Sponsors?

[Anlino]

How usual is it to have companies to sponsor your indie game development? I was asking, becuase i saw a member of a forum stating he had a certain amount of sponsors sponsoring the production of his game - and the thought that you could have sponsors have never crossed my mind. Are anyone here on the boards sponsored? How common is it?

[GBGames]

The idea that someone would develop a game independently AND with sponsorship seems contradictory. While I don't think you have to develop and publish to be considered indie, I think that it is hard to still be indie if someone paid you to develop the game.

in·die n.
1. One, such as a studio or producer, that is unaffiliated with a larger or more commercial organization

adj.
Of, relating to, or being an indie

Then again, no one can really seem to give a single definition of indie that would satisfy everyone. I just have a hard time understanding how development sponsorship would still qualify as independent development.

[Polycount Productions]

Indies might have hard time finding sponsors. The last time I saw some money moving was the big portal Bigfish who received $5 M angel money...

[mahlzeit]

What does he mean by "sponsor"? A family member or a friend giving some money as a personal favor could also be called a sponsor (for which they might get a tax break).

[siread]

Slightly related: In-game advertising is something i've wondered about too. I have advert hoardings in my soccer game and wondered whether real companies would be interested in paying for the ad space.

[Anlino]

What does he mean by "sponsor"?

Mainly, i was thinking about companies.

Slightly related: In-game advertising is something i've wondered about too. I have advert hoardings in my soccer game and wondered whether real companies would be interested in paying for the ad space.

I have never seen this in a game, actually,though it is worth thinking of. Would probably not look so nice though, with ads all over the game. It could definatley work as an incomebringer though. There is probably not to many companies that would sponsor with $$$, just to recive a thank-you note in the credits.

[mahlzeit]

Mainly, i was thinking about companies.
I didn't mean you, I meant the person "stating he had a certain amount of sponsors sponsoring the production of his game". Was he talking about companies too, and what did they ask in return?

[rioka]

Slightly related: In-game advertising is something i've wondered about too. I have advert hoardings in my soccer game and wondered whether real companies would be interested in paying for the ad space.I have never seen this in a game, actually,though it is worth thinking of. Would probably not look so nice though, with ads all over the game. It could definatley work as an incomebringer though. There is probably not to many companies that would sponsor with $$$, just to recive a thank-you note in the credits....Actually, there are companies that do pay for in-game advertisements. Haven't you guys heard of the Subway ads (http://ad-rag.com/126899.php) in Counter-Strike? The only problem I see in your cases would be to get the word out that you're willing to sell space in your game plus possibly provide data on how much eyeballs you get on your game.

[Anlino]

I have never played Counter Strike. Though ads of that kind could be used in a racing game, for example, without it would cause to much of a distraction.

[Anlino]

I didn't mean you, I meant the person "stating he had a certain amount of sponsors sponsoring the production of his game". Was he talking about companies too, and what did they ask in return?

I don't know, actually. He didn't say. I'll search him up and ask him.

[lennard]

This is in response to Siread who asked about in game ads. Integrated Ads can help you put advertising into your game titles. I've seen quotes that say that 20 cents per game launch is easy to achieve - I can't get you that and I believe that those people typically pay the developer about 20% of the 20 cents. I can get you 1-3 cents per program launch in exchange for linking in a win32 library and making a couple of function calls. I can also get you inexpensive advertising using this service. I'm also an indie developer and you can go to my companies site and download the Battle Castles demo to see how the in game ads show up in a title, www.RustyAxe.com/bc/downloads.htm

contact me at lennard@integratedads.com or lennard@rustyaxe.com if you are interested in participating.

[FlySim]

From integratedads.com
The API communicates with an advanced database system which tracks impressions, manages campaigns and, when appropriate, delivers new content to the game for display and tracking.
Looks like spyware to me....:mad:

-J.R.

[Anlino]

I've talked to the guy now. Appearently, the sponsors payed for billboards within the game. 35 sponsors and 5000$ each, according to him. That is some heavy money...

[RandyChase]

Having spent the last year and a half putting together a sponsorship program, I can give you a little background info.

First, there are really only two things that you can currently sell to the major corporations: first, you have huge (and we're talking in seven digit numbers) numbers of players; second, a unique market that has some tangible (i.e. real cash) value.

Second, even if you have one or the other of those two items to sell, it is a very time-consuming (and often frustrating) process. Just making your way through the system to find a "real" person who can make a decision at a major coroporation can take months - or longer - for an independent developer.

I've had some luck, and it looks like in the long run I'll make my sponsorship model work; but then I have the advantage of having several major organizations affiliated with me (Gallup Poll, Christian Science Monitor and Rock the Vote) and I'm offering sponsors an opportunity to have an interactive pressence within the classroom.

But, having spent the majority of the last 18 months working the phones, I have to caution you that the sponsorship model is a very difficult way to go. (I could have developed and released another game in the time I've spent on the business end of this venture...)