So, you have created a game. What's next?

The game is almost in alpha state. For months you worked hard on it, the last jerk was left to the goal, and the finish line is already visible. You plan to spend the next few months polishing, tuning and balancing your masterpiece before showing it to the world and making a fortune. But this is not entirely true. Much remains to be done. In fact, a completely new world will soon open before you while you google information on marketing, PR, community creation and game publishing. You read post-mortem stories, heard scary stories and watched videos from the GDC about games falling apart over the last couple of months of development or lost in the abyss after release due to insufficient publicity or apathy. Now you are worried about the fate of your wonderful creation, in which you have invested months of creative work and energy. Fear gradually takes hold of you. The horror that your game may just sink into oblivion.

There is still much to do! If you are like me, then in some ways you lack experience. We all have different skills and do our job well, but no one can be a specialist in all areas. For example, I am primarily a programmer, and I can do a lot of other things (except graphics, I'm not good at it), but creating a business, marketing, PR and creating a community ... No, for me it was always a mystery, and I always ignored these aspects until the last moment, after which, finally, he forced himself to somehow do this part of the work. It's just that for me this is not a very interesting part of the game development process, and I think most will agree with that. Except marketing fans, of course.

If you take the team as a whole, I can assume that it has only the most necessary skills to create a game. Programmer, artist, designer, musician (if you're lucky) and producer (if you're unlucky: just kidding, I love producers), and even these roles are usually combined in one person. The fact is that if you are limited in budget (as usually happens), then you are most likely to invest in full, and rely on the kindness of other members of the team to finish the job. Finding money to help professionals do the work necessary to attract an audience can be difficult. There is a temptation to figure it out and do it all yourself. It can be very difficult if marketing is not your thing. And it’s not just marketing. There are also public relations (PR), who make them get out of a cozy office cave and talk with other human beings [winces]. There are contracts and non-disclosure agreements, paper legal work that needs to be understood and understood. There are exhibition schedules and interviews. Need to seek funds. A million small and large tasks that need to be completed after the game is completed.

Marketing and business development are not in the list of priorities at the beginning of the project, and they are paid attention only to the end. Once you find a publisher, you can get rid of a whole bunch of problems faced by a small indie developer. Marketing / PR, advertising, events, distribution, financing, production support, etc., etc. This is great, but everything has a price. Publishers will take their share, and this share may be the lion. If you take into account the part that Steam and other distribution platforms take, then you may not have much left over the years of hard work. Of course, a good publisher will be able to take your game to a new level, and a small piece of a large pie is still better than a large piece of a small one (I love pies!). Be that as it may, a good publisher can put a lot of effort into you,

Or you can publish the game yourself. You can make a plan, organize a campaign on Kickstarter, ask your friends for help in disseminating information about the game, slow down sites and video bloggers and hope for the best. Perhaps you can help yourself with money. You might be lucky. The problem with this approach is that it leads to failure. Most often. Effective marketing of the finished game could potentially be one of the most important parts of its creation.

I’ll clarify: I am not saying that one should prefer an independent publication to traditional publishers, or vice versa. Find a publisher or publish yourself. It all depends on the situation and your needs. Both ways have their pros and cons. This article will be devoted to notes and thoughts about what I understood over the past few months, considering this topic. My game is also almost at the alpha stage ...

Publish yourself or find a publisher?

Is it worth sharing part of the game to get professional help? Everyone who makes games for the sake of earning should think and discuss this topic honestly. Weigh the benefits and price. Will you benefit by sharing money? Is sales and revenue growth worth part of the revenue? Of course, you don’t have to share part of the game to get professional help. You just need money. The bigger, the better. Because professionals need to pay.

Publisher or affiliate?

There is a clear difference between them. Partnership, in contrast to the usual deal with the publisher, has additional nuances: enthusiasm, creativity and investments (not only financial) in the game and in all its aspects, including marketing, distribution and production. Partnership usually relies on trust, gradually builds up in several joint projects and strives for common success. We all hope to get a publisher who cares about us and works with us to create the best possible game.

Desired Publisher Features

"Scene and spotlights . " Ideally, the publisher should pay all the attention of others to the developer. The publisher himself must sit on the back row and advertise the developer and his game, without putting himself forward. The stars must be the game and the developer, and the publisher himself - only their representative.

