The Business of Indie Games : Everything You Need to Know to Conquer the Indie Games Industry

" The Business of Indie Games provides exceptional insight into how the video games industry works. It shares valuable information on how to successfully self-publish and secure publisher support. Whether you’re making your first game or tenth, this book is a must read." – Paul Baldwin, Curve Digital "The video game industry is a tough business and anyone looking to succeed in indie development should give The Business of Indie Games a read." – Graham Smith, Co-Founder of DrinkBox Studios "This book is a fast track to success for anyone managing a game launch and looking to raise funding for their projects. It shares knowledge that you only learn after years of triumphs and failures within this industry." – Scott Drader, Co-Founder of Metalhead Software "There’s nothing like The Business of Indie Games taught in school. You learn how to make a game, but not how to conduct business, market, and launch a game. This book dives into topics that every indie developer should know." – Yukon Wainczak, Founder of Snoozy Kazoo "I’ve seen no better guide for understanding how the video game industry really works. An important read for anyone whose work touches games, including those of us looking to engage the community." – Carla Warner, Director of STREAM for No Kid Hungry The Business of Indie Games explores what many universities forget to cover: how to sell and market your own indie game to potential publishers and developers. While many classes help students on their way to designing and programming their own games, there are few classes that equip students with the skills to sell their own product. In essence, this means future indie game developers are not equipped to talk to investors, negotiate with publishers, and engage with major platforms like Steam and Nintendo. Authors Alex Josef, Alex Van Lepp, and Marshal D. Carper are looking to rectify this problem by helping indie game developers and companies level up their business acumen. With detailed chapters and sections that deal with different engines, negotiation tactics, and marketing, The Business of Indie Games is the perfect omnibus for up-and-coming indie game developers. The future of gaming curriculums is not just in teaching students how to create games but also in preparing them for the business of games. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Dedication TABLE OF CONTENTS About the Authors Introduction PART 1: How the Indie Video Game Industry Works 1. Developers and How They Fit into the Games Industry Ecosystem The Broad Definition of “Indie” Developers The Money People: Investors and Publishers How Investors Work How Publishers Work Self-Publishing and Crowdfunding How Money People Keep Making Money 2. The Power of Platforms and Stakeholders Primary Platforms Miscellaneous Secondary Platforms Orbiting Stakeholders The Indie Mindset for Platforms and Stakeholders 3. The Art of Video Game Revenue Game Sales Minimum Guarantees Subscriptions: Games as a Service Physical Releases Soundtracks Merchandising Licensing Deals Bundle Sales Secondary Platform Sales Revenue Recap 4. The Secret Economy of Steam Wishlists Wishlists as a Crystal Ball for Future Sales Wishlists as Currency Wishlists and the Steam Algorithm Are Steam Follows the Next Critical Metric? Revenue, Wishlists, and Beyond PART 2: Pre-Development Choices 5. Project Types and Project Goals Pre-Development Overview How to Use This Section for True Pre-Development How to Use This Section for Retroactive Pre-Development Project Types and Project Goals Hobby Game Projects Self-Published Projects Traditional Publishing Crowdfunded Projects A “Living” Document 6. Genre and Market Evaluation Predicting Sales Success The Ins and Outs of Sales Data Trends and Traps Stepping Back for the Big Picture 7. Scope and Engine Choices Assessing Scope by Genre Assessing Scope by Assets and Length Scope Exercise 1: Reverse Engineer an Existing Game Scope Exercise 2: Prototype Scope Exercise 3: Ask Another Developer Scope Exercise 4: Learn from Your Old Projects Translation and Localization Assessing Additional Development Needs The Business Perspective on Engine Selection Engines You Should Know Construct 3 GameMaker Studio Godot Unity Unreal CryEngine Open 3D Engine (Formerly Amazon’s Lumberyard) Other Game Engines Publisher Preference Genre Trends Licensing Fees and Other Terms of Use Platform Incentives Final Words of Caution 8. Timelines, Budgets, and Project Management Mapping Scope to Time Estimates Picking a Release Window Avoid Q4 and Major Holidays Be Aware of Other Game Releases Release in the “Slow” Season Consider the Good and the Bad of Tradeshow Launches Launch One Month Later Than You Think. Weigh Potential Exceptions to Our Advice Assess the Timeline