Royalties
Bascially we get 18% percent of the net profits after the cost of the development has be recouped by the publisher.
So we need to sell about 250,000 units before we see a penny.
The other 82% goes to the publisher, however I don't know what the profit level per full priced game is.
There's a rather long "food chain" involved in getting a game into the hands of retail consumers. There's the developer, the publisher, the distributer, and retailer.
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DavidRM
Samu Games
Generally speaking, the more risk involved for the publisher, the less royalties the developer gets. If you don't need an advance to finish a game, it's less risk for the publisher, and should mean more royalties for you. Likewise, if you need $1.5 million up front, your royalties are going to be lower.
Mason McCuskey
Spin Studios
www.spin-studios.com
Thanks
His work force is maybe half the size of other game developers. Other shops take advances from big distributors and thereby pocket only 16% to 20% of a games wholesale price. Id funds the $2 million to $3 million cost of developing a game itself and keeps closer to 35%. It relies on Activision to distribute its wares. Quake III could retail for about $50; Activision would collect $44 from retailers, subtract $3 for packaging costs and then pay Id a 40% cut of the remainder, or $16.