I don't know where you saw that, but games rarely make money. There are lots and lots and lots of games released every year, and of those only a few dozen actually make any significant profit. AAA titles included.
That's not to say you can't make money making games, just that you shouldn't expect to make some game, then get bought by facebook for 100 million dollars and then retire to some island. Even if you WERE bought the terms are usually such that the purchase is vested and thus you would continue to work for them for a period of time long enough for them to make back what they've invested in your company. Lastly, game studios don't buy game ideas. They don't even buy incomplete games. They MIGHT buy your entire company, but that includes the talent. Corporate memory is often worth far more to a business than just the IP. At least at first. Even if they are interested in buying your IP, its usually only after you enter bankruptcy and your assets (including your IP) are up for sale to pay off your creditors that they'll invest the money to acquire anything. Really the only other case of a company getting bought (in the game industry) is when the studio already produces titles that are making money, i.e. Proven studios.
Is it hard to sell games to another studio?
Do remember that there's a difference between having a business plan and carefully considering monetization options (which is a Good Thing) and hoping to "get rich quick" (which is a fool's errand).
You've only been told one of these things is bad, and it's been clearly explained why. Don't confuse the issue looking for a disagreement when people are just trying to give clear and helpful advice; especially given everyone has taken the time to explain their reasoning.
You've only been told one of these things is bad, and it's been clearly explained why. Don't confuse the issue looking for a disagreement when people are just trying to give clear and helpful advice; especially given everyone has taken the time to explain their reasoning.
Author
Do remember that there's a difference between having a business plan and carefully considering monetization options (which is a Good Thing) and hoping to "get rich quick" (which is a fool's errand).
You've only been told one of these things is bad, and it's been clearly explained why. Don't confuse the issue looking for a disagreement when people are just trying to give clear and helpful advice; especially given everyone has taken the time to explain their reasoning.
I disagree that you shouldnt design the game to make a lot of money.
When you make a game you should make it with money as your first priority.
And one of the biggest factors that make you money is the amount of players you have... so if you want a lot of player you need to make a great game.
So money is the best goal when you make a game.
But if you make your first goal making a great game.. then you might completely skip the part of the best way ofmaking money of your game..
And so you do it as a last effort before shipping out the game... making small money of it when you could of made sooo much more.
[quote name='jbadams' timestamp='1334995331' post='4933461']
Do remember that there's a difference between having a business plan and carefully considering monetization options (which is a Good Thing) and hoping to "get rich quick" (which is a fool's errand).
You've only been told one of these things is bad, and it's been clearly explained why. Don't confuse the issue looking for a disagreement when people are just trying to give clear and helpful advice; especially given everyone has taken the time to explain their reasoning.
I disagree that you shouldnt design the game to make a lot of money.
When you make a game you should make it with money as your first priority.
And one of the biggest factors that make you money is the amount of players you have... so if you want a lot of player you need to make a great game.
So money is the best goal when you make a game.
But if you make your first goal making a great game.. then you might completely skip the part of the best way ofmaking money of your game..
And so you do it as a last effort before shipping out the game... making small money of it when you could of made sooo much more.
[/quote]
The first, most important, and practically the only "priority" in making a game is fun. All other points are moot unless the game is fun.
[quote name='jbadams' timestamp='1334995331' post='4933461']
Do remember that there's a difference between having a business plan and carefully considering monetization options (which is a Good Thing) and hoping to "get rich quick" (which is a fool's errand).
You've only been told one of these things is bad, and it's been clearly explained why. Don't confuse the issue looking for a disagreement when people are just trying to give clear and helpful advice; especially given everyone has taken the time to explain their reasoning.
I disagree that you shouldnt design the game to make a lot of money.
When you make a game you should make it with money as your first priority.
And one of the biggest factors that make you money is the amount of players you have... so if you want a lot of player you need to make a great game.
So money is the best goal when you make a game.
But if you make your first goal making a great game.. then you might completely skip the part of the best way ofmaking money of your game..
And so you do it as a last effort before shipping out the game... making small money of it when you could of made sooo much more.
[/quote]
Noone is saying that you shouldn't try to make as much money as possible, (Ofcourse you should), they're saying that you shouldn't go into the industry expecting to get rich quickly.
Starting any business in any field takes alot of hard work, Your first game will most likely not be highly profitable even if it sells well. When starting out you have no existing codebase to help you cut costs, no mindshare among your customers to drive sales(You have to market your game alot more, which eats up alot of the profit) and not enough money to compete directly with the AAA studios.
