So You're Ready to Pitch to a Publisher? You're Not

In this 2019 GDC talk, Finji's Rebekah Saltsman explains how Finji builds and uses pitch documents, key art and game play videos to help developers improve their pitches to publishers.

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[lesolak]

UP NEXT -> You don't need a F-ing Publisher. youtube made my day

[vladKoRny]

she says "don't show a budget unless you are asked for one"... literally every other speaker (publisher) says the exact opposite... the main thing that Publishers are interested in, is how much will it cost.

[waswat]

17:06 Explains the issue with the industry in a nutshell as a lot of games are getting frontloaded to be cool/interesting in the first hour, but then fall off sharply.

[django-unchained]

The biggest issue she brought up is the fact people like her work at important positions in the industry while she is no gamer and didn't even play games herself.
THIS is a major issue with all the "suit" kind of people in the business.

[mandisaw]

*Other folks:* "I know all this stuff, my game is too artistic for crass commercial concerns"
*Me:* :takes notes eagerly:

I love these "business of game dev" talks, especially when it's this kind of "school of hard knocks" experience. Even if you never play at the deep end of the pool (500K sales!), making a better pitch also helps you understand your game better, and how to better connect with your audience. Nothing improves without practice, and you've gotta be ready when that "golden pitch" opportunity comes along. Great talk (just a shame no time for Q&A).

[Tavroxx]

Nice talk Rebekah, thanks a lot! As part of an indie publisher myself, I appreciate to know how you're working!

[ChairmanSteel]

My wife's uncle spends a lot of time in Europe and says "Litrally" all the time just like this and it's literally all I can focus on in this talk.

[WarjoyHeir]

It's a good talk, but her almost boasting that she doesn't know gaming terminology is on her not on the people pitching. You are a producer in a gaming industry, if you can't talk about games what are you doing in this business?

[reddjinn]

She seems super knowledgeable and approachable... but this is yet another talk that starts by saying "everyone thinks they are going to be rich." and "its harder than you think." Speaking to the lowest common denominator isn't actually speaking to the individuals likely to succeed. I have never for one second thought I would make a game to drive a fancy car and I know I can't be alone in this.

[Syberi]

I'll tell you one thing, you successfully pitched Tunic and Overland to me, individually.

[_megacomputer]

Lots of good information here, but I'm really hung up on the idea that people don't know, or even how to spell, very simple grade-school concepts such as "biome" and "crafting".

[Wyvernnnn]

I feel like a person who doesn't play games can't be a very competent game publisher

This why I'd rather make a project myself. . . Too many factors that take away my creativity and such. Our Games never get noticed unless we have money. Nice to know. . .

[MuriloMielke]

44:20 Miniboss did Celeste's art, if I'm not wrong.

[chrisnotyourbusines]

I thought people that brag about the amount of unread emails in their inbox are not a thing anymore.

[Brodysseus]

11:10 “Someone like YOU” okay wow, just called a room full of game devs adult children 😂

[SaxPanther]

Oh shit her husband made Canabalt? That's a genre defining game right there.

[mitchellradspinner]

The amount of people in this comment section that don’t understand what the heck publishers/publishing is and for, it’s limitation, pros cons and use case is staggering.

[TheOrian]

Wait what, since when is crafting a special word? It means the same as it always did, just in a different context but for the same goal.
It makes me doubt what she's trying to say after hearing such things.

[LionShard]

GDC talk equivalent of "How to get into the same situation as No Man's Sky"