"Personal relationships". This refers to the openness of the publisher. How responsive and willing to cooperate? Will you have your own curator or manager? Does the publisher have a big turnover? Do you have to communicate with a new publisher representative each time? Understand who does what and what the structure of the publisher is. Find out who is responsible for what and is able to make decisions. It will help if you like the people working with you and the “work culture” of the publisher. Does it protect your interests from the bottom of your heart and will cover your back in case of serious problems?

Honesty and Realism. All those involved should be able to speak honestly and not “smooth the corners” when discussing money, deadlines and everything that affects any aspect of the game. Both parties should have the right to ask questions and answer them with all openness. Money is important, it is they - the reason for your cooperation. Where do they come from and where do they go? How are they distributed and paid?

"Courting" the publisher is a serious matter. Reputation and money are at stake, so take it seriously and be meticulous in the details. By establishing a relationship with the publisher, you assume responsibility for studying its previous projects and reputation. Gather information before starting negotiations. Check out the publisher’s website, its Youtube channel, Metacritic ratings, rumors, and reviews. Find out how he achieved success and how it can be applied to your game.

Having started a serious conversation with the publisher, ask for recommendations (yes, you can do so). Talk to the developers in his portfolio (not just successful ones!). Find out how the publisher behaved if the game wasn’t very popular. This will tell you a lot about the publisher’s attitude to developers and his behavior in case of trouble.

Questions to ask the publisher

A simple question: how do we make more money with you than without you?

Not everything that the publisher offers will be in your interests, and not everything will take into account your situation. You may already have full funding. Maybe you just need access to a specific platform. You may be desperate for money, or you will need help with paper work.

All this must be discussed with a potential publisher and ask him questions before putting his signature in the contract.

Marketing / PR - Promotion, Events and Community

What can the publisher offer? What are its capabilities and resources? Does he have a team? Where is she located? Does the publisher specialize in a specific country? In which markets will the game be presented (countries / regions)? Are there any employees who speak the language of this market? Do they understand the nuances of a country / region? What will be the marketing of the game? Ask for examples of previous campaigns from other games. Does the publisher use streamer and video blogging services? What about social networks? What about building and managing a community? What is a standard budget or marketing campaign cost? How will the money be spent? How will the costs be reimbursed? Does the publisher participate in events? Around the world? Check out the publisher’s story and learn how it supported other games.

Distribution - channels, digital and retail sales, trade in paraphernalia and events

These aspects relate mainly to the availability of the game. Steam, PSN, XBox. Placement in shop windows, inclusion in advertising materials, paraphernalia. What access does the publisher have to various distribution channels and what are its successes? Explore the issue yourself. View the publisher’s catalog. Where is your game embedded? Is there the possibility of mutual advertising or linking to other products?

Financing - Development Money

How much money do you need and when? Be precise and detailed - contracts are not rewritten. How much money you actually spend in the short and long term. Returning to the publisher asking for new amounts will weaken your position and possibly oblige you to make concessions. Changing a contract can be a complex and expensive task.

Production - testing, sound, localization, dubbing, shooting videos, etc.

Are manufacturing services included in the contract? These are the real costs of the publisher, so what is their volume, and how are these costs recovered? What level of competence does the publisher have in the services it provides? Whom does he hire for work? Will you have direct contact with contractors or is it difficult to communicate with them?

Additional comments / thoughts

When negotiating an agreement, do not stop at vague answers, but do not suspect anything and everything. If something is unclear or unclear, ask for clarifications and detailed explanations. Ask for examples. Understand how money works, how it comes and goes. How are accounting and payment schedules arranged. Understand all reservations and conditions affecting money. How are publisher reimbursed? What is considered a “cost”? When are they reimbursed (schedule)? There are no stupid questions, there are sad and broken developers.

Sustainability. Find out how good the publisher is. Who is financing it? Who pays him? Take it carefully and prepare for potential problems. Understand the risks and draw up a “Plan”. A plan for the future and a plan for positioning yourself in the future. Understand what your cash needs are. Payments take time to leak through the system. Plan for your next project.

Communication with the publisher / partner is extremely important. Communicate regularly and discuss everything in advance. Try to avoid unpleasant surprises and do not ignore important points. If something is not clear - discuss. Know who makes the decisions.

Intellectual property and tenure rights must be very important to the developer. The game is your child, and intellectual property (IP) is his soul. IP is your most valuable resource in the long run. Do not sell IP. Do not make it part of the contract. Think about the future, about sequels and additional games based on IP. Does the publisher have long-term interests? Are there any written conditions that do not allow you to use your IP in other places? How is the publisher positioned, advertised and presented by the IP publisher to the world? IP is not just a game. This is ANY other opportunity arising from an idea, whether it be books, t-shirts, comics, plush toys, collectible cards, films, etc. Ownership is control.

