The Business of Indie Games: Everything You Need to Know to Conquer the Indie Games Industry by Alex Josef, Alex Van Lepp, and Marshal D. Carper from CRC Press provides exceptional insight into how the video games industry works. It shares valuable information on how to successfully self-publish and secure publisher support. This book is a fast track to success for anyone managing a game launch and looking to raise funding for their projects. It shares knowledge that you only learn after years of triumphs and failures within this industry.
Introduction
PART 1. How the Indie Video Game Industry Works
1. Developers and How They Fit into the Games Industry Ecosystem
2. The Power of Platforms and Stakeholders
3. The Art of Video Game Revenue
4. The Secret Economy of Steam Wishlists
PART 2. Pre-Development Choices
5. Project Types and Project Goals
6. Genre and Market Evaluation
7. Scope and Engine Choices
8. Timelines, Budgets, and Project Management
PART 3. Pitches and Publishing Deals
9. Pitch Deck Perfection
10. How to Negotiate with a Publisher
PART 4. The Road to Release
11. Quality Assurance
12. Translation, Localization, and Porting
13. Marketing from Zero
PART 5. Post-Release
14. What about Second Launch?
15. The Next Game
References
Index
As the founders of Graffiti Games, they have published more than a dozen indie games, which means that they manage the careful balance of serving our investors, coaching indie developers through the development and release of their games, and then interface directly with major gaming platforms like Steam, Nintendo, GOG, Epic, and Stadia to negotiate deals and placement.
Marshal’s first step into the creative world was at 19: He wrote for the Nintendo DS RPG, The Black Sigil. Today he is a career marketer and the author of more than 15 books. With his work spanning journalism, video games, combat sports, and a variety of client industries, he brings a nuanced perspective formed over years of working with innovative creators at the top of their fields. From launching indie games to helping a nonprofit like No Kid Hungry collaborate with Wizards of the Coast and GIANTS Software, his work has touched many corners of the games industry.