We Need Better Video Game Publishers

[blastingcap]

http://kotaku.com/we-need-better-video-game-publishers-472880781

I would say that you don't "need" publishers at all. Kickstarter.

 

[alcoholbob]

We don't know yet if Kickstarter can fund an AAA title. The most money raised has been about 4.5 million for a game. An AAA game probably needs at least 25-30 million upfront.

 

[Stringjam]

Publishers are the bane of every artform.

It usually boils down to:

1. An artist with a vision, but no money.

2. A bunch of old fat guys with tons of money and absolutely no sense of artistry.

And therein lies the conflict.

The quote by Gabe in the article was spot-on. Publishers aren't even gamers....a lot of them probably don't even like games, yet they're pulling the production strings.

Music production had break in this field......the power of DAW software and the internet meant with the proper skills you could create and master your own album without having to sell your soul to a studio (and thus, tons of studios have gone out of business).

The problem is, making a game is SO MUCH more expensive. Kickstarter is helping smaller developers get financed, but I don't know if it will be enough.

 

[Wyndru]

Depends what genre of games. Sometimes you just need an innovative idea, and the money follows.

Look at minecraft, huge success, tons of money made, and it all started small.

FPS's on the other side have gotten so big that if they don't have a multimillion dollar development company creating high end graphics and sounds and production value, it will probably fail.

 

[darkewaffle]

I think it's a little hypocritical to dismiss publishers so readily when, at the same time, so many games that don't have top notch production values are "held back by consoles" or "rushed" or "cashgrabs". Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

[smackababy]

As long as developers aren't willing to have a real job and create their video games, publishers are required. Who do you think pays these people while they make a game? Kickstarter is a fad, and once a huge flop comes out, will go away. People will think twice about giving money to someone because they once made a good game 20 years ago. Ever heard of Daikatana? Good think that wasn't on Kickstarter, or nobody would use it again for anything.

And as for music publishers, good luck making an album on your macbook. Studio time costs money, sound engineers charge money to make your album not sound like you recorded it in a bathtub with a 4 track, marketing and printing cost money.

I love the blind hate for something because Gabe says it is true. Kind of like Windows 8. Sometimes I wish he would keep is fat mouth shut. Oh, your company is being propped up by a storefront, you know so much master Gabe. Please, without Steam Valve would have been under or sold to EA a long time ago.

 

[mmntech]

Publishers are the bane of every artform.

It usually boils down to:

1. An artist with a vision, but no money.

2. A bunch of old fat guys with tons of money and absolutely no sense of artistry.

And therein lies the conflict.

The quote by Gabe in the article was spot-on. Publishers aren't even gamers....a lot of them probably don't even like games, yet they're pulling the production strings.

Music production had break in this field......the power of DAW software and the internet meant with the proper skills you could create and master your own album without having to sell your soul to a studio (and thus, tons of studios have gone out of business).

The problem is, making a game is SO MUCH more expensive. Kickstarter is helping smaller developers get financed, but I don't know if it will be enough.

This. You have business people making artistic decisions. They're really only interested in making games with the broadest appeal possible. This is the same thing that George Lucas (ironically now) fought against in the 70s. It's the same thing with a lot of industries. People holding the strings of power have no passion for their business.

 

[shortylickens]

We had them.
They got bought out by better businessmen.

 

[Stringjam]

And as for music publishers, good luck making an album on your macbook. Studio time costs money, sound engineers charge money to make your album not sound like you recorded it in a bathtub with a 4 track, marketing and printing cost money.

Actually, yeah....you can make a professional album in a home studio.

I'm not talking about your buddy in his garage with a $30 mic hooked up to his laptop, I'm talking about skilled / professional musicians and engineers who want to create an album independent of a record contract.

The only thing that the home-studio group usually has to send it out for is mastering, as the skill level and equipment level required to master is still very high.

 

[smackababy]

Actually, yeah....you can make a professional album in a home studio.

I'm not talking about your buddy in his garage with a $30 mic hooked up to his laptop, I'm talking about skilled / professional musicians and engineers who want to create an album independent of a record contract.

The only thing that the home-studio group usually has to send it out for is mastering, as the skill level and equipment level required to master is still very high.

Professional, even semi-professional, recording equipment is extremely expensive. If you want to spend $500 on some hooks up and make your album in GarageBand, be my guest, but it will sound like shit. And what about singers and rappers? Without a producer, they are just a voice. Record companies, whether you like it or not, help artists a lot more than people want to admit. Sure, most new artists get crap deals and shitty contract terms, but they are a shitty investment when they are starting off. The amount of artists that make it has to be less than 1%. Without record companies, the majority of artists can't make it. They have to get real jobs to pay the bills. It would be even worse for the gaming industry if we forced all but the most established developers to have to moonlight as a game developer.

