Obscure

If you want to be a successful computer game developer you need to be bi-lingual. As a developer your native tongue is most likely Creative but when doing business with computer and video game publishers you also need to speak Business. The problem for many computer game developers is that the two languages appears to be the same and, as a result, developers often misinterpret what a publisher is actually saying. In Business the words “yes”, “I really like your idea”, and “I am awaiting feedback from marketing” seldom mean what most game developers think they do.

For a clear and concise explanation of why I will quote from Guy Kawasaki’s excellent business related blog How to Change the World

The Top Ten Lies of Venture Capitalists

Venture capitalists are simple people: we’ve either decided to invest, and we are convincing ourselves that our gut is right (aka, “due diligence”) or there’s not a chance in hell. While we may be simple, we’re not necessarily forthcoming, so if you think it’s hard to get a “yes” out of venture capitalist, you should try to get a conclusive “no.”

This is because there’s no upside to communicating a negative decision. Entrepreneurs will simply hate us sooner–instead the game is to string along entrepreneurs in case something miraculous happens to make them look better.

Computer and video game publishers are investors and they work on the same basis as any other investor. It isn’t in their interest to say “no” because a year from now who knows what miracle may occur. So, when a publisher says “I really like your idea” they actually mean “I’ll wait and see” – usually followed by a deathly silence. They don’t return your calls or emails and when they do there is never any meaningful information. In short they are stalling to see if your game will develop to a stage where they might consider it for publication. Unfortunately far too many game developers hear the words “I really like your idea” but fail to hear the deafening silence that follows. They wait and wait in the hope that the publisher really does want to publish their game and in so doing they are wasting time and money.

If a publisher really wants to publish your game they will return your calls, reply to your emails and send you a contract. They make money by publishing games and if they aren’t taking active steps towards the publication of your game then they aren’t really interested and you should move on.