Developers don't get payed well.......

[Craigboy2]

Well it just seems like even if a developing team makes an award wining game they still don't really grow. Also that the devs working at the devolper don't get payed well because the devolping company can't because of lack of funds. Also that the publishers make all the money. Also how much does it cost to make a disk with the game of it? Sorry about the crappy grammer.

[EnderAndrew]

I have guesses and assumptions on what companies pay developers. I expect that a startup like Obsidian will probably take care of their staff better than a big company like EA. But growth costs money.

 

But in the end, I have no idea how much a developer sees, and how much they pass on to their staff.

 

You can be like Bethseda and be both the developer and publisher.

 

Or you can be like Valve and use Steam to distribute their own content without a publisher.

[Hunter]

Well it just seems like even if a developing team makes an award wining game they still don't really grow. Also that the devs working at the devolper don't get payed well because the devolping company can't because of lack of funds. Also that the publishers make all the money. Also how much does it cost to make a disk with the game of it? Sorry about the crappy grammer.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Developers do get paid less in general. It's more about the perks and the work environment. Are you willing to make $10~20k less a year to enjoy going to work instead of dreading it?

 

I don't think award-winning always equates to big profits. For instance (I may be off here, don't kill me), the Fallout and Icewind Dale games were well received but only sold "normal" numbers. Sometimes it's just name recognition. I'd bet if you took Icewind Dale 2 and renamed it Baldur's Gate 3 it would have sold twice the copies.

 

I don't think the disk itself costs all that much, but the packaging, manual, shipping, and cost of shelf space all add to the tag you see on the shelf. That's not to mention advertising and paying a couple dozen people to work fr a couple years.

[nik_bg]

Sometime ago I read that if a game has $50 retail price, the developer takes 10-15. Everithing else goes for publisher/marketing/distribution.