people also accept to have it published for free. But at least that's a good and cheap way to get new eyeballs on your game, because at the end of the day, that's what really matters!
Have you had any experiences with Publishers? Dealing with them, etc?
Know where you're going
If you end up choosing the more logical and rational side, you'll aim to make your game as likeable as possible so that players and potential publishers can fall in love with the game as soon as they play it. Your goal at that point would probably be to get your game in front of some investors or publishers to get them to pick it up. If you've followed a few posts or have been to the Webinar #1, you would know that one of our games got picked up by a publisher. Whenever I say that, a lot of people ask: You must now be rich. And the truth is I am. haha, no, not quite but there's this assumption that if your game has been published, it automatically means that you made a lot of money. Let's get things straight, it does not!
Different strokes for different folks
There are so many publishing deals and publishers out there that it almost doesn't give you any information when someone tells you that their game was published. All you know is that the game was essentially shared through some type of gaming network that can potentially bring you extra revenue. However, not everyone is looking for the same clauses. For example, my publishing deal was on a per download basis as opposed to some other ones that could have a flat rate for the whole contract. Obviously the more budget the publisher have and the better the deals are, but also the more you'll have freedom to negotiate your deal.
Do it for the gram!
A lot of times too, it could be a newer publisher and they don't have that much money, in which case some people also accept to have it published for free. But at least that's a good and cheap way to get new eyeballs on your game, because at the end of the day, that's what really matters!
Have you had any experiences with Publishers? Dealing with them, etc?