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Does a company that does all the "Business Work" e

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Anonymous

Does any company that would do something like this exist?

I give the finished prototyped and play tested game to a company. After approving the game if they like it, that company would contact the piece manufacturers, the graphic designers (if needed) and everything else needed to make the final product.
They would then work with the retailers to get it on the shelves.

As far as the money situation for this, one way it might work is:
I would pay the company for the cost of doing the financial and legal work for getting it made and on the shelves.
The company would pay royalties to me for some of the profit for each game sold. They would detract the cost of marketing from this.

If this is a possible thing to do, or something similar is, I’d really like to know about it, and what company would do it. I don’t expect to get a lot of money from this, if any, but I’m only interested in the design and playtesting aspect of the game – not the legalistic and financial aspect which is required to get it on the shelves.

If it doesn't exist now, is there a chance of a company that does this showing up in the future?

zaiga
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Joined: 12/31/1969
Does a company that does all the "Business Work" e

Kol,

In fact that is how most publishing companies work (the big ones, like Hasbro excluded)!

This is how it typically works. If you have finished your game (a working prototype, playtested and rules written), look for a publishing company that matches your game and that accept submissions. Some companies openly invite submissions, others need a little bit of prodding.

When you have found such a company send them a description of the game, the rules and perhaps some pictures. If the company is interested in the game, they will request a prototype so that the can playtest it themselves. Congratulate yourself, not a lot of games even make this stage. A company usually needs a few months to come around testing your game (most companies are swamped with requests), so you need a bit of patience.

If after playing it themselves they like it enough to publish it, you will probably need to sign a contract. Typically you will receive royalties for each game sold, usually somewhere around 5% of the "distribution" price which is somewhere around 50% of retail price. So, if a game sells for $40 in the store you will get $1 for it. An average "euro-game" is made in quantities of 2000 to 20.000.

The publishing company will do everything it needs to do to get the game on the shelves (art, printing, marketing, ditributon), so you don't need to worry about that. You don't have to pay them for it either. The risk is all theirs, so you need to understand that their selection procedures are often pretty rigorous and thorough.

Some companies that welcome submissions can be found in this thread: http://www.bgdf.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=70

Good luck!

- Rene Wiersma

Anonymous
Does a company that does all the "Business Work" e

Thanks a lot - that's almost exactly what I was looking for. Now I feel I do have a chance of getting a game I design published ;).

Still, it would be nice if there was a company that put the risk on my sholders instead, so if I think my game is good, and the selective companies don't, I can get the game produced anyway, with me making the initial investment, and also getting a bigger share of the profit.

Anonymous
Does a company that does all the "Business Work" e

Gold Rush Games has a division (with another name that escapes me currently - old age) that does this... for a fee.

You can contact him (Mark Arsenault) at GoldRushG@aol.com
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