Eastshade
GameBy Eastshade Studios · Released Feb 13, 2019
Documents about Eastshade
Tips and Resources for Your Funding Applications: Germany
Gamecity Hamburg, an initiative of the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, published this short guide on March 27, 2024 to help game developers prepare applications for its funding programs, particularly the 2024 Prototype Funding round.
- The 2024 Prototype Funding cycle in Germany offers a total of 400,000 euros in financial support for independent game developers.
- Successful funding applications must be substantiated with concrete data from platforms like SteamDB and SteamSpy, specifically regarding sales figures, genre trends, and target audience demographics.
- Pitch presentations should prioritize brevity and a clear definition of a unique market hook while avoiding the over-explanation of standard game features.
Tim Epic vs. Tim Apple
Simon Carless's August 2020 weekly roundup on game discoverability opens with the Epic Games versus Apple dispute, in which Epic was banned from Apple's platforms and sued after deliberately provoking the company over in-app purchases in Fortnite.
- The 30% commission fee charged by major platform holders remains a primary point of financial tension for developers, as highlighted by the 2020 legal conflict between Epic Games and Apple.
- Independent developers frequently struggle to achieve profitability, as net revenue is significantly eroded by platform fees, taxes, and operational costs, often necessitating external funding or rapid development cycles.
- Digital storefronts, including Steam, the Epic Games Store, and console ecosystems, are shifting toward an interconnected, subscription-heavy model exemplified by services like Apple One and EA Play.
What Percentage of Gross Revenue Do Developers Actually Get
Developers on Steam keep only about 55 percent of what players actually spend, according to analysis by discoverability consultant Simon Carless.
- Developers typically net only about 55% of a game’s gross revenue on Steam after accounting for platform fees, taxes, and refunds.
- Steam takes a 30% revenue share, while additional deductions include VAT, sales taxes, corporate taxes, and currency exchange costs.
- Average monthly refund rates for games typically range between 5% and 8%, though rates can vary significantly by region and game genre.
Game Refunds and the Hidden Costs of 'Getting to Net' on Steam
Turning a game's headline gross revenue on Steam into the money developers actually receive takes several deductions, and the process is walked through here using a notional $1 million gross.
- Gross revenue is a misleading metric, as a hypothetical $1 million in Steam sales typically yields only $577,500 in actual net revenue for developers.
- Steam’s standard platform commission accounts for a fixed 30% deduction from gross sales.
- Refunds and chargebacks typically reduce gross revenue by 6.5% to 11%, with rates varying based on game genre, quality, and geographic markets like China.
Discoverability: A 'Hot or Not?' Genre Guide
Simon Carless argues that in the post-"Early Digital Discoverability" era, when indie games were assumed to be original simply by existing, developers who need to recoup budgets of $20,000 to $2 million should weigh genre crowding, sales performance, and public enthusiasm before committing to a concept.
- Multiplayer-centric games carry high financial risk because they require large, simultaneous player counts to prevent negative community sentiment and demand constant content updates.
- Games under five hours in length struggle to command the $20 to $30 price point often required for indie developer profitability.
- Roguelites and titles featuring procedural generation remain strong commercial performers due to their high perceived depth and replayability.