Hello all, I recently posted a demo of my game, CellZenith on devimg here. This game has been downloaded about 260 times, and it featured a while ago as Image of the Day on this site. I have been fleshing out this project extensively since I posted the demo, and as I near completion I am starting to think very seriously about commercial distribution. I fear I will not be able to go the self-distribution route, mainly because I lack the resources. I am seriously considering approaching a publisher. Would any publisher be interested in taking on this kind of game? Are there any specific ones which I should keep in mind? Any which have a history of dealing fairly with small-scale developers? I am completely new to this, so I am a bit hesitant to make a move. Thanks for any help, synth_cat

Quote: Original post by synth_cat
Would any publisher be interested in taking on this kind of game?

This is an "is it possible" question. Read FAQ 50 at http://www.sloperama.com/advice/lesson50.htm

Is it _probable_ then :) What I really want to know anyway are which publishers I should approach with this kind of game.

Quote: Original post by synth_cat
Is it _probable_ then :)

No.

Quote: I fear I will not be able to go the self-distribution route, mainly because I lack the resources. I am seriously considering approaching a publisher. Would any publisher be interested in taking on this kind of game?

That's not what publishers do.

You will always have to pay for publishers to do their work. Publishers are sometimes willing to give you an advance on the costs, but they will recover all those costs before you start seeing money.


As a PC game, there is roughly 0% chance of a publisher taking their money off the back end. They won't risk their money that the game won't sell. If you were already getting a significant revenue stream from it then some smaller publishers could be hired for additional distribution and advertising.

If you were to implement the same game on a mobile platform where there are fewer quality games there is a slightly bigger, but still very small chance that a publisher would advance you the money for their work.

Quote: Original post by synth_cat
Hello all,

I recently posted a demo of my game, CellZenith on devimg here. This game has been downloaded about 260 times, and it featured a while ago as Image of the Day on this site.

If I didn't know any better.... you've just advertised your game and
no doubt loads of people will be swarming in to see your work.

I seriously do think that you can and probably should go down the self
distribution route through the Internet but you're going to have to
involve yourself in your own marketing campaigns.

There are plenty of ways to get known. One such successful method is
some of online games repository that you find all over the place these days.
These guys would have been around for a long time, would have (hopefully)
had a high google ranking and best of all, you will attract a lot of
attention.

There are also other methods, like investing in maybe $10 into a GoogleAd
and see how many people actually click through. With a bit of analytics,
you can probably analyse how many people actually buy your game. Finally,
you really need to get people talking about your game.

I suppose the one thing about an investment is that it forces you to analyse
your game to make sure you are not making a poor investment. Chances are,
if you feel unsatisfied with an investment, the publishers will probably
feel just the same and if you really want full control, self-distribution
is the only way to go.

Quote: Original post by synth_cat
which publishers I should approach with this kind of game.

You have to do that research yourself. Look out there for other games in a similar style/genre/whatever, on the same platform, and "do your homework" about what publishers your product might be a fit for. That's what every developer has to do, for himself, and there's no easier answer we can give you.

You've done the easy part. Now you're trying to do the hard part. FAQ 60. http://www.sloperama.com/advice/article60.htm

I should probably explain that when I say "resources" I am not necessarily talking about money. I am not really searching for funding. All I want is to find some service which can handle the actual marketing of my product (and, ideally, give it exposure which I would be hard-put to attract on my own.)

I don't have the equipment (or knowledge, I have to admit) to run any kind of online sales system, even to run a personal site on my own server. This is the primary reason I feel I have to go through a publisher/portal. If I were able to command my own, high-quality and secure site on my own server, I would probably go completely with self-distribution.

As it is, this seems un-probable.

Thanks, by the way, for all the information given. Your links are especially informative, tsloper.

-synth_cat

Quote: Original post by cat from Ridgecrest
All I want is to find some service which can handle the actual marketing of my product (and, ideally, give it exposure which I would be hard-put to attract on my own.)
As it is, this seems un-probable.
Thanks, by the way, for all the information given. Your links are especially informative, tsloper.

You're welcome, scat. Look, you may be able to find a distribution site or something to get your product out there, not that it'll make much money, but in the meantime you should be making another game - you've learned a lot, and if you have a passion for making games, go for it. You'll surely get better at it, and make even better ones.

You could always approach Valve, they're trying to push lots of smaller games through steam these days.