John Wright

💰 Revenue ShareRevenue share determines how profits (net revenue of UA) are split between the developer and publisher, typically based on:🔹 Risk & Investment – More funding = lower revenue share for the developer.🔹 Market Potential – Projected higher-performing games get better splits.🔹 Long Term Relations - Normally if the studio is tried and tested with the publisher they get better splits.🏢 Studio Burn CoverageBurn coverage determines if the publisher funds the studio’s operational costs or not, this could also be done on the title/project level:🔹 Full Coverage – Publisher covers all costs but takes a bigger revenue cut.🔹 Partial Coverage – Some funding, but better long-term revenue for the studio.🔹 No Coverage – Developer self-funds but keeps more revenue.If milestones (statement of works) aren’t met, funding may be delayed or cut off.📊 Commercial TermsBeyond revenue share and burn, contracts […]

The greenlight process is the final stage of due diligence, where the publishing team comes together to review all aspects of a game and decide whether to sign it. While each publisher has its own approach, the ultimate goal is the same:➡️ Do we believe in this game enough to invest in it?Here’s how the decision-making unfolds:🎯 Stage 1: The Cross-Team ReviewThe publishing team evaluates all major areas of the game, typically led by designated owners for each function:🔹 Product & Design – Is the gameplay engaging? Does it meet genre benchmarks?🔹 Production – Can the studio execute on time and at scale?🔹 Marketing – Are CPI, CTR, IPM and retention strong enough to support profitable UA? Do we have monetisation metrics already?🔹 Commercial Viability – Can it scale profitably? How much will we need to invest to get it […]

When a publisher evaluates a game or studio, they’re not just looking at the concept, they’re assessing quality, risk, potential, and long-term viability. So, what does due diligence actually involve? Let’s break it down:🎯 Game Evaluation – What Is The Current State Of The Game?Depending on where the game is in development (MVP vs. Soft Launch), publishers assess:🔹 Marketability – Does it have strong creative potential? How does it perform in test campaigns on Facebook vs. Unity?🔹 Retention & Monetization – Are D1, D7 retention, ARPU, LTV strong enough to outpace CPI and ensure profitability?🔹 Gameplay & UX – Is it polished and meeting genre benchmarks? The product team will find issues, be proactive in addressing them!🔹 Scalability – Can the game grow profitably while covering studio burn and UA costs at higher volumes?🔹 Commercial Viability – What’s the investment […]

You may have heard the terms Farming and Hunting before, commonly used in sales strategies. But how do they apply to game publishing? Let’s break it down:🌱 Farming – The “Come to Us” ApproachThis strategy relies on publishers building platforms or portals where developers can submit their games. Companies like Voodoo, Supersonic, and Kwalee have dedicated submission portals to capture inbound leads.🔹 The goal? High quantity over quality.🔹 The BD team reviews submissions daily, selecting games for testing.🔹 Automated campaigns (or manual tests by the growth team) determine potential hits and quality.🔹 The success rate? Roughly 1 in 300-500 hundred games make it through, genre depending.🎯 Hunting – The “Go to Them” ApproachHere, the BD team proactively searches for top-tier games and studios. This is a quality-first approach:🔹 BD teams use LinkedIn, emails, and industry tools to scout promising games.🔹 […]