Publishing COSC 405 Spring 2013 Bridget M. Blodgett

Publishing Options Traditional Publishing Companies Console “Arcade” Options Game Portals Self Publishing

Publishing Company Positives Very traditional route to getting games published The publisher is often willing to pay a lot for a good idea Greater access to licenses and other controlled IP

Publishing Company Negatives The risk and control often lead to a lack of creativity or chance taking on new ideas Timing can be very important – Over a quarter of sales occur during Christmas The publisher takes on a high degree of risk – Wants extra control over the development process

Console Arcade Options Broader ideas supported or allowed Access to the audience of a console without physical publishing Tied to a specific platform Licenses can be expensive Host still has editorial control

Game Portals Broad user base willing to spend money Increasing acceptance across software platforms Smoothed transactions handling Less cost invasive than other publishers Often size/quality/content restrictions You need to license or build for each hardware platform Easier to get lost in the crowd

Self-Publishing No fees to publishing company Total control over your product 100% of sales go to your comapny Higher costs for licenses, software, IP, etc. Limited access to sources for promotion Significant investment of time/energy Sales rates can be slow or low

External Requirements Acceptance Guidelines – Required connections to outside sources – Objectionable Material – Size – In-game Branding Reviewer’s Personal Opinion Pitch Market Business Plan Demo

Self Requirements Market Research Constant Promotion Clear Business Goals – Continued Support and Improvement System for Release of Product Metrics Eye on Skill Development