I've been working on prototyping a game based on a popular TV series. The network that airs it does (on their website) have games (flash) for some of their shows...none have any social aspects..single player with no persistence an most are fairly simplistic. Note that they don't make any money off these games (other than driving SOME additional web traffic and keeping people interested in their shows).
I While I have most of the gameplay elements mapped out, I have enough of the key features demo-able to make a pretty good pitch (and yes, I've read the preparing-a-product-pitch faq). And I will admit, what I have so far is pretty neat and original. I'm hoping the end result is really fun to play. Currently targeting web-based (for easy facebook integration).
I do want to add some social elements (facebook integration at least and possible multi-player) and definately a persistent game that allows you to pick up where you left off.
My real question to y'all out there is how to pitch the money aspects....
I DO intend to finish the game on my own, regardless if I can get buy-in from this network. I can easily tweak so I am not stepping on any copyright toes...
I have a full-time job, so regardless of any kind of funding, things will go slow...but funding would help me buy models/assistance I would otherwise have to create/code myself.
I see only a couple options for the financial pitch:
1. Flat-fee upon completeion and hand-over (possibly more palitable to them as I have little real-world game development experience except for a single completed unpublished game)
2. partial funding up front and the rest upon completion.
My real question is one of value...how much is a 'casual' game with a TV tie-in with no monitization worth? (If I go off on my own with this, I can see some monetization options for it with in-game purchases).
5K? 10K? 50K? Nothing?
Pitching a game to TV network
1. My real question to y'all out there is how to pitch the money aspects....
2. My real question is one of value...how much is a 'casual' game with a TV tie-in with no monitization worth? (If I go off on my own with this, I can see some monetization options for it with in-game purchases).
5K? 10K? 50K? Nothing?
[s]1. It depends. Who are you pitching to (the IP owner? a publisher? capital?), and what do you want to accomplish? (you want right to take game to a publisher? you want to self-publish? you want the pitchee to publish?) And as frob said, what are you offering?
2. I don't understand the question. "Worth" in what way? Are you talking about the license and what it might cost?[/s]
Wait, I think dawn is breaking. You're building a game that you think the show's owners, or the show's network, will want to use to promote the show, and that they'll want to host on their own website(s). But you haven't asked them if they want it, or if they want to host it with whatever social aspects you're planning to build in. So...
1. Spend as little as possible since you're taking the risk that they won't want it. But make the best possible demo so they might want it. It's a tricky balance you have to strike. It'll also be rather tricky finding the right parties to pitch it to. Probably whatever web marketing company does their website for them.
2. It has to be you who sets the price. You should make more money back than you put into it. But you shouldn't put more into it than a highly-skilled and lightning-fast developer would. (You can't put overtime into it, you have to run it lean.)
Wait, hold on.
This is by NO means a "Breaking In" question! Apparently nobody understands what "breaking in" means. Moving this to Business.
This is by NO means a "Breaking In" question! Apparently nobody understands what "breaking in" means. Moving this to Business.
OP: You want to know how much the network that owns the TV show will pay you for your game? The answer to that question is easy - Zero point Zero dollars. Entertainment companies license their IP to 3rd parties to make games and make money from such licensing transactions. I repeat - no one is going to pay you for your work without some idea how you plan to monetize it. So, how do you plan to pay the IP holder for those rights and do you have sufficient funds to publish the game within a reasonable time frame and with a business plan to monetize the IP? You stated this is a "part-time" job, so you may want to re-consider your options and lower your expectations. Unless you are really willing put up funds to go into full time production on a finished product that will come out in a reasonable time frame, pitching the IP owner for the rights may be a futile venture.
Good luck!
Good luck!
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