There are many publishers and they make many promises. Understand your publisher (find out everything). Be responsible. Manage the deal and retain control of the game and IP. The publisher needs you more than he needs you, because you can always publish yourself if the deal does not suit you.

Make sure that personal agreements with your team and partners are negotiated and clearly indicated. What is the structure of the company and who owns it? How is the money distributed? Deal with a disbursement schedule, accounting, and legal aspects. How are contractors managed and paid? How are costs recorded and tracked? Written contracts are very important. Do not limit yourself to verbal agreements and whims.

General Marketing / PR Notes

If you are publishing yourself, consider hiring a PR specialist or marketing firm. Marketing and PR are complex, this is a full-time job. Such is the cruel truth and reality. You can find people who will work for you for a moderate fee and support you. Even a simple but professionally thought-out plan and deadlines will be a huge help and guide for many.

Social networks

Facebook is useless. Twitter is better. Reddit is risky, you need to play by its rules, otherwise you will be punished. In general, it’s better to use social networks to redirect to your company’s website or game. If possible, create a community around your own site. So you succeed and keep ownership of your content.

Website / Blog

Most create a website for the game and promote it. In the end, the game is on it. If you have several games, then it makes sense to collect them on the company's website. Building websites and building a community around them is pretty serious work, so spend your time wisely. Prepare press materials (press kit). They should contain everything necessary for the game journalist to be able to add an impression of the game. Write “Elevator Pitch,” a couple of sentences about the essence of the game. Create short texts that you can copy and paste into your blog or reviews. Prepare advertising screenshots, renderings and videos of different quality and size.

Create a mailing list registration. Stay connected and communicate regularly with the community and subscribers. Do cross-posts on social networks with links leading to the site. Visit the forums of indie developers and players, communicate with their communities. Contact communities that are interested in the genre of your game. Having laid the foundation of the game's community, consider hiring a community manager, because this work takes a lot of time.

Game press

Contact journalists by mail, etc. Follow them on Twitter and chat. Email notifications and press releases. A marketing / PR specialist will help you a lot here, especially if he has good connections.

Regular press

Think about those aspects of the game that might be of interest to another, non-gaming press. Radio, television, print media. Perhaps the game uses a place or time of interest outside it? Maybe it addresses social / environmental issues? Perhaps it expresses political views or reveals other topics?

Youtube

Youtube is an important part of game marketing. Big YouTube List: http://videogamecaster.com/big-list-of-youtubers - find powerful video bloggers interested in the game genre and chat with them. Give them early access to the game, etc.

Twitch

Twitch is dedicated only to games (and girls with webcams), but mainly to games. Twitch recently announced plans to create a sales platform as part of the Twitch streamer channel. This gives great opportunities for developers and streamers, so know Twitch streamers useful to you and find those who may be interested in the game genre.

Exhibitions and Shows

Consider creating a demo that shows the game from the best side. Support for controllers is required. People just want to go up and play. If the game is too confusing or not suitable for exhibitions, do not waste money.

Kickstarter

Use it as part of a marketing strategy. Organize a mailing list. Create an audience. Collect a special demo level, which can be played by those who invested in the game. Later, post the same demo for sharing on the game's website. Create feasible and acceptable rewards as well as stretch goals. Avoid material rewards like t-shirts, books, and figurines. Of course, they are very wonderful, but at the same time expensive, and packaging and shipping take a lot of time. Make digital rewards, such as a downloadable soundtrack, a bonus music track, a portfolio of digital images, the names of those who supported the project in the credits and in the “Heroes Hall” of the game.

And finally

When releasing on multiple platforms for each audience, you need to prepare your own story. Know what the audience is expecting on the PC, what the audience is expecting on the PS4 / XBox, and please them. The audience of each platform is waiting for something of its own. This also applies to individual UI / UX for platforms.

Banners do not really work. This is an inefficient way to communicate. People block or ignore ads. An exception may be a notification of an important event, such as a sale or major update.

Keep in touch with the community. Reviews and ratings are important. Consider adding cards and achievements to Steam.

Localize the game to support other languages: French, German and Spanish. Look at the metrics and find out where they play your game.

Good luck