Tuesday, June 26, 2007

The Business of Video Games: Part 2

Now, assuming that an idea actually makes it to a developer, what comes next? More beer. Seriously. This helps write the Pitch Document.

The Pitch is a five to ten-page document, which details the high points of the game concept. It is often highly inventive and uses words like Synergy and Leverage. No one knows what those words actually mean, but they look good.

This document is presented to the Publisher, in the hopes that they will want to fund it. The Publisher reads the Pitch and generally, after a hearty laugh, throws it away. However, sometimes the Publisher will actually consider the Pitch and take it with them back to their lair. There, numbers will be crunched and otherwise mutilated, the innards of goats will be divined, and clandestine meetings will be held in alleys at 3:00 AM. Then, if the stars are right, the Publisher will offer the Developer not quite enough money to actually make the game. The Developer, thrilled to actually get an offer, accepts and thus begins the next phase.

Next: Design

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is so cynical. If I didn't know that's how it actually works, I'd say you were making it up.

Jason Janicki said...

I speak only the truth :)