The Business of GameBoy
Author
We have a game for PC and we want to port it to the GameBoy platform. Any help or hints regarding the cost structure will be welcomed. How difficult it is to get the SDK and hardware from Nintendo ?
I don''t know about getting it from Nintendo, but there is hardware called GBA Linker that can be used to test your games on a GBA if you do a search of that on the internet your sure to find the hardware and probably some tutorials to get you started..
The only problem would be getting it released on for GameBoy, I''m sure it really not easy to get some one to publish your game.
The only problem would be getting it released on for GameBoy, I''m sure it really not easy to get some one to publish your game.
1) http://www.warioworld.com is the official Nintendo developers website which contains all the information and contact details you''ll need to become a registered developer.
2) As you''ll appreciate, as with all console manufacturers they only allow people who they deem capable of and serious about developing on their platform(s) to become registered developers. They''ll check (and ask you for evidence of, promises are no good, they''ll want proof!):
a. Whether your game design/existing game fits with what they want on their platform. If there are a lot of games already on their platform that are similar to the one you''re proposing to port, your chances of being approved are significantly reduced.
b. Whether your game is actually going to be released. i.e. do you have any interested publishers?, have you even spoken to any publishers?, if not what (in their view) is the likelyhood of your game being released?
c. Will the team be *capable* of seeing the game through to market. Are your team experienced in commercial game development?, Which products have they worked on that have been sold at retail?, were any console games?, were they full price AAA or budget releases? Which games companies have the core team worked at?, what are their backgrounds?, how long have you been a team?
d. Can your company afford to develop a full title on their platform and stay in business throughout the process. How long have you been a company?, Can you afford the official devkits, test kits, ROM burners, staff wages, office space, insurance to keep their kits safe etc
3) The above probably sounds quite harsh. But that''s the stuff you''ll have to prove to Nintendo (or any other console manufacturer). The more of the above you can say YES/NO PROBLEM to and prove, the more likely you are to be approved.
4) If you have lot''s of NO''s on that list, the only ways around it are:
a. Get a publisher who already have Nintendo licensed status interested in releasing the game for the GB/GBC/GBA. If you already have the game running on a PC, this should be easier than trying to get registered status with Nintendo yourself. Often publishers will even supply all the relevent hardware etc too.
b. If experience and track record is the issue, get jobs as individuals working at already established developers or as an outsourcing company for those already established developers. That way you get experience working on those console platforms without needing to go through the licensing/registered dev process yourself. Then you can break away from them again and apply to Nintendo again. This is probably by far the easiest option for you.
--
Simon O''Connor
ex -Creative Asylum
Programmer &
Microsoft MVP
2) As you''ll appreciate, as with all console manufacturers they only allow people who they deem capable of and serious about developing on their platform(s) to become registered developers. They''ll check (and ask you for evidence of, promises are no good, they''ll want proof!):
a. Whether your game design/existing game fits with what they want on their platform. If there are a lot of games already on their platform that are similar to the one you''re proposing to port, your chances of being approved are significantly reduced.
b. Whether your game is actually going to be released. i.e. do you have any interested publishers?, have you even spoken to any publishers?, if not what (in their view) is the likelyhood of your game being released?
c. Will the team be *capable* of seeing the game through to market. Are your team experienced in commercial game development?, Which products have they worked on that have been sold at retail?, were any console games?, were they full price AAA or budget releases? Which games companies have the core team worked at?, what are their backgrounds?, how long have you been a team?
d. Can your company afford to develop a full title on their platform and stay in business throughout the process. How long have you been a company?, Can you afford the official devkits, test kits, ROM burners, staff wages, office space, insurance to keep their kits safe etc
3) The above probably sounds quite harsh. But that''s the stuff you''ll have to prove to Nintendo (or any other console manufacturer). The more of the above you can say YES/NO PROBLEM to and prove, the more likely you are to be approved.
4) If you have lot''s of NO''s on that list, the only ways around it are:
a. Get a publisher who already have Nintendo licensed status interested in releasing the game for the GB/GBC/GBA. If you already have the game running on a PC, this should be easier than trying to get registered status with Nintendo yourself. Often publishers will even supply all the relevent hardware etc too.
b. If experience and track record is the issue, get jobs as individuals working at already established developers or as an outsourcing company for those already established developers. That way you get experience working on those console platforms without needing to go through the licensing/registered dev process yourself. Then you can break away from them again and apply to Nintendo again. This is probably by far the easiest option for you.
--
Simon O''Connor
ex -Creative Asylum
Programmer &
Microsoft MVP
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