Work-for-hire
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"Publishers are afraid of certain parts of the world": Saber Interactive's message to North American studios is to get their head out of their own geography
Saber Interactive's Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits advises North American studios to diversify their business models beyond large, expensive AAA projects. He suggests embracing work-for-hire, smaller-scale games, and international co-development to ensure financial stability amidst industry layoffs and rising costs. Willits criticizes the traditional approach of maintaining large teams before a vertical slice, advocating for smaller, agile teams and exploring diverse markets.
"If I work on that, my kids will think I'm Gandalf" – Blackbird Interactive on the highs and lows of external development
Blackbird Interactive discusses the challenges and rewards of external development, balancing work-for-hire projects with original titles. President Rory McGuire and Director Alex Delamaire highlight the importance of team excitement, client management, and leveraging diverse skill sets to succeed in the external development space.
"We now have a clear vision for how Sumo fits into the new world" - inside the slimmed-down Sumo Group
Sumo Group, now co-led by Gary Dunn and Andy Stewart, is refocusing exclusively on co-development and work-for-hire services for partners, moving away from self-funded IP. This strategic shift follows staff reductions and the divestment of several studios, with support from parent company Tencent. The company aims to leverage its expertise in working with established IPs and offers flexible funding models, including co-funding, to collaborate on projects across various platforms like PC, consoles, and Roblox.
