Panel: How to Spot a Bad Publishing Deal?
summary
Publishing is a partnership, not a supplier deal: expect contracts that lock you in for years (often around five), spell out KPIs, payment timing, cancellation and platform/geography rights, and beware vague “confirmation” periods or onerous exclusivity and rights‑of‑first‑refusal clauses. Read NDAs — they can grant IP rights — and get legal and accounting review (many publishers will pay for independent counsel). Typical premium PC/console shares sit around 30‑50% rev share; remember IP is negotiable and demand clear, written deliverables.
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chapters (10)
- 0:00Start
- 4:27What Is a Publisher and Why Might You Want To Work with
- 8:37What Do You Think Somebody Should Expect from a Publishing Contract
- 9:01What Should You Be Looking for in an Agreement like this
- 21:46Does the Publisher Have any Rights to Your Ip
- 23:48What Do You Do When Only One Side of the Agreement Is Unhappy with the Results
- 26:53Are all Publishers the Same
- 30:55If You Were To Sign a Publishing Deal from the Perspective of a Developer What Is the Thing You Would Look Out for
- 36:49Can the Indie Game Dev Association Rate Publishers Based on Contract Fairness
- 42:13Summary
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