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Who should I pick: Publishers or Investors?
Kadri Ugandco-founderGameFounders
Kadri
MENTORSPARTNERSPLAYTEST DAYSBOARD MEETINGSPITCH DAYSDEMO DAYSFOLLOW-UP SUPPORT
INVESTMENT$
STUDY TRIP
GameFounders
I want to make 10x return on my investment in 5 years.Investor
I want to make 1M this year.Publisher
Game vs team
Soft Launch numbers
Market and portfolio fit
Sequel or Known IP
Previous positions at companies
Portfolio
Previous co-operation partners
Investors look at the team they invest in, publishers look at the game and it's potential. If you have a team that does not have any track record and you have not published a game before, it might make sense to use a publisher to learn how to launch and market and use that experience in the future. If you have published a game and can show great KPIs or have a superstar with track record in your team, you are more likely to be able to raise money from an investor.
Services vs capital
PR and marketing
Monetisation advice
Launch assistance
Development funding
Marketing funding
Advice and network
Investors provide you with capital while most publishers provide you their services in marketing your game. You can have a financial investor with only money or a strategic investor, that will also be your mentor of sorts. Either way you will have resources to finish your game. While publishersused to provide game developers with development money, it is not common practice any more. This means you need to have money to develop the game yourself.Publishers mostly offer you their services in launch,marketing, localization and community management. This is a good opportunity to see the pro's work up close and learn for your next games.
Revenue share vs equity
% of game revenue
First xx lump sum revenue?
Rights to sequels?
Share in the company
Non-compete clause
Lock-in clause
Investors take a stake in your studio while publishers take a share of the revenue you make off your game. Investors will get their money back when a larger investor shows up and buys them out. This means the moment you give equity to an investor, your company is up for sale. Might sound scary, but that is what you ultimately want as well, right?Publishers make money when your game makes money- they take a cut from the revenue. This means if you make money they make money and also if your game does not make money, they will drop it.
Short vs long term
Contracts game-by-game
No guarantee of next contract
Shareholder until exit
Investors will remain with you until a bigger investor comes along, publishers are usually with you until the end of the life cycle of a single game. This is the reason why you should choose the publishers carefully but theinvestors with even more care. Publishers sign only one game with possible claim for any sequels,prequels or new platforms. Be sure the partners you choose have the capability to work with all the aspects you sign over and also how to exit the contract with minimum loss.
Regional vs global
Can carve out a market
Can carve out a platform
Localization!
Share in the company
Investors will work with you globally as publishers usually have a regional strength they have carved out. No doubt there are publishers that work globally and do it well. There are also publishers that have defined a market (like China, Japan, US), platform or target groupfor themselves. It depends on the appeal of your game if it makes more sense to go with one or the other. The regional focus will make it possible for you to work with multiple publishers at the same time maximising the global success of the game. Investors will always work with you globally, so do the same thing- make sure they can be useful for you beyond the money in all the regions you plan to publish your games.
INVESTORSPUBLISHERS
Decision criteriateamgame
Earnings fromequityrevenue
Provides fundingyesrather not
Provides servicesadviceyes
Success criteriacompany successgame success
Geographical coverageglobalregional/global
Durationlong termshort term
Recap
Bad Seed EntertainmentMilan, Italy
Investors:GameFounders
Mind the Bridge
United Ventures
Publishers:PocketGems
Ayopa
Case study #1
Bitcake StudioBrazil
Case study #2
Publishing deals by platforms and regions
Accounts grew from 10k to 800k
Tiny Lab ProductionsVilnius, Lithuania
1 game with Bulkypix
NOWSelf-financed
Self-publishing
Case study #3
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