I'm a game developer and I truly appreciate your work here. Educating about how the industry works I think will lead to more interesting, constructive and nuanced conversations. Besides explaining well how those dynamics work, this video also indirectly teaches the difference between a publisher and a developer that, after reading many conversations about what a "Devolver game" looks like, to me is always valuable. I don't blame people for not knowing how things work. If you don't make trains, it's normal to have no idea about how train construction deals work. But also people rarely talk about it. Since entertainment is much more public (and probably fun to talk about) there's a lot of discourse about games. And the more informed those debates get, the better.
Can I just say the "One Take Schreier" bit is funny but it's actually impressive how easy it is to follow along with your explanations without things getting too rambly or scattered. Maybe it's all the journalistic experience but you seem to have a lot of skill in easily stringing thoughts along in an easy to digest manner.
My favorite part about this channel has been finding out the guy that's been feeding me the best gaming journalism in the industry for as long as I can remember is also a pretty cool dude who I'd be happy to have a beer with.
If you look in the reflection of the guitar, you can see that there's actually a ten person staff behind the camera, as well as two body doubles for Jason.
Game developer here wanting to thank Nuance Slop Schreier for this great explanation on the actual relationship with publishers. Publishers CAN do a ton to give your game its best shot at success. But you have to both A) advocate for those benefits in exchange for the cut they take, and B) make sure the publishing contract is locked tight. Even the "good" publishers can take advantage of any contractual ambiguities.
I've been in this industry 22 years and I've really appreciated your work since the first article I saw from you. It's been really great to see the high quality reporting and explanations of events and practices in the industry from the intelligent external perspective that you've provided over articles and now videos like this. One Take Schreier providing Nuance Slop is basically as laser targeted to what I want to see in my feed as I can imagine.
It is very interesting to know the ins and outs of the gaming industry, how the business of it actually work. It helps understand most of the decisions that happens. Great work one take Schreir
Another critical role publishers often provides is localization support and help getting the game published into different countries. Navigating (and keeping up with) the myriad of laws that apply to games across the world can be nigh impossible without dedicated support.
Hiroshi Matsuyama recently shared how despite being in the industry for 30+ years CC2 didn't realize how much work Bandai Namco did for them until they went for self-publishing Fuga Melodies of Steel and slammed into multiple brick walls during the process! It's fascinating to find out that despite publishers and game developers relying on each other they also don't really know anything about how the other operates.
I feel like I'm like taking a course on games, the game industry, and game development. Each video is so interesting, especially these explainer ones. I feel like questions that I didn't know I had about the game industry are getting answered. It's really cool.
It’s been so exhausting listening to people on here act like they know how shit works, make broad claims, and condemn devs or publishers, for years. It’s nice finally having someone truly knowledgeable making regular content about the current ongoings in the industry.
The difference in your discussion and reporting of the Xbox layoffs compared to others, is a great example of that.
How Video Game Publishers Actually Work
Jason Schreier
127,192 views
Some fundamental info about how game publishers and developers interact.
Besides explaining well how those dynamics work, this video also indirectly teaches the difference between a publisher and a developer that, after reading many conversations about what a "Devolver game" looks like, to me is always valuable.
I don't blame people for not knowing how things work. If you don't make trains, it's normal to have no idea about how train construction deals work. But also people rarely talk about it.
Since entertainment is much more public (and probably fun to talk about) there's a lot of discourse about games. And the more informed those debates get, the better.