How to evaluate the financial viability of your PC game

What the talk is about

Jussi Autio explains how Resistance Games evaluates the financial viability of a PC game before development starts. First you need a worked-out design, clear unique selling points and a competitor analysis. Then a spreadsheet computes the break-even point and expected income, factoring in the Steam cut, engine and publisher shares, VAT, regional pricing and discounts. Realistic sales come from Steam Spy: pick the sub-genre, check copies sold for top 1%, top 10% and median games, and assign each scenario a probability based on the team, publisher and concept risk. This gives an expected value. He also recommends counting cheap DLC and discusses what to do with crowded genres. Useful for indie studios and producers preparing pitches to publishers or investors.