 

[Stringjam]

Professional, even semi-professional, recording equipment is extremely expensive. If you want to spend $500 on some hooks up and make your album in GarageBand, be my guest, but it will sound like shit. And what about singers and rappers? Without a producer, they are just a voice. Record companies, whether you like it or not, help artists a lot more than people want to admit. Sure, most new artists get crap deals and shitty contract terms, but they are a shitty investment when they are starting off. The amount of artists that make it has to be less than 1%. Without record companies, the majority of artists can't make it. They have to get real jobs to pay the bills. It would be even worse for the gaming industry if we forced all but the most established developers to have to moonlight as a game developer.

Once again, we are talking about a totally separate group of individuals here.

I'm talking about PROFESSIONAL musicians who have no qualms in investing thousands of dollars into setting up a home studio, not amateurs who feel like it would be cool to make a record.

My point is that, unlike in the past, it is now possible to publish your own work as a musician with professional results. This is something you simply could not do before the advent of the DAW, when the only option available was to have a record contract in order to get (massively) expensive studio time.

The quality of the software, plugins, and emulators has gotten so good that you will regularly find them in the highest level studios being used daily.......the exact same stuff that is available, and priced within reach of a home studio. If a player is willing to put in the effort and "skull-sweat" of learning to use the tools, than it is possible to create work that is nearly indiscernible from something created by a professional studio.

 

[smackababy]

Once again, we are talking about a totally separate group of individuals here.

I'm talking about PROFESSIONAL musicians who have no qualms in investing thousands of dollars into setting up a home studio, not amateurs who feel like it would be cool to make a record.

My point is that, unlike in the past, it is now possible to publish your own work as a musician with professional results. This is something you simply could not do before the advent of the DAW, when the only option available was to have a record contract in order to get (massively) expensive studio time.

The quality of the software, plugins, and emulators has gotten so good that you will regularly find them in the highest level studios being used daily.......the exact same stuff that is available, and priced within reach of a home studio. If a player is willing to put in the effort and "skull-sweat" of learning to use the tools, than it is possible to create work that is nearly indiscernible from something created by a professional studio.

Yes, I agree. It is entirely possible for established artists to record their own stuff professionally. But the average newcomer (the person who benefits from a record label) isn't able to afford to record their music. The same is true with software development. Without a steady income to pay the bills, the average software developer cannot afford to sit around for 6-12 months doing nothing but working on a game that MIGHT make money upon being released. While musicians can easily be solo artists, development usually consists of a team of people. Publishing companies offer money while developing that otherwise has to be made somewhere else.

 

[Stringjam]

But the average newcomer (the person who benefits from a record label) isn't able to afford to record their music. The same is true with software development. Without a steady income to pay the bills, the average software developer cannot afford to sit around for 6-12 months doing nothing but working on a game that MIGHT make money upon being released. While musicians can easily be solo artists, development usually consists of a team of people. Publishing companies offer money while developing that otherwise has to be made somewhere else.

I agree with you there. The bills have to get paid, so somebody has to fund the project, especially when the costs to get the project done are so high. The average band or singer is going to have to have a producer and publisher to fund and promote the project.

I guess in a perfect world, we hope that the financers of the art at least have some insight or interest in the artform itself.

 

[acheron]

We also need better websites that aren't run by fucking Gawker.

 

[Skel]

The sad part is, with both games, movies and music publishers/labels/distributors are a necessary evil. You may be able to get your start up funds via kickstarter, but then you need to worry about marketing the game. Making sure it ends up in the right reviewers hands before launch, getting the buzz up. All that is mostly handled by the publishers. They're the ones taking the risk on the original game, and also getting the devs name out there which is very important.

 

[clok1966]

We need better consumers. the Publishers would disappear if we didn't say "crap on us, we will pay". They only survive if you have a customer. We all sit here nad bitch and moan they suck and we keep buying games from them which reinforces there ability to make us eat crap and like it..

