MS to take larger cut of best-selling Community Games

by Christopher Grant { Jul 23rd 2008 at 4:28PM }

GameDaily BIZ got some details on the revenue sharing structure of the recently detailed Xbox Live Community Games. While we reported that developers could receive "up to 70%" of sales, Microsoft's Chris Satchell clarified the structure this way: "The better you're doing, the more we'll take." Sure, this sounds pretty cutthroat (newsflash: Microsoft is a business!) but the relationship here isn't dissimilar to traditional retail arrangements.

If your Community Game performs well, it will be plucked from the crowd and placed in the "storefront" where it should enjoy a great deal of promotion and, in turn, sales. Satchell says, "The game will spend most of its time at 70%, but if we're promoting you and you're getting more traffic, there will be a 10% to 30% marketing fee." Once it's out of the storefront – bam! – "you're back to 70% again." In other words, if you want more of your hard-earned ... uh, Microsoft Points to go to Bobby Developer and not Johnny Microsoft, wait until things have settled down a bit and the game has left the storefront for the relative anonymity of the crowd. Then, swoop in, make your purchase, and consider The Man stuck.

Tags: Chris-Satchell, Xbox-Live, Xbox-Live-Community-Games, XNA

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Vegnagun bwf @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:32PM

I wouldn't eat that cake if I were you.
(in before portal jokes)

danny. @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:56PM

not if you have a drug test coming up anyway...

David @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:01PM

The cake is a -

...DAMN IT. I can't believe you cakeblocked us.

Jakka (Not sure why he got banned?) @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:06PM

http://z.about.com/d/webclipart/1/0/b/y/fit3.gif

CAKE DENIED!

Korova of the highlands @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:33PM

you are such a cakeblocker.

lol, i learned a new word today! That's why I come to Joystiq early and often.

QuEsTioN MaRk JoNEs @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:33PM

nice

Deric Lee @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:37PM

Yay

TwEE @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:39PM

I can't believe Nintendo is doing this, they only care about money.

brokenscope @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:40PM

I'll be honest, I really can't tell anymore.

bAssackwards @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:41PM

*facepalm*

Also: Nintendo brings smiles to faces. I heard it at E3.

zelderman @ Jul 23rd 2008 10:51PM

I don't know if that was sarcasim, my radar isn't turned on, but this is Microsoft we are talking about.

EliteBeatsAgent08 @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:44PM

Uh huh

Shaq-Fu @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:45PM

But....But...........Microsoft is too holy to screw over their fans, unlike those godless Nintendo bastards

Archr5 @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:20PM

Wait. I'm confused.
Which part of this article had anything to do with the fans?

also which part of the article had anything to do with anyone getting screwed?

Player1 @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:46PM

I saw a cake and thought I was on Kotaku for a second.

CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:13PM

Avatar stealer:(

Player1 @ Jul 24th 2008 10:47AM

Actually, I think it's the other way around my friend. I was first to respond to the post about these stupid gamerpics by using one of them, which is why I got voted up and a response of "Nice!". You changed yours later and it appears that you were first, but that was not the case. And now you accuse me of being the thief?

Leobebes @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:46PM

Can I make a monkey poop flinging game or would that be against Microsoft's rules of development?

Shaq-Fu @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:50PM

As long as its in HD, they won't mind.

Leobebes @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:50PM

Sweet...Fecal HD goodness.

theturtle363 @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:51PM

id buy it

Sora @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:03PM

All I saw was "Fecal HD goodness" and thought of 2Girls1Cup...

Shaq-Fu @ Jul 23rd 2008 6:16PM

@Sora: You're thinking of the WiiWare game utilizing the Unreal Engine

tlarkin79 @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:51PM

So if Microsoft provides you more marketing than other titles, they expect more of a cut per sale. Isn't that basic marketing?

AoE @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:35PM

Yes, yes it is. But displaying an understanding of how the world works doesn't make for good fanboy flamebait, does it? ;)

kagai @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:41PM

Yeah, they push a button, and poof you're on the storefront and they take another 30% (to equal 60%)...they make more than you do off of a game you made...sounds fair to me.

Christopher Grant @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:43PM

So the part where I wrote "Sure, this sounds pretty cutthroat (newsflash: Microsoft is a business!) but the relationship here isn't dissimilar to traditional retail arrangements" -- that didn't leave a lasting impression I guess?

AoE @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:00PM

With the way the rest of the post was written it didn't ;)

kagai @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:06PM

Didn't your mother ever teach you anything?

"Just because every one else is doing it, doesn't make it right!"

ScottG13 @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:56PM

If developers want the pub, they'll jump on this. They know what they're getting into. And more small indy devs getting chances to produce and sell games is always a good thing.

CB @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:09PM

Good job, now I'm hungry.

Arttemis @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:36PM

"The better you're doing, the more we'll take."

God, now if only the IRS would do the same to Microsoft.
Bastards.

Arttemis @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:45PM

Hyperbole aside, giving successful titles a front-page bump for all the XBL audience to see is an amazing example of advertising.

Unfortunately, the additional cut of 30% (a possible 60% share going to Microsoft) seems tastelessly excessive.

Clearly this isn't a unique practice to games, and I'm sure this is a more generous share that most other forms of media, but I don't look kindly on the corporate control and vested interests into which they've transformed it.

Korova of the highlands @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:36PM

It took all of 18 seconds to come up with a runaround for that grabby sharing structure. That's not just fast, that INTERNET FAST!

OMGOMG @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:46PM

I think developers are OK with that. I mean, you're getting FUCKING MICROSOFT TO PUBLISH AND MARKET YOUR GAME. That in itself is pretty damn cool.

totoro @ Jul 23rd 2008 6:01PM

Can you request to not get "storefronted", and keep your 70%?

AoE @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:01PM

One would assume the boost in sales received from hitting the storefront will more than offset any profits potentially lost by the shifting margins.

ForbidenMaster @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:18PM

Can creators choose to opt out of being featured?

No, all creators agree to a common set of terms when they submit their game to the service. The majority of sales and revenue a creator earns will be generated by our promotions. The Creator will always benefit from the sales of their games and we’ll be working with our merchandising team to help boost the game’s revenue when we see potential for even greater success.

http://creators.xna.com/en-us/XboxLIVECommunityGames

ForbidenMaster @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:35PM

The Magical Article Summarizing Machine @ Jul 23rd 2008 10:05PM

Of course not. Most likely, by doing any of this in the first place, Microsoft will immediately own any and all pieces of game you make, to do with whatever they want.
I sure wish news sites, and blog sites, would actually ask the "hard" questions to MS, Sony, and Nintendo. Instead of pandering, and tip toeing around, so as to not lose exclusives, and other things.

The day I see a reputable site call any company a liar for something they lied about, will be a great, great day.