Stardock - Hardcore Game Opportunities

Dhruin

SasqWatch
Joined
August 30, 2006
Messages
11,842
Location
Sydney, Australia
Brad Wardell continues to proseltyze his familiar but important message that their are profitable opportunities to make modest, hardcore games for the faithful. In a GDC address reported at Gamasutra, Brad Wardell says these gamers pirate less and require less tech support and then gives some numbers for their recent games:
The Stardock founder then revealed specific revenue numbers for two of its recent projects. He explained that the PC title Galactic Civilizations II had a $1.2 million development budget for the base game plus two expansions.

The marketing budget, including advertising, press tours, and so on was $500,000, and the was a $500,000 distribution budget for "market development funds" to get shelf space at major retailers. From there, the title has done $10 million lifetime revenue and counting, according to Wardell.
More information.
 
Joined
Aug 30, 2006
Messages
11,842
Location
Sydney, Australia
That is absolutely great news. I hope he finds some believers because I like a lot of the Stardock stuff and I'm anxiously awaiting Demigod and Elemental both idie type games published by Stardock. I'm glad their making money. And at a 1 to 10 rate, they should not have any problems getting investors now. Will they take my $1000.00 . . .
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
1,762
Location
Los Angeles area
The games Stardock, and other small companies, release generally have a smarter strategy: Is there a big enough market for the game I want to develop, compared to the costs? If no, then don't develop it.
 
Joined
Feb 15, 2009
Messages
1,957
Location
Sweden
This is, indeed, good news. I have been thinking for years that there is a good market for games like what Stardock publishes. A middle ground between Unreal 3 engine and Spiderweb you might call it. It's smart, because the people who play these games require next to zero marketing. As opposed to a lot of the games that sell 5 million units but blow through more than $20 or $30 Million in marketing.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
622
Besides as noted hardcore gamers have a strong love for games and many are willing to pay and support the developer, to get more hardcore games which they love.
 
Joined
Oct 25, 2006
Messages
6,292
I do so like those numbers, nearly as much as I like Sins of a Solar Empire and the GalCiv series. I do hope that Stardock continues to develop and publish games such as those.
 
Joined
Oct 24, 2006
Messages
465
Location
Saarbruecken
The games Stardock, and other small companies, release generally have a smarter strategy: Is there a big enough market for the game I want to develop, compared to the costs? If no, then don't develop it.

Like the old Shareware concept.
 
Joined
Nov 5, 2006
Messages
21,908
Location
Old Europe
Back
Top Bottom