This video is a short documentary talking about how idTech developers and how they came together to make their own employee-owned indie studio. Good stuff!
This video is a short documentary talking about how idTech developers and how they came together to make their own employee-owned indie studio. Good stuff!
Has anyone tried a nonprofit game studio yet?
Like it makes money which only goes into expenditures like salaries, game maintenance and game development and reserves. But there are no no bonuses, no dividends, and no growth expectations. It would not be expected to make someone rich, but it’s there to fund the lives of the game devs and the making and maintaining of games.
What you’re looking for is a worker owned co-op. It would keep the power in the hands of the devs. They would vote among themselves in how to operate the co-op. Like you asked for, their money would be used exclusively for maintaining their livelihoods and making games.
Okay but how to pay the employees when the first game hasn’t released yet? Still need an investor especially if you are going to start a studio with people that relied on a salary to pay the bills and have a family and don’t live in a dorm or their parent’s basement anymore. Like with these former idTech devs.
And the vast majority of investors want to see a return. Not many philanthropists out there who want to fund a game studio. And a loan from a bank is impossible if the studio doesn’t have revenue. A for-profit co-op is a better structure, since it allows investors getting a return. Even if the investors are also the employees they probably want to see their savings they put into the studio paid back.
It’s not the 90s anymore. Crowdfunding and early access releases have been proven working.
And you can still get lucky and either be a wale or find one who really likes your specific idea for a game.
States and even countries offer grants for the arts - start with a proposal, make a small game for startup capital, and continue to operate as a nonprofit?
I know the Dead Cells devs are some sort of coop.
ZA/UM before the investors took control.