Renzatic on 16/2/2012 at 23:08
Me. I was shocked and appalled by this revelation.
It's why I now support open source GNU software. Because if the developers can't make money off their creation, then FUCK IT! NO ONE CAN! NO YOU MAY NOT HAVE YOUR CAKE! NO YOU MAY NOT EAT YOUR CAKE! :mad:
Digital Nightfall on 16/2/2012 at 23:22
It varies widely from company to company, especially considering there are many different types of studios/publishers and many different types of contracts between them.
However, I believe it is normal for the developers to get a bonus (sometimes yearly, sometimes only when a project ships) based on sales. Some companies may even do bonuses based on metacritic averages, though I have no idea how widespread it is, if even true.
Of course, these bonuses are not royalties, so they won't come into play if the developer is no longer an employee of the company, or if the studio has closed.
So yes, developers do see some income based on the game's sales, but probably only if it's a successful game and their studio is still operational and doing business with, or owned by, the publisher.
ZylonBane on 16/2/2012 at 23:39
Quote Posted by Digital Nightfall
So yes, developers do see some income based on the game's sales, but probably only if it's a successful game
and their studio is still operational and doing business with, or owned by, the publisher.
That's what this thread seems to primarily be about-- games so old that the original studios don't exist anymore.
Renzatic on 16/2/2012 at 23:46
Quote Posted by ZylonBane
That's what this thread seems to primarily be about-- games so old that the original studios don't exist anymore.
It should be obvious to anyone what the answer to that question would be. The publisher holds the rights, so the publisher gets the money. It's a shame, but that's the way the system works.
Though on the plus side, I have heard about GOG contacting the original developers to access rights for games where the neither the publisher nor the studio exist anymore. So it's not like they're
always left out in the cold. Just usually.
Digital Nightfall on 16/2/2012 at 23:53
That's right, but I was addressing the concern that Yandros and Yakoob seemed to be expressing about post-release payments to developers in general. Yakoob seemed to think that the bonuses were rare, but I believe they are not.
Koki on 17/2/2012 at 11:17
Quote Posted by gunsmoke
So, don't think you are doing the devs any favors whatsoever when you repurchase your old games. They don't see one thin dime.
Dude I have been saying that for years.
Al_B on 17/2/2012 at 11:29
Indeed - but hasn't it occurred to you that perhaps publishers are more important than developers in getting games to you?
(unless the developers are also the publishers, of course).
lost_soul on 17/2/2012 at 16:21
Quote Posted by Al_B
Indeed - but hasn't it occurred to you that perhaps publishers are more important than developers in getting games to you?
It hasn't been that way for years. No longer do devs have to press a disk, no longer do they have to pay out the *** to air commercials on TV or have ads in magazines. They can get free publicity online via Youtube or other *real* gaming sites.
Take Minecraft and Amnesia for instance. The first has been extremely successful partly thanks to Youtube. Hell I've been tempted to check out the game just because of all the cool mods I've seen of it on Youtube.
Quote Posted by Renzatic
Such as this mysterious source code all you people keep going on about, and other nifty little things.
I'm sure they will, when hell freezes over... Has the (current) publisher of Thief ever released ANY source code for a game before? I think you would be more likely to see EA release source code than these folks, seeing as they actually have done so in the past. (
http://weblogs.asp.net/bsimser/archive/2008/01/10/simcity-source-code-released-to-the-wild-let-the-ports-begin.aspx)
Al_B on 17/2/2012 at 17:15
Did you deliberately ignore my second sentence?
Quote Posted by lost_soul
Take Minecraft and Amnesia for instance. The first has been extremely successful partly thanks to Youtube. Hell I've been tempted to check out the game just because of all the cool mods I've seen of it on Youtube.
It has been successful, the developers have reaped the benefits and it's a great game. However, you're still only "tempted" to check the game out. That's not a good way to support your own argument that developers can earn money when you're so reluctant to part with any yourself.
lost_soul on 17/2/2012 at 17:44
But when I watch TV or see an ad for a game that is interesting, I also only get tempted to check it out. I never feel like I have to have it right now. That's pretty much how advertising works. "Hey, we have this cool product that you might be interested in, here's what it can do".
