Signing a Publisher Deal: How Not to Lose the Game

What the talk is about

Iryna Ihnatovych and Stanislav Yushchenko explain how an indie team can sign a publisher deal without losing control of its game. They offer four principles: understand each side's added value and negotiate as equals; treat every clause like an algorithm and define what happens if a condition fails; prepare for the bad scenario; and ask questions rather than sign what you don't understand, since there are no standard clauses. They then cover who owns the IP (ideally the developer, or an exclusive license that keeps sequel rights), why joint ownership is risky, how net revenue is defined and which deductions are acceptable. They also discuss guaranteed payments, marketing cost reporting, performance metrics, a fixed soft-launch period, clear termination terms, and choosing an affordable court or arbitration. Useful for indie developers negotiating with publishers.