For years game developers have discussed the hows and whys of pitching publishers—but are game publishers doing enough to support the developers they sign with?
Hooded Horse CEO Tim Bender recently made waves for suggesting many indie devs would be better off self-publishing than soliciting funding from a publisher. The comment ruffled some feathers, but there was a bigger meaning behind them: there are some publishers that aren’t doing right by their partners, and even well-intentioned publishers may be placing too much risk on developers.
Bender’s had a fascinating journey into the world of video games, and his goal of making Hooded Horse a successful—but not infinitely growing—publisher has left him with a unique view on the publishing landscape. What he’s pitching might be another piece of the puzzle in how to build a more sustainable game industry.
About the Game Developer Podcast
The Game Developer podcast is a bi-weekly podcast chronicling the triumphs, catastrophes, and everything in-between of game development, sharing lessons and strategies fellow developers can use to hone their craft. The Game Developer Podcast is hosted by Bryant Francis, edited by Pierre Landriau, and features music by Mike Meehan.