Game Publishing FAQ

Do I have to use Torque?
No.
How will you market my game?
GarageGames will market your game by creating and promoting your game's product page, by featuring your game on the main page of our game store, by submitting a news item to our game store RSS feed with wide distribution, by featuring your game prominently on our community page, and by displaying banner ads of your game for display on our site. Additionally, we may market your game to our partners and when business opportunities arise (such as pitching games for a next-gen console). Ultimately, your game will have a long shelf life on our must-see indie game destination site.
What are the royalty rates?
Royalties are paid on a monthly basis. 50% for a non-exclusive contract. They are paid on a net basis, where credit card fees, chargebacks, and returns are taken out. These fees amount to about 5% of the gross, so a $19.95 game nets about $19.00, resulting in a developer royalty of about $9.50.
Can you get my product on store shelves?
Publishing your product through GarageGames does not keep you from presenting your product to traditional box publishers. In fact, getting great sales or recognition for your game through GG will help you get your game into the box channel!
How many games will I sell?
We get asked this question all the time, and the only way to answer it is to turn it around, i.e. how good is your game? Good games, that are unique and fun, will find their market and will make good money. Our best games are currently making over $5,000 royalties per month for the author, our worst are making less than $100 in royalties. Founder Jeff Tunnell's "Make It Big In Games" blog has some great articles on this subject.
Can our team make a living on indie games?
YES! Many teams are making a living with indie games. You have to right size your life, find team members that understand the effort it takes, and make innovative titles. It will take a portfolio of products and a lot of effort selling them once they are complete. This is not an easy way to make a living, but it is very satisfying and more fun than you can imagine. For a lot more information about this subject, visit Jeff Tunnell's blog Make It big In Games.
Does GG take ownership of my Intellectual Property?
NO! GarageGames will never attempt to tie up your intellectual property, copyrights, or any rights. We will not ask for "Right of first refusal" or "First Option". These are standard practices at many publishers, especially in the box channel. These tactics by traditional publishers are the main reason that we felt GarageGames had to create an Indie game publishing channel that would give a fair shake to developers.
Can I send you my game ideas?
For legal reasons, our policy unfortunately prevents us from accepting for review any unsolicited ideas. GarageGames has the unalterable policy of refusing to look at any unsolicited ideas. You will find this same policy with book, movie, and other media publishing companies. You may however wish to discuss game ideas with other community members in our game ideas forum. If you develop your idea to the point of a playable demo, we would love to see it. We are always on the lookout for great new games. Please see our publishing page for more information on how to submit your demo.
How do I submit my game?
Please see our game store publishing page to learn more.