Gap or Overage Budget Best Practices Important Budget Terms and Concepts Projected Costs vs. Actual Costs Burn Rate The Long Tail Start with a Budget Template Building and Managing a Team Types of Team Member Relationships Be Cautious with Agreements and Equity Recruiting and Hiring People and Project Management Backups Version Control Organization and Communication Ongoing Course Corrections PART 3: Pitches and Publishing Deals 9. Pitch Deck Perfection Pitch Deck Basics Deck Content: Product Details Game Concept Launch Timing Game Length and Game Price Platforms Engine Deck Content: Marketing Assets Game Trailers Screenshots and GIFs Other Key Art Deck Content: Roadmap to Launch Market Analysis The Ask and Budget Breakdown Deck Content: Team Information Deck Content: Demo and GDD How to Present Your Pitch Account for Time Constraints Rehearse Your Pitch Prepare Your Own Questions Pitch Delivery When a Pitch Fails 10. How to Negotiate with a Publisher Negotiation Overview Key Background Insights Basic Indie Publisher Deal Structure Milestone Schedule Recoup Advances Revenue Share Intellectual Property Terms The Negotiation Process Revisiting Your Pitch Deck Pitch Context and Rapport Meeting Context General Sales Tips The Stages of a Publishing Deal Discovery Call General Preparation Preparing for Specific Publishers Preparing to Answer Questions Budget and Timeline Questions Engine Selection and Market Fit Asking Your Own Questions Publisher Review Receiving an Offer or an LOI If the Offer Matches the Ask If the Offer Does Not Match Your Ask How to Counter Shopping Offers and Walking Away Approaching a Publisher Who Has Not Made an Offer Approaching a Publisher Who Has Made You an Offer Walking Away Letter of Intent Working With an Attorney Proven Industry Experience Fair and Clear Rates Responsive and Available Relevant Regional Credentials Managing the Client–Attorney Relationship Taking Changes to the Publisher Advocating for Yourself Juggling Business Development with Game Development PART 4: The Road to Release 11. Quality Assurance The Business Implications of QA Managing QA for Indie Games Sourcing Game Testers Gathering Feedback Implementing QA Feedback Recognize Your Own Biases and Limitations Revisit Your Comparable Title Research Seek to Understand the Root Issue Run Tests QA as a Skill 12. Translation, Localization, and Porting Best Practices for Preparation Get the Tools You Need Routinely Assess Your Workflows Flag Potential Obstacles Test It Out Plan for the Unexpected When to Change Your Plans Opening New Porting Opportunities Being Open to the Outlandish Wishlist Momentum Establish Relationships Talk to Your Network Ask Your Platform Representative for Help Follow up a Splash with Another Splash Think Bigger than Minimum Guarantees Launch Day Is Not Always Ideal 13. Marketing from Zero Hello, World! Hello, Twitter! Key Assets: How to Create Memorable Marketing On-Property Digital Marketing: Attract and Retain Interested Players Off-Property Digital Marketing: Injecting Your Game Into Player Communities Gaming Events: Entering the Epicenter of the Industry Press Engagement: Earning Media Coverage Pre-Release Accolades: Building a Body of Social Proof Other Marketing Channels Paid Advertising Influencer Marketing Curators and Key Distributors Giveaways Charity Activations Example Calendars and Schedules Example Launch Calendar Example Social Media Calendar Budget and Measurement Example Marketing Budget Breakdown Crash-Course in Marketing Metrics An Extension of Your Game PART 5: Post-Release 14. What about Second Launch? Discounts and Bundles A Launch Discount Is Probably a Good Idea Gradually Increase Discounts over Time Steam Sales Are Not the Only Sales Account for Sales Fatigue Be Strategic with Bundle Promotions Charity Activations Secondary Platforms Unlocking Additional Revenue Channels The Size of Your Customer Pool Player Demand Assess Your Level of Access to Players Listen to Your Players Start with Small Tests Find a Partner Deciding Scope Understand the New Business Open for New Opportunities 15. The Next Game Stay Lean. Stay Scrappy. Get a Headstart The Merits and Pitfalls of a Sequel Reconsider It’s Dangerous to Go Alone We Want That to Change References Index "Many early efforts in higher education are variations of traditional computer science curriculums, so while students might be learning how to make games in the classroom, they are learning very little about the business of games. That means they are not equipped to talk to investors, negotiate with publishers, and engage with major platforms like Steam and Nintendo--all of which are mandatory skills for modern indie developers. The future of gaming curriculums is not just teaching students how to create games, but in preparing them for the business of games"-- Provided by publisher