30°

Ashfall Is an Interconnected Open World Game with Web 3.0 Support from ex Sony Veterans

John Garvin and Michael Mumbauer announced a new studio called Lilithos and its highly ambitious first open world game, Ashfall.

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wccftech.com
170°

Your Indie Game Just Sold 2 Million Copies… So Why Are You Still Broke?

Thomas Mahler: "Since it's quite bananas that a lot of players still do not understand the economy behind game development, I thought it'd be best to just break down a real example of a really successful first-time developer who managed to make a deal with a publisher. "

Terry_B23h ago

I wouldnt call a game that costs 10 million to make and had over 30 people from different companies working on it an indie game.

Seriously, no.

StoneTitan1h ago

its an independent studio that is not owned by any big studio or publisher. what else would you call them?

Santouryuu3h ago

I don't get it..
He starts with 10M cost for the game excluding marketing and continues to detract "other"costs...
Why are the costs of storefront, engine etc not included in the 10M?

thorstein2h ago(Edited 2h ago)

CEO makes CEO noises.

If he takes a 1 million dollar bonus every year the game is being made and the game took 5 years to be made, the "cost" isn't 10 million, it should be 5 million.

It's just more magical accounting. This industry is replete with it.

staticall2h ago(Edited 2h ago)

@Santouryuu
Yeah, it's weird. On top of that, he subtracts engine, tax from HIS own money, but this should be put on the publisher (or at least be split, 50%/50% or how they agree), because they're benefitting from the sales as well. On top of that, he makes it look like he didn't get a cent, but he (and his team) was paid the salary the whole way through, with bonuses and stuff. Probably rent for the office was taken care of as well and licenses/devices too.

And also, he acts like his games' average price was $10 (by the way, if the game cost $10 million, who decided to sell it for $20?! Sounds idiotic), which is ridiculous, popular indie games don't do 50% discount right after release and the most of the sales are done a few months after release (according to the publishers). As an example, look at Rimworld, Dwarf Fortress, Factorio, Kenshi, they either didn't have 50% discount yet or had it years after the release.

Also, he acts like the game was only sold on Steam, but that's false. And Microsoft, i'm more than sure, didn't take 30% from them (because it's a game published by them on their platform).

The only thing this tells me is that someone is trying to manipulate us and you shouldn't work with Microsoft if you want to remain sane.

StoneTitan1h ago(Edited 1h ago)

because thats what he has to HAVE RIGHT NOW to develop the next game (engine, tax andso on)

Yes xbox of course did not have the 30% tax but then again he is just making a hypothetical, I am pretty sure their game did not sell exactely 20millions ^^

StoneTitan1h ago(Edited 1h ago)

Its not the cost of storefront. Your game made 20million but from those 20million the store takes 30%. Steam took 30% from the 20million you made. got it?
If you make 20million in sales Steam takes 6 million.
So you only get 14millions. Then you have to pay back what you owe the publisher, so 10millions in devcost and 2million in marketing.
So you are left with 2millions.
From the 2millions of pure profit 70% goes to the publisher and 30% to the developer (depending on your contract)
So you are left with 600k to pay for your next game, for now.
lots of numbers but very clearly put

leahcim1h ago

please bring Ori to Playstation!!!!

T_T

90°

Hi-Fi Rush Developer Tango Gameworks Reveals New Logo, Working On Unannounced Action Game

Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks has revealed a brand new logo/website, and that it is currently working on an unannounced action game.

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twistedvoxel.com
robtion7h ago

Hopefully they do a new The Evil Within or something similar to that.

Abnor_Mal37m ago

If I were them, I would not even put my next game on Xbox, the way they were treated . Plus they’d probably need the sales not just yea someone played our game.

160°

IO Interactive Reveals Their IOI Showcase Lineup

IO Interactive is doing their own showcase this Friday and have revealed what is in store.

Obscure_Observer18h ago

Looking forward to 007 and Project Fantasy!

Garethvk17h ago

Hopefully it's good..I still miss E3.

repsahj15h ago

I'm also excited to see Project Fantasy.

Garethvk14h ago(Edited 14h ago)

It may be interesting.
I am curious about their decision to do their own show.

yeastori0m ago

we need a Hitman game that is like the old ones, not too interactive and network based. I want to be able to use every weapon and unlock them for every form of gameplay style. I hate that you get punished in these modern Hitman game for using a rifle rather than your silent pistol.