I do not Buy EA games.. its my stand, small and quite possibly futile, I wont get into if EA is good or bad (I decided that for myself, as should all customers) I like many of the game series they produce.. but I gotta draw my line.. Always on DRM for games that can be played solo and don't require it? Games that last 4 hours in single player, but have 4 add-ons for $19 each that add to that time? Sorry.. I wont support it.. its games.. I will miss my online Multiplayer BF games.. bf42 is an all time favorite. I can play all the copy cats.. online FPS multiplayer games are quite common.. PlanetSide isnt to bad.. and its free...

company's only do what customers allow them to do.. you dont fix it by complaingin in a forum, you fix it by not buying the product.

 

[smackababy]

We need better consumers. the Publishers would disappear if we didn't say "crap on us, we will pay". They only survive if you have a customer. We all sit here nad bitch and moan they suck and we keep buying games from them which reinforces there ability to make us eat crap and like it..

I do not Buy EA games.. its my stand, small and quite possibly futile, I wont get into if EA is good or bad (I decided that for myself, as should all customers) I like many of the game series they produce.. but I gotta draw my line.. Always on DRM for games that can be played solo and don't require it? Games that last 4 hours in single player, but have 4 add-ons for $19 each that add to that time? Sorry.. I wont support it.. its games.. I will miss my online Multiplayer BF games.. bf42 is an all time favorite. I can play all the copy cats.. online FPS multiplayer games are quite common.. PlanetSide isnt to bad.. and its free...

company's only do what customers allow them to do.. you dont fix it by complaingin in a forum, you fix it by not buying the product.

Remember the boycott MW2 steam group picture filled with MW2 players on release day? Gamers are whiny bitches on the internet. That is it. They still buy the games they claim to hate and probably enjoy them. But give them a chance, and they will bitch for says about how bad <insert whatever is popular> is and how much they hate it.

 

[motsm]

As is being said, gamers are a big part of the problem.

Most gamers = http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/battered+woman+syndrome

 

[smackababy]

Gamers are the problem. People who buy games YOU DON'T LIKE aren't the problem. Especially when more gamers seem to like the games coming out now. The industry is growing, despite all the claims games are getting worse. The problem is the elitist, whiny, "hardcore" gamers who think because they started gaming before someone else, they are somehow better and their opinions are more valid.

 

[ImpulsE69]

As long as developers aren't willing to have a real job and create their video games, publishers are required. Who do you think pays these people while they make a game? Kickstarter is a fad, and once a huge flop comes out, will go away. People will think twice about giving money to someone because they once made a good game 20 years ago. Ever heard of Daikatana? Good think that wasn't on Kickstarter, or nobody would use it again for anything.

And as for music publishers, good luck making an album on your macbook. Studio time costs money, sound engineers charge money to make your album not sound like you recorded it in a bathtub with a 4 track, marketing and printing cost money.

I love the blind hate for something because Gabe says it is true. Kind of like Windows 8. Sometimes I wish he would keep is fat mouth shut. Oh, your company is being propped up by a storefront, you know so much master Gabe. Please, without Steam Valve would have been under or sold to EA a long time ago.

While I somewhat agree with your first point, your second point (regarding music production) is completely wrong. Music production on the do it yourself side has made incredible strides and the gear to do it is actually affordable. Not just "anyone" can do it right no, but it can be done much easier than 15 years ago with a fraction of the budget.

 

[smackababy]

While I somewhat agree with your first point, your second point (regarding music production) is completely wrong. Music production on the do it yourself side has made incredible strides and the gear to do it is actually affordable. Not just "anyone" can do it right no, but it can be done much easier than 15 years ago with a fraction of the budget.

Yes, but even I could build a PC and get the equipment to interface properly with it to record, it still costs a good amount of money. And then, I have to pay for my bills while making the music. It is unfeasible for artists to do this without some stable income, and that comes in the form of either a record label or another job.

 

[motsm]

The problem is the elitist, whiny, "hardcore" gamers who think because they started gaming before someone else, they are somehow better and their opinions are more valid.

How does that affect publishers, or the market in any way? Just because you have a problem with them doesn't mean they are what's ruining the industry.

 

[lupi]

I like cheese.

 

[BladeVenom]

I love the blind hate for something because Gabe says it is true. Kind of like Windows 8. Sometimes I wish he would keep is fat mouth shut. Oh, your company is being propped up by a storefront, you know so much master Gabe. Please, without Steam Valve would have been under or sold to EA a long time ago.

His games have sold in the tens of millions. He's had massive success after massive success.

It use to be the Gabe haters saying, the only reason his "storefront" was a success was because of his games. Now it's been reversed. You are wrong on every count.

 

[BladeVenom]

Gamers are whiny bitches on the internet. That is it.

The worst are the ones who whine about Gabe Newell.