From: Kevin Hill <khill AT gwi DOT net>
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.djgpp,rec.games.programmer,alt.comp.shareware.for-kids
Subject: Re: Publishing a game
Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 12:53:55 -0500
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To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
DJ-Gateway: from newsgroup comp.os.msdos.djgpp

G.P. Tootell wrote:
> 
> nope, that's the right way round.
> the philosophy works something like..
> 
> a) they're bigger than you.
> b) they pay for the packaging and advertising, which actually does outstrip any
> costs you might have made with the game by a factor of 10 usually. even a small
> a5 ad in lesser games magazines now costs over 1000 quid with serious negotiating
> :(
> 
> incidentally, chances of virgin or ea taking any game are close to 0. reason
> being they made a nice fat loss last fiscal year and won't even consider
> marketing a game unless it's going to be a big hit.
> 

Not to mention that these guys have a literal ARMY of designers,
programmers, artists, and musicians. They dont take outside submissions,
and as a rule I would say 98% of the companies you approach will chuck
your stuff in the trash if it isnt the next Quake ( no offense to your
hard work. just a cold truth). You may be able to get somewhere with
Apogee or Epic Megagames, as a shareware title.

In order to get the profit you desire per sale, you may be better off
just setting yourself up on the WWW, and handle it all yourself. Not
that it's that simple, most of the time you will probably get more money
by letting the pros do it all for you, even though you only see 10% of
the profits.

				Kev