'Dark Souls x Fable' action RPG dev says they're staying solo because they're sick of trying to find a publisher deal: "I'd rather die first"
Nov. 21, 2023“For now all I have are horror stories”
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Fade is an action RPG billed as a mix of Dark Souls' combat and Fable’s narrative direction, and after shopping it around to publishers while self-publishing in extendedSteam Early Access(which included a bit of a hiatus), solo creator Knight by Night has doubled down on independent work because they can’t find a publisher deal that works for them.
“After a few months of actually going through publisher emails and negotiations, I’ve decided I’m gonna stay solo,” reads an impassionedpostfrom the game’s official Twitter (X) account. “Most want 60 - 75% of the revenue/ownership, additional monetization, license rights to sequels. Heart’s with this project, I’d rather die first.”
Publisher cuts can vary dramatically between games, studios, platforms, and even regions, but it’s standard for them to get a sizable chunk of a game’s revenue. Beyond the parties involved, it can also depend on when in development a deal is struck and what support a game needs. Terms for services like Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus can alter things, storefronts like theEpic GamesStore may offer lump sums for timed or permanent exclusivity or giveaways, you also have discount and sale clauses, and so on. Completely solo devs also face unique obstacles regarding risk and resources, which is partly why many self-publish.
This estimation of 60 - 75% certainly appears to be on the higher end, but it’s not unheard of. I’ve heard averages of 20 - 40% floated in so-called indie golden eras, but even that can begrossrevenue. Starting at something like a 60/40 revenue split in the publisher’s favor and then improving the developer’s rate once the publisher’s investment is recouped isn’t uncommon. Publishers may also takeallrevenue until they make their money back.
“Two factors I know: I’m a solo [dev] and I work with other artists and voice actors for other portions of the work,” Fade’s devaddedelsewhere. “Since I don’t have a larger team, they hinted they were trying to mitigate risk. [Plus] some didn’t feel confident funding a game without in-game monetization or multiplayer.”
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“The ones that reached out tended to seem okay with my situation and loved the pitch deck/demo, but when it came down to the deal memo, the agreements got predatory,” another commentreads. “One even said I wasn’t gonna get any revenue from the project for a year after release.”
“I hope other devs have an easier time, but for now all I have are horror stories lol,” theysaid.
Fade’s dev is currently preparing for aKickstarter, and the game’s Early Access updates suggest it’s still fairly far from completion, so I’m assuming the game’s publisher pitch would’ve been seeking development funding as well as distribution and/or marketing support. But that is an assumption, and it’s also unclear how the terms of the deals this dev was offered may have improved over time. Whatever the case, clearly they weren’t having it.
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