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WATCH OUT FOR FOR PREDATORY INVESTMENT AND DATED PUBLISHING PARTNERSHIPS
IT’S HARD TO ESCAPE the current onslaught of news about the state of the gaming industry, with reports of mass redundancies, budget cuts and uncertainty dominating the conversation. In times like these, it’s natural to feel that you need to bend to the shifting market, compromise your value, and adjust your expectations. However, for the developers and new games businesses at GDC this week, it’s important to take a step back and remember that this is your game, and you still hold all the cards.
SCOUTING FOR PUBLISHING DEALS Identify your internal strengths and pinpoint your weaknesses. What do you need to set up your game for short-term and long-term success? Is it funding support, porting expertise, or expanding your design team? There is a whole spectrum of different services that are available to studios these days and you need to be crystal clear in what you need. Traditional publishing contracts off the full stack of services but typically at a high cost to your independent control of your IP.
Old-school publishing deals often come with rigid terms
and creative constraints. You can say what you need and explore a version of publishing I like to call Fractional Publishing, a flexible tailored model of services that you need that puts you in control. You also don’t need to just work with a single partner, expand your horizon by finding the right experts for your needs.
BE WARY OF PREDATORY INVESTMENT Once you have a clear understanding of your development needs, what to avoid, and the kind of approach that will best serve your game, you may be thinking about securing the right funding. First, you need to consider if you are willing to give control and equity over to someone else.
Would you be willing to let someone else influence the decisions you make on a day-to-day basis, or do you want to retain total independence? Once you decide, you have two options to explore: sacrifice equity for investment and share decision-making or retain independence by agreeing to a revenue share. It can be argued that retaining control is the most important factor to consider. But at the end of the day, you are running a business and selling equity can be a decision needed to take your game to the next level. However, always know your worth, and don’t be swayed by predatory investors making grand promises. Stay firm on what you need and ensure any deal aligns with your goals.
EXPLORE THE BENEFITS OF THE THIRD- PARTY MARKET It’s also important not to undervalue exploring the full range of the third-party market as you could be losing out on significant returns. Many developers fall into the trap of putting all their eggs in the Steam basket. However, there is a massive multi-billion pound third-party market that you can capitalise on. Most people make 6/7%, whereas third parties have the potential to up this to 20/30% which can be enough to fund your next game. These third-party platforms not only increase your revenue potential but also set you up for greater visibility. But remember if you build a great game, it doesn’t mean the players will come. What makes your game stand out? Why would someone pick your game out of a line-up of thousands of others? Find the answer and define this. You need to start marketing from day one, setting yourself and any future partnerships up for success.
For all the green shoot businesses to emerge from the
last year, don’t compromise the long-term success of your game for short-term rewards.
February/March 2025 MCV/DEVELOP | 47
By Paul Sulyok, CEO at Green Man Gaming
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