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June 2001
Q:
My company has just returned from E3 and we had some
wonderful meetings with publishers. We're still in
discussions from the show, but is there anything else we
should be doing?
A: Congratulations
on having a great E3! Most importantly, continue to
follow up with your contacts from the show. Most
publishers saw a lot of new titles while they were there
and they are in weekly meetings right now to decide who
to pursue and who to drop. Make sure that your team and
game are fresh on their minds and you do not get lost in
the shuffle. Do not rely solely on the handful of
publishers you spoke with though. If you have serious
interest from a publisher (or hopefully a few), make
sure the other publishers that you didn't speak with are
aware of the game you are pitching. This could lead to a
bidding war between them or at least increase your
chances of landing a deal. If you don't have the time or
the contacts to do this, bring in someone to help. A
good contact base is the key to getting the best deal
out there.
Essentially - make sure you have followed up with
everyone you met and you are responding to their
requests in a timely matter. This goes for the media as
much as the publishers. If you had interest from
websites or magazines, make sure you provide them with
what they need. The exposure you receive could mean the
difference in a mediocre deal and an awesome deal.
Good luck! Jay
Q:
We are a multimedia company with a couple properties
in development. What all are publishers expecting us to
have completed prior to seeking a publishing deal?
Thanks...I love your advice!
A: What a publisher
will want to see will depend on your company's track
record in the industry. You want to provide a publisher
with everything they need in order to make a decision on
the first look. You do not want to extend
negotiations because they have to ask for additional
information. In a BEST case scenario you should send a
solid demo that shows the unique selling points of the
game, budget, timeline, detailed walkthrough, and any
localization information that you have on the game.
If you have released other games in the past you can get
away with leaving some of this out, but why take the
chance?
Publishers want to stand behind good teams that are
financially stable. If you can show justification for
these two points, you are well on your way.
Jay
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