Would you ever sell out?
interpolator
If you're entering the game industry, I imagine there are many out there, like me, who actually want to make their own games at some point of your life.
So this has me wondering. Imagine one day, you are given the offer by a game publisher, to produce your very own game!
But before you get excited "there's a catch".
As your game gets greenlit, Mr. Publisher has a couple of "recommendations" for you to follow.
Say for example a Publisher likes your game so much, he wants you to annualize it, like Call of Duty. Would you do it?
Or, if you have an idea for an awesome female character, but the Publisher tells you "the game would sell better if she was half naked, with many outfits available for DLC" Would you go through with it?
On one hand, getting a game deal is probably a once in a life time opportunity. Especially if you want your game to be widely recognized on a console. Your only other option would be to fund it yourself or do a kickstarter. Both pale compared to Publisher money.
On the other hand, it would mean assimilating into an industry known for controversial practices. And once you accept, you are forever tagged with it.
Replies
I'm working in the game industry right now anyway, so I've already sold out.
Would I butcher the idea with my own hands at the pull strings of folks with money, continuously over time? No.
If I'm going to do what you say for any extended period of time, it's going to be because either A: You're compensating me fairly, AND you respect my opinions in relation to the work which I care about, or B: It's work I simply don't care that much about and I'm being compensated well enough to have that balance out (in which case it isn't my idea and there's nothing to sell).
And I would develop my own games on my own time. Whenever I have had enough, I guess.
"Sell out" in this case means intentionally gouging for money instead of going for meaningful improvements.
Take for example, Guitar Hero. The first game was very revolutionary. But then they kept producing sequel after sequel until they ran the franchise to the ground.
Or for DLC, look at the Dead or Alive series. The first games gave you lots of costumes and they were all free. In DOA5, the costumes now cost 1/4th of the actual game for each bundle.
Admittedly, the costumes have a lot more work put into them, but it's obvious it's now turned into a money venture. Just copy/pasting textures and selling them.
Say, I been forced to make half naked chicks for games with EA funding.
Then when I make good money off it and do something on my own without half naked chicks, then all media will praise me for finally listening to the fans and dressing them girls up. Good marketing/PR plan ?
Well, depends on the money.
But still yes.
My entire career consists of selling my art skills for cash. Asking if I'd sell out is like asking if I'd like to breathe today.
I wouldn't like to make the same type of game every year, but I'd gladly accept a contract where I'd acquire long-term financial stability because once that contract expires I can always go back and realize my own ideas later. In fact, I'd have more money saved up so it would be even easier to create my own game since I could probably support myself for a while without having to work a full-time/part-time job on the side.
At the end of the day though, I just want to make an enjoyable game. My current project has been expensive in terms of both personal finances and personal time, and it's not even going to be monetized when I'm done, but I don't care because I enjoy working on it and hopefully at least one other person on the planet has fun playing it when it's done.
Those things are probably more important than whether you annualise a title.
Take a lot of money, suffer for few years, and then make my dream game (;.
My money well is shallow and my ideas well is deep, if a small bucket of ideas were to fill the money pool it would be ideal in all regards.
BUT, If the publishers is one of those with"recommendations", i would say NO. BTW, the correct word is: impositions. So at the end, i would not sell my soul to the devil and i don't recommend it lol.
I also have declined very very very good joob offers (as Art director for example, or lead character artist), and i prefer to live with freedom. I choose what i want to do (works, projects, etc) and i don't need to relocate nor waste money like Nomads do.
What i would like to do, is what notch did with Mojang, and then, say: bye bye, sayonara.