Realtimecampaign.com Asks the Question: Do Indie Game Developers Need Game Publishers?
It takes a fair amount of work to develop a video game, especially for independent game developers that do not have the support of a major video game studio. For many, creating video games is a labor of love, and they will continue to do it regardless of the hurdles they may face in the market. One of the biggest hurdles to consider is how to publish an independently developed game.
Making a video game is more than just creating the actual game. There is the problem of how to market and sell the game while also supporting it with data analysis, updates, community engagement, and more. It seems like quite a feat for someone to handle all of the facets of bringing a game to market, but it has been done through self-publishing.
Self Publishing: What It Has to Offer
There are major benefits for developers that self-publish a game that may make the option seem worth it despite the size of the task. One of the more significant benefits is that developers who self-publish their game receive 100% of the earnings from its sales, aside from any platform fees. Typically, platform fees are about 30% of the sales, depending on which platform the developer picks.
There are quite a few platforms that have been a hit for independent, or indie, developers. One such platform is Steam, which has been the platform of choice for incredibly popular indie games like Stardew Valley and Limbo. For PC gamers, Steam is often the platform of choice for accessing both indie and major label games.
According to realtimecampaign.com, other important benefits to self-publishing include flexible deadlines and the developer has complete control over the game, from creativity to game mechanics. Not having the pressure of an outside entity bugging the developer for deadlines means the game is less likely to experience bugs and issues upon launch. Having creative control means that the dream game that got the developer into the project in the first place doesn’t end up getting watered down or changed before being released.
The Downsides to Self-Publishing
Seff-publishing also has some important drawbacks to consider. Self-publishing often means being in charge of all the marketing of the game, including getting people to actually buy and play it. It also means that the expenses of developing, testing, releasing, and marketing it are all on the shoulders of the developer. Not only is the process more involved, but the risk of losing money on the game is higher.
There are options available for indie developers to help take the responsibility of those tasks off the shoulders of the developers. Services like those offered by Xsolla help indie game developers launch their games without as much of the hassle. This way the developer can stay true to their game without selling out.
The Advantages of Using a Game Publisher
As the article Major Video Game Publishers and Developers That Still Operate Independently suggests, there are still major game publishers that let developers produce games independently. Major game publishers also offer all of the expertise and support offered by their various professional departments, including marketing, access to a major pool of existing users, social media management, website development, and more. Additionally, developers can take joy in the fact that their game was already good enough to land them a professional publishing deal with a major game publisher.
The Downsides of Publishing with a Game Publisher
Like anything else, there are definite downsides to working with a major game publisher. For example, indie developers will have to forfeit a bigger share of the revenue that the game generates. They will lose some creative control over the final product, which can mean ruining their game for them entirely.
The Rewards and Sacrifices of Game Publishing
Developing a game starts out as a labor of love, but it also needs to be accessible to the public if the developer wants to see it flourish. Publishing a game independently gives them the most control and best reward for their work, but the task can be daunting. Using a major game publisher can help ease the load and make the game more immediately successful, but also runs the risk of ruining it and cutting into the developer’s earnings. Which options is best for an indie game developer mostly depends on what they want to see happen to their game and what they are willing to sacrifice to get it.
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