Hi everyone. I need advise and have questions concerning the subject of publishing a browser game.

I'm being told marketing is important and if you worked with a publisher, maybe kabam games? they could help you with that.

However I don't understand where the benefits are coming from in such a case. Most of the games seem to be marketed through facebook, I hear you can simply put your app up there for free?

So if games put up on facebook for example is being advertised automatically simply by being on facebook, what is the point of having a publisher's support? How exactly does a publisher help in terms of marketing in specific terms?

Pardon for any ignorance and sincerely hoping to learn, thank you!

Hmm.. you can seed awareness by e.g. putting your game or atleast advertising it over your facebook page. Friends will pick it up and the awareness will grow over time, if your game is good enough to hold the interest of people. A publisher on the other hand will have the resources to plant several hundred or even thousands of seeds to help your game to get awareness.

Yes, an extraordinary game could gain this with a single seed, but more will get you started even better and faster. Minecraft get popular after only a single seed over night, though it was already in development for 4 years. The way of the publisher is a more robust way to create awareness, still you need a strong game to grow an active and living community and earn some money from it.

I need advise and have questions concerning the subject of publishing a browser game.
I'm being told marketing is important and if you worked with a publisher, maybe kabam games? they could help you with that.
However I don't understand where the benefits are coming from in such a case. Most of the games seem to be marketed through facebook, I hear you can simply put your app up there for free?

Red, you can simply try self-publishing and self-marketing. You'll learn a lot! For one thing, you'll learn that it's very hard. But if this is your first game, you'll find that getting a publisher is also very hard.

Why not do both? Try self-publishing, and also seek a publishing deal. Many times, publishers "discover" a game because of its creator's self-publishing efforts.

Simply hoping to learn? You should read a lot. Read gamasutra, read gamesindustry.biz. Read the blogs and articles you can find here on gamedev. Read about the stories of indies who have tried things and failed, then failed some more, then succeeded.

A good publisher will help you market your game.

Marketing is all about getting people to know about your game. Your game may be up on facebook, but how will anyone know about it?

Marketing may be a combination of press releases, paid advertising, the setting up of interviews with trade press or blogs. They may post to their twitter/facebook feeds which have tens of thousands of followers.

A publisher can also bring connections with the trade press, a big social media following and generally a bigger megaphone than you as an individual have. Not to mention specific skills and experience in getting word about new games out to the public..

Is it worth it? That depends on what real value the publisher brings to your game-- can they get you an interview with gamespot? Will they prominently feature your game on their site? Will the issue a press release about your company and/or your game? Those are the sorts of things you'd want a specific list of when making an agreement with a publisher for a self-funded game.

Marketing is hard work; sadly, with few exceptions "If I build a great game, people will just hear about it" isn't how it works.

There are free PR services like PRLog, who will help get the word out and drive awareness to your game.

There are also a lot of game review sites, contact them and ask them to review your game.

Wow thanks everyone for so many responses and support!

I like Tom's idea of self publishing and self marketing. The only concern to this is, the game is currently self funded, and I am paying alot out from my own pocket.

I need try to recoup what I spent and not to mention earn a tiny profit at the very least to compensate for all the time and effort spent developing the game.

I am afraid of failing commercially if I go on the self publish/self marketing path.

I am afraid of failing commercially if I go on the self publish/self marketing path.

Good. You should be afraid. Make a plan.

Er Tom, did you ever write a guide specifically on 101 plans for succeeding commercially for a new indie game title?

Er Tom, did you ever write a guide specifically on 101 plans for succeeding commercially for a new indie game title?

On the what now? (Translation: "no.")