The role of video game publisher has been in a constantly evolving state since the birth of the industry, but in the age of Kickstarter, iOS and Steam, that role is in more of a flux than ever.
At GDC Europe 2012, a panel of publishers from Konami, Microsoft and Capcom, along with investment firm CFC Capital, met to discuss where publishing is headed, why there are fewer bets being made in triple-A, and why publishers are still necessary even in an age where self-publishing is easier than ever.
Track / Format: Business, Marketing and Management / Panel
Overview: This industry is undergoing dramatic change. How do the publishers adapt and succeed in such a landscape? On one hand, what do they see as the lasting trends? On the other, how have their thinking and actions evolved to take these into account? The traditional market of AAA console publishing is a space where publishers have placed fewer and fewer bets as the budgets of AAA console games have escalated to new heights. Are these bets they continue to make - if so, how? The value chain is being redefined as digital distribution gains on retail and new business models are disrupting the industry with free to play. How does a publisher role change to add value to developers on platforms such as the ipad or services such as Steam, PSN or XBLA? How do publishers view the new forms of financing keep emerging - from Kickstarters, to completion bonding and investment funds. Are these competitors or substitutes for traditional publishers? The panel will go through these and other shifts in our industry and how they see one can best seize these opportunities and avoid the threats.
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