How to Publish a Game
Help from TIGA for those in the dark.
London, 26 May 2010
A new book designed to help game developers become publishers was launched today. The book, How to Publish a Game, is written by GAMESbrief’s Nicholas Lovell and provides a comprehensive and detailed guide to selling, marketing and financing a video game. TIGA, the trade association representing the UK games industry, is endorsing the publication and TIGA members are eligible for a discount on the price of the book.
Nicholas Lovell, author of the new book, said: “It’s time to take back control. There has never been a better time to be a game developer. The audience is exploding, new distribution channels mean that developers can talk directly to their consumers and the power of publishers is eroding.
“There’s nothing stopping developers from publishing games themselves. Nothing, that is, except the need to understand sales, marketing, finance and distribution. The challenges of knowing which of the eight different ways of making money most suit your game. The difficulty of understanding how to offer your game for free and still be insanely profitable.”
How to Publish a Game will answer all of these questions, and more. It offers theoretical and practical advice on;
• Which skills you need to self-publish, and where to find them
• How to use the power of free to build a community of committed supporters
• Harnessing social networks to drive usage and revenue
• How to find the money to make this all possible
How to Publish a Game is over 200 pages jam-packed with advice, case studies and lessons learned, including contributions from Mark Morris (Introversion), Charles Cecil (Revolution), Dene Carter (Fluttermind), Dave Castelnuevo (Pocket God), Paul Farley (Tag Games) and many more.
Nicholas Lovell added: “The last five years have seen an explosion in tools and routes to market that make it incredibly attractive to self-publish. Talking to developers, many of them want to know on how to get their games to market. So I set out to tell them.
“It’s not just me spouting off, though. How to Publish a Game has contributions from a dozen self-publishing luminaries, case studies and loads of practical advice.
“What’s more, you can get a lot of the advice right now for nothing. The first two chapters are available, entirely for free, at http://www.gamesbrief.com/htpagfree.”
Patrick O’Luanaigh, CEO of nDreams, said: “I’ve worked with Nicholas for four years and have been hugely impressed with his knowledge of finance, strategy and online marketing. If you want to publish a game yourself, you should buy this book.”
Dr. Richard Wilson, CEO of TIGA, commented: “The games industry is changing. Self-publishing is an area that many UK developers are already working in, or are keen to move into. However embracing self-publishing often means learning new skills and confronting new challenges. So, there could not be a better time for this book. How to Publish a Game is a clear, lucid bible for anyone looking to embrace the brave new world of self-publishing. I recommend you buy it now!”
How to Publish a Game is available now at www.gamesbrief.com/store/buy. It costs £99 for a personal digital copy or £199 for a company-wide license. There is a 20% discount for TIGA members. Just enter your company name when ordering your copy. It is also available in hard copy.
Notes to editors
About GAMESbrief:
GAMESbrief is a leading consultancy to developers, publishers and financial institutions focused on emerging games business models. Recent clients include Atari, Channel 4, ChannelFlip, Firefly Studios, nDreams and Rebellion. The blog www.gamesbrief.com is dedicated to self-publishing and the business of games.
Nicholas Lovell is a former investment banker and web entrepreneur. He runs GAMESbrief, is strongly opinionated on all issues relating to self-publishing and loves the way that the web has democratized distribution.
Contact details: 07900 691975 or nicholas@gamesbrief.com
About TIGA:
TIGA is the trade association representing the UK’s games industry. The majority of our members are either independent games developers or in-house publisher owned developers. We also have outsourcing companies, technology businesses and universities amongst our membership.
TIGA's vision is to make the UK the best place in the world to do games business. We focus on three sets of activities: political representation, generating media coverage and developing services that enhance the competitiveness of our members. This means that TIGA members are effectively represented in the corridors of power, their voice is heard in the media and they receive benefits that make a material difference to their businesses, including a reduction in costs and improved commercial opportunities.
For further information, please contact Eva Field, TIGA PR Manager on: 07814 039 983, or email eva@tiga.org.