EBGames.com

[ppavlovic]

Can anyone tell me HOW to publish a game on EBGames? Is it open for small developers or only AAA titles? Anyone had experience with them ?

[Antdizzle]

EBGames.com doesn't look like a publisher. It just looks like a distrubutor.

[Mark Fassett]

EBGames.com is just the web store front for a retail chain.

[PoV]

Interesting question. I have no clue really. I originally suspected that publishers were responsible for having contacts with the major distributors for distribution (seeing all the notes about exclusive Walmart things and all). Though, for a mere $150 (http://www.lulu.com/help/node/view/153), I can get an ISBN number and have a book show up in the Amazon or any other bookstore directories. To my knowledge there's no such gaming equivalent to the ISBN (http://www.isbn.org) system, as we're a much younger business than books. Closest being the ESRB, but they just rate games.

[ppavlovic]

I have no idea... I'm just asking this because EBGames is on Shareware Tracker's list of sites that publish games...
Are there a publishers that can get your game on EBGames, something like Oberon, TryMedia, etc...?

[milieu]

Though, for a mere $150 (http://www.lulu.com/help/node/view/153), I can get an ISBN number and have a book show up in the Amazon or any other bookstore directories. To my knowledge there's no such gaming equivalent to the ISBN (http://www.isbn.org) system, as we're a much younger business than books. Closest being the ESRB, but they just rate games.
ISBNs are for books. A game would need a UPC bar code.

In order to get a UPC bar code, a business has to join the Uniform Code Council (UCC) and then create a bar code using the ID number of their business.
http://www.uc-council.org/ean_ucc_system/

UCC doesn't list any prices for membership. From looking around on google, it appear that membership would cost about $500 per year.

[Curiosoft]

Hey,

A friend of mine, Kathy Salisbury (www.pharosgames.com), started a new company that puts games/software onto Amazon.com

Check out...
http://www.greatmindsoftware.com/

You pay them like $100 and they will help you get onto Amazon. Considering the UPC fees, I think it's a good deal -- I used her to get onto Amazon.

Amazon can be a good distribution channel and I recommend folks using it.

Take care,
Curiosoft