Author
[quote name='glhf' timestamp='1335024866' post='4933541']
[quote name='jbadams' timestamp='1334995331' post='4933461']
Do remember that there's a difference between having a business plan and carefully considering monetization options (which is a Good Thing) and hoping to "get rich quick" (which is a fool's errand).
You've only been told one of these things is bad, and it's been clearly explained why. Don't confuse the issue looking for a disagreement when people are just trying to give clear and helpful advice; especially given everyone has taken the time to explain their reasoning.
I disagree that you shouldnt design the game to make a lot of money.
When you make a game you should make it with money as your first priority.
And one of the biggest factors that make you money is the amount of players you have... so if you want a lot of player you need to make a great game.
So money is the best goal when you make a game.
But if you make your first goal making a great game.. then you might completely skip the part of the best way ofmaking money of your game..
And so you do it as a last effort before shipping out the game... making small money of it when you could of made sooo much more.
[/quote]
Noone is saying that you shouldn't try to make as much money as possible, (Ofcourse you should), they're saying that you shouldn't go into the industry expecting to get rich quickly.
[/quote]
Being rich is a different number for all people.
and so is quickly.
Making 100 grand after a years work on a game is very very possible.
Then ofcourse you have to split the money with the team.. which is why It's best to have 1 or 2 persons in the team and outsource as much as you can.
But if you designed the game good then you can continue making more money after the 100 grand the first year... and continuing to make money is much easier than starting to make money.
And I said within 1-3 years and I also said rich with " around the word.
Being rich is a different number for all people.
and so is quickly.
Making 100 grand after a years work on a game is very very possible.
Then ofcourse you have to split the money with the team.. which is why It's best to have 1 or 2 persons in the team and outsource as much as you can.
But if you designed the game good then you can continue making more money after the 100 grand the first year... and continuing to make money is much easier than starting to make money.
And I said within 1-3 years and I also said rich with " around the word.
wait what ? split money with the team ? (Thats not a serious way to run a business)
If you intend to run a business you pay your staff a salary. (You will not find anyone with the relevant skills who is willing to work without direct compensation, making a successful product with the help of amateurs is not a viable business strategy). (Where i live that means around $5000 per month for each worker in salaries and social security fees if they are fresh graduates, more if they have experience).
There are basically 2 viable ways to run a game business:
1) Do it yourself and outsource the things you can't do (This has to be kept to a minimum and thus you'll have to work very very hard, you also need enough money to live on while you do this (unless you work another job on the side)
2) Pay your staff. (This takes alot of money).
Revenue share schemes are suitable for hobbyists who don't expect to make any real profit from the game but still want to put their game on for example a web portal that shares ad revenue, Its not suitable for a business.
Author
[quote name='glhf' timestamp='1335031082' post='4933558']
Being rich is a different number for all people.
and so is quickly.
Making 100 grand after a years work on a game is very very possible.
Then ofcourse you have to split the money with the team.. which is why It's best to have 1 or 2 persons in the team and outsource as much as you can.
But if you designed the game good then you can continue making more money after the 100 grand the first year... and continuing to make money is much easier than starting to make money.
And I said within 1-3 years and I also said rich with " around the word.
wait what ? split money with the team ? (Thats not a serious way to run a business)
If you intend to run a business you pay your staff a salary. (You will not find anyone with the relevant skills who is willing to work without direct compensation, making a successful product with the help of amateurs is not a viable business strategy). (Where i live that means around $5000 per month for each worker in salaries and social security fees if they are fresh graduates, more if they have experience).
There are basically 2 viable ways to run a game business:
1) Do it yourself and outsource the things you can't do (This has to be kept to a minimum and thus you'll have to work very very hard, you also need enough money to live on while you do this (unless you work another job on the side)
2) Pay your staff. (This takes alot of money).
Revenue share schemes are suitable for hobbyists who don't expect to make any real profit from the game but still want to put their game on for example a web portal that shares ad revenue, Its not suitable for a business.
[/quote]
Completely false.
Just because you have that problem doesn't mean everyone does.
Completely false.
Just because you have that problem doesn't mean everyone does.
Good luck on your idea and all that. You may be correct and prove all the other contributors are wrong.
This has changed from a reasoned discussion about selling IP over to a series of personal attacks.
On that note, I think we're done here.
This topic is closed to new replies.
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