How to Sell Your Game - Boot Camp

[Shaz]

This is a guide created by Amanda Fitch (Amaranth Games) a few years ago, after being approached by a number of RPG Maker users asking for advice on selling their games. It walks you through all the steps you need to take to get your game ready for commercial distribution.

It's a little out of date, but I think it's still very valuable for those working on their first game.

<removed - no longer available>

Note: Plimus has made a number of changes to their agreement since this document was written. I suggest you check out BMT Micro before you sign up with Plimus - I believe they are more "small-developer" friendly.

One step that's not mentioned here is that you should compress your game via RM, then open the compressed file and extract it to a new location. THESE files are the ones you import into your installer, not the original ones in your RM project.

 

[Indinera]

I suggest you check out BMT Micro before you sign up with Plimus

Most notably, Plimus doesn't allow you to sell through Paypal (unless you go through a series of really tedious and confusing steps), whereas BMT does without requiring you to do anything at all.

 

[Nathanial]

Most notably, Plimus doesn't allow you to sell through Paypal (unless you go through a series of really tedious and confusing steps), whereas BMT does without requiring you to do anything at all.

I noticed a slight dive in sales after Plimus stopped with PayPal -_-

 

[Indinera]

Yeah, I offered players to pay me directly on Paypal but only a part of them would do so.

You have only one game, maybe try switching to BMT?

 

[TreeTopOcelot]

Very informative boot camp!

 

[Pegasus]

This is a guide created by Amanda Fitch (Amaranth Games) a few years ago, after being approached by a number of RPG Maker users asking for advice on selling their games. It walks you through all the steps you need to take to get your game ready for commercial distribution.

Shaz, thank you for this file and also Amanda who has been really helpful to the community. I am also planning to go commercial soon and I remembered some time ago, Amanda wrote a project which would served as a base start for those who want to sell their games on game portals. I think it was called 'Commercial Game Script' and was put on another rpgmaker forum.

Now that there is an official website and forum for Rpg Maker, will she consider putting it here as well to help more indie developpers to get into commercial games? I think this would help a lot of people here considering this forum is definitely more user friendly to commercial rpg maker games.

 

[Shaz]

I'll chat with her and see if she's okay with it. I forgot about that!

 

[amaranth]

I've thought about moving the scripts over, but I've just not had the time to re-format everything.

 

[RATED-RKOFRANKLIN]

I just read through this. I will point out something.

In the USA a business license may not be required. It depends on the state and county laws. In my state a business is required to get a license after it has made $3000. I doubt most RM games will make that much.

 

[Indinera]

Make sure to get it in case you make several of them then. :huh:

 

[Pegasus]

I've thought about moving the scripts over, but I've just not had the time to re-format everything.

I hope you moved your free scripts here also as they would proved to be very useful to the new comers here. At least I learnt a lot from your posts on different forums some years back.

 

[Nathanial]

In the USA a business license may not be required. It depends on the state and county laws. In my state a business is required to get a license after it has made $3000. I doubt most RM games will make that much.

Hahahaha. You'd be surprised. And I agree, you might want to get a business license ANYWAYS. Registering an LLC would be ideal as well. You don't want to cut corners. Something could go horribly wrong, and it's nice to have the protection and benefits of a limited liability company. Here in Michigan, registering an LLC is only $50.

 

[ZeroAtEnd]

Wow! Very helpful indeed!

 

[Lord Valdyr]

Are the BMT Micro plans stating that the product price must be a minimum of $1.25 or that the BMT's cut must be a minimum of $1.25?

 

[Indinera]

Contact them if you have a specific question! They'll happily answer you.

What kind of price do you have in mind though (I suppose it's for a game, isn't it?).

 

[Faladis]

Hrm, I have a question. In Amanda's guide she says to get a business license under the form of a sole-proprietorship. Now, don't get me wrong, there isn't anything wrong with a sole-proprietorship, but wouldn't it be a bit more protective to small devs to form an LLC instead? That way, if they get sued or something goes wrong, the company goes belly up, but the dev is relatively fine(a lot safer than if it were his or her own personal finances in the fray).

 

[Lord Valdyr]

I've always imagined if I were to produce a game and sell it then it would be for $1-$2

 

[Indinera]

What type of game would that be? In most cases, prices start at $5, which in my opinion would be a far better price if you want to go down the "cheap" road.

 

[Shaz]

Faladis, it would depend where you live. Best thing would be to contact someone who knows what they're talking about with regard to the laws of your country (my accountant advised me on the different options and which would be best for my situation)

 

[Lord Valdyr]

What type of game would that be? In most cases, prices start at $5, which in my opinion would be a far better price if you want to go down the "cheap" road.

Im a traditional rpg kinda guy