The Game Business Guidebook: What To Do When Nobody Wants Your Game

by Diego Ricchiuti, John Henley

Overview

This book is the perfect toolkit for any developer who wishes to transform an idea into a viable business. From the experience of a game designer and a business developer, it covers every step from the conception of the game to signing a deal with a publisher; finding the right type of funds, sending follow-up e-mails, and attending trade shows are just a few of the tools the reader will find in the book.

Benefitting from the authors' combined 30+ years of experience in the industry, the book provides an in-depth business strategy for games. The book is divided into four sections: introduction, preparation, execution, and contingencies. The reader is presented with the knowledge required to get started, both for the company’s culture and strategy and for the team’s pitching abilities and material. In the action phase, the authors explain how to prepare a budget, deal with the publisher, and cultivate their professional relationship. Lastly, the book explains how to deal with unsuccessful scenarios in being funded and how to self-publish as an investment for better exposure and future opportunities.

This book will be vital reading to all independent game developers, those working at AA game studios, and aspiring business developers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781032585390
Publisher:	CRC Press
Publication date:	04/29/2025
Pages:	254
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Diego Ricchiuti is currently the lead designer at Caracal Games, the course leader of the Game Design Degree at AIV in Rome and Milan, and an independent consultant in game design and creative direction.

John Henley is an international partner relations and business development executive with 15 years of experience initiating and building long-term developer, publisher, and platform partnerships in video games.

Table of Contents

Section One - Introduction, Chapter 0 - About the author, Chapter 1 - How to use this book, Chapter 2 - Book Introduction, Section Two - Preparation, Chapter 3 - Gaming Is a Business, Chapter 4 - Design, Chapter 5 - Game and Studio Strategy, Chapter 6 - Communication, Chapter 7 - Game Demo, Best Practices, and Tips, Chapter 8 - How to Pitch, Section Three - Execution, Chapter 9 - Finding the Publisher, Chapter 10 - Feedback and Follow-ups, Chapter 11 - Game Budget, Best Practices, and Tips, Chapter 12 - Closing the Deal and Keeping the Publisher, Section Four - Contingencies, Chapter 13 - Nobody Wants Your Game, Now What?, Chapter 14 - Self-publishing for Experience, Section Five - Conclusion, Chapter 15 - Someone, Somewhere, Wants Your Game