Independent developers applauded Microsoft’s decision to hand out free Xbox One dev kits to studios on the company’s ID@Xbox program. They cheered even louder when Microsoft revealed that patching games wouldn’t cost a cent. I wonder how many of them will still be happy after seeing how much it costs to publish a game on Xbox at the end.
Indie developers don’t earn a cent. Their entire well-being is dependent on their game making it out in the big wide world. Development costs are accumulated over the years and income after release has to at the very least cover this. That’s why being charged a massive fee before your game even hits a marketplace is a risky move, but Microsoft is asking for that anyway.
Sixty Second Shooter Prime developer Jamie Fristrom broke down the cost required for developing a game for the Xbox One. Spoiler; it’s not cheap. At all. Developing a game for Microsoft’s flagship console will set developers back more than $5K, before their game even has a chance to make a cent. Breaking it down, here’s where that money goes:
- Maintaining the Sixty Second Shooter URL – $19
- Sending the second dev kit to [fellow developer] Brett Douville – $63
- Hardware (USB and video cables and the like) – $72
- Video capture device (for making trailer) – $181
- Localisation (French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese) – $729
- Errors & Omissions Insurance – $2037
- Foreign ratings boards (PEGI, USK) – $2042
Of course, not all of these costs apply to every developer, especially the cost of sending dev kits around. But those last two, which make up the bulk of the fee, are required by Microsoft. If you don’t pay for that, your game isn’t published. End of story.
As summarized in the blog, there are ways to bring the fee down. The most effective method is skipping regions, which brings down the localization fee. But that’s just as risky, since the game now releases in less regions and reaches fewer people.
So no matter how you look at it, developing an indie game for Xbox One is expensive. Definitely more expensive than developing for PC, but Fristrom does mention that it was all worth it in the end. I’m not sure the same will be said from studios whose games ultimately failed.
Last Updated: July 30, 2014
Kensei Seraph
July 30, 2014 at 14:14
R40’000+ is ridiculous.
I wonder how much is required to release on PS4.
Hammersteyn
July 30, 2014 at 14:16
Me too.
Rince&pop
July 30, 2014 at 14:18
Well, if your mate owns it, and he doesn’t catch you, nothing? 0-O
zoiperry
July 30, 2014 at 15:12
Then there is the fight between AMD and Nvidia of who is king……….
Brian Murphy
July 30, 2014 at 16:13
Well, according to an article on…Polygon of all places:
“the game-makers we spoke to all said that Sony had lent them dev kits for a limited period of one year, for free. As of right now, there are no dev kits being sold. Sony is sending whatever it has available to favored developers. “All the indies I know got them for free,” said one developer. “Sony has been amazing about kits and development thus far.”
So that cost appears to be negligible, no word on total cost like this list details.
(Source: http://www.polygon.com/2013/7/24/4553842/so-how-much-does-it-cost-to-develop-for-playstation-4)
Hammersteyn
July 30, 2014 at 14:16
Does MS at least take the devs to dinner first? Or allow them to put on some make up so that they look nice? Or barring that at least let the devs buy some condoms first…
Rince&pop
July 30, 2014 at 14:17
Fucker. Beat meat to it!
Hammersteyn
July 30, 2014 at 14:18
Beat meat? Good heavens man!
Admiral Chief Dovahkiin
July 30, 2014 at 14:20
BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Admiral Chief Dovahkiin
July 30, 2014 at 14:21
That has to be the funniest typo ever!
Lord Chaos
July 30, 2014 at 14:21
Agreed
Admiral Chief Dovahkiin
July 30, 2014 at 14:21
“Hey girl, you wanna beat meat tonight?”
HAHAHAHAHHAHA
Lord Chaos
July 30, 2014 at 14:24
Thanks, now I have to explain to my female colleagues why I burst out laughing… Again…
Admiral Chief Dovahkiin
July 30, 2014 at 14:25
“He was once a promising student, but the constant meat beating took a toll on his love life”
Lord Chaos
July 30, 2014 at 14:27
What the hell’s a student? Can you eat it?
Admiral Chief Dovahkiin
July 30, 2014 at 14:28
Goes well on toast
Rince&pop
July 30, 2014 at 14:54
0-O
Rince&pop
July 30, 2014 at 14:40
No typo! No condom, beat your meat instead!
Sir Rants A Lot Llew
July 30, 2014 at 14:51
wow… just wow
Sir Rants A Lot Llew
July 30, 2014 at 14:23
Wow Rince. Got something on your mind there?
Rince&pop
July 30, 2014 at 14:39
Lulz, no one got that I fear.
Lord Chaos
July 30, 2014 at 14:41
What do you expect? It’s hump day after all…
Sir Rants A Lot Llew
July 30, 2014 at 14:55
Well clearly you didn’t either 😛
*RUNS*
Rince&pop
July 30, 2014 at 14:17
EISH! I hope they at least buy the condoms.
Hammersteyn
July 30, 2014 at 14:19
XD
Kensei Seraph
July 30, 2014 at 14:19
They prefer this type:
http://thumbs1.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/pict/171164735744_1.jpg
Admiral Chief Dovahkiin
July 30, 2014 at 14:20
Don’t be silly
Lord Chaos
July 30, 2014 at 14:19
I actually fully agree with the Errors and Omissions Insurance. Should actually be even higher, forcing devs to ensure they bring a complete product to market and not something with a massive day one patch and another a week later.
Hammersteyn
July 30, 2014 at 14:20
Yeah but does it really need to be so much?
Lord Chaos
July 30, 2014 at 14:23
Like I said, I’d fully understand if it was more. Or maybe have a sliding scale based on company size.
Hammersteyn
July 30, 2014 at 14:23
Or country of origin?
Lord Chaos
July 30, 2014 at 14:25
Yep, let the Americans pay more.
Edit: Sorry Zoe.
Kensei Seraph
July 30, 2014 at 14:20
Most indie devs do that anyway, it’s the major AAA devs who don’t and to them that amount is pocket change.
Lord Chaos
July 30, 2014 at 14:22
Very true, though I have seen some indie games and went into shock at how bad it was.
Note, some, others are truly amazing.
Sir Rants A Lot Llew
July 30, 2014 at 14:19
That’s rather expensive 0_o
What are the costs of developing on the PS4? I’d like a follow up article with that info if at all possible?
Pieter Kruger
July 30, 2014 at 14:46
Sony initially lent developers Dev Kits for free (for a year that is, and that year just ran out if I’m correct). Surely the Insurance and rating board costs will be the same for Sony?
Sir Rants A Lot Llew
July 30, 2014 at 15:22
Wouldn’t know. Which is why I’d like to know 🙂
FoxOneZA
July 30, 2014 at 15:02
I can confirm via an unconfirmed sauce that it’s inversely costly.
/click bait trolling
Sir Rants A Lot Llew
July 30, 2014 at 15:21
lol
Pieter Kruger
July 30, 2014 at 14:32
New header: “MS will only charge you $1000 to publish on the Xbox One”
FoxOneZA
July 30, 2014 at 15:03
New Header “Xbox games cost more”
xdvd
July 30, 2014 at 17:28
Let me get this straight, so Microsoft is supposed to foot the bill for classification in countries that the developer wants to publish in. A bit unreasonable don’t you think.
BibbyO
July 30, 2014 at 22:18
Same as ps4…so why are we writing more propaganda ?
shawnT
July 31, 2014 at 00:54
Same as ps4. Are will still writing nonsensical pro ps4 internet propaganda articles like this. The world hates the ps4 community, starting to hate sony and the ps4 as well because of this nonsense…well done ! Didnt your mommy teach you…nothing nice to say…dont say anything at all !