Video Game Designer

For gaming platforms, how much money do indie games make?

Not many, at least according to the statistics of the third-party data company on the steam platform, independent games with a sales volume of more than 1 million copies on the steam platform are simply rare.

The huge game library and limited promotion channels mean that most independent game producers and teams find it difficult for players to discover their games, and finally sink into the bottom of the sea.

There are very few indie games that show explosive potential in the market that explode as soon as they are released.

There is no corresponding promotion channel, and under the premise of fans' background, most of them are slowly fermented through word-of-mouth from players.

And it is very likely that the game production team has died in the meantime, which is not uncommon.

Although the steam platform is still the first choice for independent niche games, it does not allow them to survive on this platform.

The main reason is that there are limited recommendation slots, and the steam platform does not strictly review the games that are logged on.

Even many games that can hardly be called games can be entered on its platform, and only need to pay a deposit.

This has led to too many games on the steam platform, which is unimaginable.

For example, the earliest Greenlight mode led to a large number of hot chicken games, but even if the subsequent application threshold fee of Greenlight was cancelled, the main purpose was to let the game development team be a little bit sure about the quality of their games, but the initial high The additional fee caused dissatisfaction, and after the subsequent reduction, this fee is not serious enough.

As a result, there are still many bad games on the steam platform.

...

valve headquarters in seattle, washington

McLean reported to a chubby old man with glasses and a white beard on the two platforms of EPIC and TEU.

Macklin's expression was not good: "EPIC is still implementing their exclusive strategy. Not long ago, several of our game manufacturers have landed on it, and they have requested to remove the game from the steam platform."

"In addition, Tianhe Network and Ubisoft did not ask to remove their games from the steam platform, but they refused to allow the games to be sold at a discount." McLean's face was not good.

What are the characteristics of the steam platform?

social contact? Good gaming experience? Mature digital game supply mechanism?

These core steam platform players seem to be a little bit, but for more steam platform users, the biggest feature of the steam platform is the green BUFF.

Festivals, events, and various discounts make them fall in love with this platform, and add one to their game library.

Usually every time there is a discount, players are keen to praise the steam platform, but in fact this is a joint decision between the manufacturer and the steam platform.

The steam platform does not have the power to allow manufacturers to decide on discounts for games.

Some game manufacturers believe that more players will buy their games, and they are confident in their games, so they will not agree to discounts.

But obviously Ubisoft and Tianhe Network, their refusal of the steam platform to continue discounting is not just their confidence in the game, but more importantly, their competitive response to the steam platform.

The price is lower on its own TEU, but the original price is maintained on the steam platform and other platforms. There is no doubt that although this is not an exclusive, it is better than an exclusive. The most important thing is that it makes people unable to say anything.

Player opinion?

As long as the game is really cheap and does not affect the player's gaming experience, what will the players think?

Even players are happy to see this kind of thing happen, and most of the people who have opinions on this are diehard fans of the steam platform, and Tianhe Network and Ubisoft are also very clear that it is very difficult for diehard users of this platform. snatched.

So that's not what they're targeting at all.

"They are shaking our foundation. We can't sit still like before." Gabe Newell also frowned.

Valve started out as a game manufacturer, but with the success of the steam platform, it is clear that the game has become a sideline.

The steam platform is the foundation of their foothold in the game industry.

The previous EPIC is far from making them feel the pressure. First of all, it is the problem of word of mouth. Countless players are on the side of the steam platform.

In addition, although EPIC does have money, how many exclusive games can they buy?

So at that time, the steam platform seemed to be ridden by EPIC, but in fact they were not panicked at all.

But now the emergence of TEU makes the situation a bit different. Instead of saying that they want to monopolize games like EPIC, they publicly stated that they do not support exclusive games, and all games that land on the TEU platform can also land on other games.

At the same time, EPIC is throwing money at manufacturers, but TEU is throwing money at players so that players can get more benefits.

Of course, the key to all this is based on owning the game. Epic has no game resources, so they can only spend money on the manufacturer.

The steam platform had seen through this before, so it didn't panic at all, it just laid out slowly.

But TEU is different. EA, Ubisoft, and Tianhe Network, plus the games released by Ubisoft and EA, there is no shortage of games in TEU.

They have the confidence and qualification to pass on profits to ordinary players. Secondly, regarding the favorable strategies of independent games and small groups, this is also a step-by-step move.

Even Gabe Newell must admit that the game distribution channel and technology, the steam platform is indeed not as good as TEU.

If EPIC is like a leech that can suck a little blood from the steam platform at most, then TEU is a big crocodile that wants to bite off a bite of meat from the steam platform.

"The share of game commissions cannot be reduced all at once, but game manufacturers can acquiesce in issuing additional third-party activation codes. For third-party game activation codes, we only take about 5% of the commission." Gabe Newell After thinking for a while, he said to Macklin.

"As for Ubisoft and Tianhe Network..." Gabe Newell couldn't help but feel embarrassed when he said this.

You said that the US dollar strategy is the same as TEU, and you are not willing to discount, so our steam platform will bear the money.

Well, the unique game mechanism of the steam platform, once they make such a decision, the first ones to welcome may not be players, but a group of third-party game speculators.

Buy the game at a low price, then sell it at a higher price after the discount has passed.

This kind of game dealer is not uncommon on the steam platform.

As a brand new platform, TEU can be dealt with in many ways, but the steam platform is parallel. If they really want to spend money with TEU, the money invested is estimated to be able to develop a 3A-level game.

Thinking of this, Gabe Newell couldn't help but feel a little troubled.

If TEU, like EPIC, announced that the games of Tianhe Network and Ubisoft would leave the steam platform as an exclusive, then they might not be so troubled.

But now, it's hard!