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Why developers and publishers need to look beyond a one-night-stand to eternal bliss

Italic Pig's Kevin Beimers on longterm relationships

Why developers and publishers need to look beyond a one-night-stand to eternal bliss

As part of Unite Europe 2016, Kevin Beimers, Director at Italic Pig, gave a talk on successfully pitching to, and maintaining relationships with, potential funding partners.

Or, as he put it, "I'm here to talk about love."

Getting lucky

He cast developers as "teenage boys" who "don't know what you're doing in the world of business, but you're trying to get some tonight", and publishers as women they are pursuing.

But he warned that "we're not looking for a one-night thing", and instead that developers should be aiming for a long relationship with funding partners.

Beimers claimed that making it clear you were looking for a long-term partnership, and being completely honest with the publisher, makes it easier in the long run.

It's also important to make sure that the publisher is as invested in the relationship as you, as the development process is a long, exhausting process.

Especially as, after addressing this point, Beimers pointed out that these partnerships need to last longer than just the game launch, and you need to be aiming for "eternal bliss".

One in a million

But developers need to be wary about these relationships, and remember that publishers and funders will be working with multiple different partners, and are most interested in working with the best and most successful developers more than anything.

Don't put in your pitch - This game is hilarious.
Kevin Beimers

Beimers warned that "if there's anything that renders your pitch pointless", even a spelling mistake of just general "lack of attention to detail", then they won't pay attention.

In terms of how to actually pitch the game, he stated that you need to work on your pitch until it is "poetry", and that you should "show, don't tell" the publishers what your game is about.

Or as Beimers put it, "Don't put in your pitch, 'this game is hilarious'".

The nail zone

On the topic of meeting publishers at conferences, he advised making appointments on the first day between 2:30pm and 4:30pm, as this is the "nail zone".

And you should have a few practice meetings first with publishers you aren't interested in, to have some real-life experience pitching the game before you go for "the one".

But his main point was that "you need to be so prepared that you can pitch unprepared".


Editor

Ric is the Editor of PocketGamer.biz, having started out as a Staff Writer on the site back in 2015. He received an honourable mention in both the MCV and Develop 30 Under 30 lists in 2016 and refuses to let anyone forget about it.