Basics of Starting your own Game Studio

We've previously touched upon starting a studio, but I always left out a bunch of the details as they are very country/experience-specific. In this video, I go through Michael Futter's Gamedev Business Handbook and share some of the key insights he has with you.
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Bart Mamzer
Lolicide
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Game Dev With Michael
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gageperrygames
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Timestamps:
00:00 You need to incorporate
01:18 Splitting business and personal
02:35 Track & Categorize everything
03:50 Legal framework
04:35 Stages of development
05:13 External IP
05:51 Negotiating
08:36 Crowdfunding
09:23 Early Access
10:45 General thoughts
12:21 Patreon
13:01 Next book?
13:32 Outro
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[@markguyton2868]

The more I learn about the business side of game dev, the less I feel like I'm ready to make a full game.

[@jeremyjohnson9609]

And that's ok! Just jump in. Get started. That's the only way you'll ever make a game.

[@ChristopherCricketWallace]

I'm embarrassed to say that THIS is the reason that I haven't started for years. The taxes concerns alone paralyze me.

[@tlothompson6935]

I'm the complete opposite. I have started multiple startup businesses and learned everything there is to know about starting a business. However, I have no skills when it comes to game design.

[@Dailyfiver]

I’m going to try and market my very first game and I encourage you to do the same. Is it going to be mediocre and get bad reviews? Sure, but I see it as a learning opportunity for the sales side of things where I have no experience.

[@markguyton2868]

@@Dailyfiver Well good luck to you, hope it goes better than expected :3

[@channyh.221B]

- "So I finally joined a club." - "Oh nice, which club?" - * proudly * "The BiteMe Games Bookclub." Also, congratulations on your subscribers nummers, it keeps getting up at a very steady pace.

[@Ducaluk]

Masters of Doom is really fun to read about seeing the progress about id software and basically the birth of a studio in the early days of game dev. Its not so much a practical guide but its inspiring though and written well that it basically turns the pages itself. I usually reread it on a long flight 😆

[@bitemegames]

As someone who adores boomer shooters, it was one of the first books that I've read, and John Carmack is one of my idols (even though I don't program). I've actually covered this book in an ancient "top books for gamedevs" video, I think it was our 4th upload. -M

[@blakeearth]

Very excited for this book club idea!

[@bananaArt741]

Totally gonna buy this book. Sounds like a great resource!

[@megasupernewbie]

this is great thanks for sharing books with us

[@BTrainStudio]

My favorite gamedev books is blood, sweat, and pixels. Jason also wrote Press Reset. I highly recommend those books. Blood, sweat, and pixels is about how the industry come up with a game idea and create it. Press Reset are stories of what happens after failure and where those developers go. If you do a book club, I'd love to join. I need to read more books overall.

[@GeryNH]

Thank you for the recommendations :)

[@bitemegames]

It's actually one of the first gamedev related books, and I covered it in an ancient (I think our 4th upload) video! -M

[@joshuadillon8893]

I don't know what books are out there that I need to be looking in to. I would like to. Thank you for making this video, looking forward to the other installments.

[@mindyourlanguage2066]

I like this "book club" idea. Here's one on writing that I think could be interesting to discuss: "On Writing and Worldbuilding, Volume I" by Timothy Hickson. Cheers!

[@KaitheArtGuy]

I fall into the Early Access mistake category you mention around 9:55 I started early access this year with less than 500 wishlists, maybe around 10-20 people playtesting. Is there still hope to grow an audience? How much does that hurt my numbers if I'm planning on working on the game for probably another 3-5 years?

[@denkkab1366]

Dumb/basic question maybe, but about financing: if I have some pocket money I am willing to invest into my own studio, is there something I need to take into account or can I just transfer the money to the studio's account and then whenever I want, transfer all/some of it back to my personal account if I decide I don't need to spend (all of) that? Or do I lose something due to taxes etc. if I did that without some considerations?

[@bitemegames]

In Belgium at least, putting money into the company is no problem, I can literally just do a bank transfer from my personal account to the business account. Getting that same money out once it's in there isn't as easy however, and is subject to tax. -M

[@denkkab1366]

@@bitemegames thanks, that was kind of my thought as well, but great to get confirmation (at least regarding Belgium, but I think same applies here).

[@BrianIsMakingGames]

@@denkkab1366 if you are in the US realize the rules actually differ a lot depending on the type of company (LLC, LLP, S Corp, C Corp, etc) and also vary based on which state(s) you register your business in. As a general rule though, yes adding money is pretty easy (but there are tax considerations for that too depending on timing). Taking it out...varies a LOT on the tax rules. So if you are serious about starting... a quick intro call with an accountant is absolutely worth it. Doing it wrong can pierce the liability shield (which granted for a game company probably isn't the end of the world....but still better to do it right)

[@bruceburnett5372]

Read?...who has time to read? Just slows me down... kinda like stop signs. I ignore them too. Lol.. You're not the first to recommend his book.

[@Dailyfiver]

Audiobooks are a solution to your “stop signs” lol.