Getting a publisher for your game means you can work full time on the game without worrying about the financial stress. But is getting a publisher that easy. The answer is both yes and no. Read on to know more.
Who is a game publisher?
A game publisher is a company that publishes and distributes video games. This includes funding development, marketing, and distribution of the game, as well as providing support to the developers. Some well-known game publishers include Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, and Activision Blizzard.
What type of games attract publishers?
The main motive of publishers is to make money. Well, we cannot blame them as the motive of a game developer is also to make money. So, the games which are likely to make money are the ones the publishers want.
Every publisher has some key performance indicators that tell them if a game will make money. The prototype or the game that you submit to them goes through these tests before they can accept the game for publishing.
Common tests or KPIs for a Good game
CTR- Click through Rate
A simple gameplay video of 10-30 seconds length is put to the test and the expected CTR for a good video is around 2-5%. Again, these metric changes based on the publisher. Generally, the publisher spends around a $100 for this on Ads and some publishers want you to do it and reimburse the cost of Ads.
CPI- Cost per Install
The initial traffic that will drive the sales will be through Ads. So, the next KPI that publishers look for is the CPI or Cost per Install. The value they are looking for will depend on the way the game is monetized. If it’s a paid game then it depends on the price of the game and in case of a free game, the MAU or month active users and retention rate after 30 days.
Monthly active users and Retention rate
This KPI has we said earlier is only taken into account for a Freemium pricing model. The more the players play your game, the more they can make money per player. So, this is an important factor to take into account.
Why HyperCasual?
Most publishers of mobile games are Hypercasual games. The main reason for this is they know the exact metrics need for a successful game and they also have the audience for it. The target is a large amount of audience who want to play simple mobile games.
Also, there are a greater number of hyper-casual game publishers who have perfected the formula for a successful hyper-casual game. That’s why your chances of getting a publisher is far greater for a Hyper-casual game.