Hi. we're a small group of people working on our debut title, and planning to start pitching our game to publishers around E3 this spring. we feel that the time has come to launch a website with info, screenies, a bit of hype and such, and that's where the advice is needed. should we wait until it's time to approach publishers? should we wait until we've actually secured a deal? in short, will having website be of any benefit to us when we start pitching, or will it only hurt us? TIA --Gunnar [edited by - Fremmed on January 6, 2003 11:18:10 AM]

I´d recommend you wait until you´re actually approaching publishers, by then you will have more to show and are likely to get better responses.
If you have enough content already (working prototype with screenshots, etc.), then you might put it up now, but ONLY if it´s a finished, well-rounded site... there´s nothing worse than a half-done site with no content (because people aren´t coming back later).

Once you create the web site, it is of very little use in the publisher hunt unless it has traffic from customers that want your game. Publishers can see this and will take note of it. Careful, though, once you create the beast that is called the community, you need to maintain it, love it, and feed it. If you don''t it will turn on you and all the publishers will see is negative stuff about your game that hurts your chances.

Having created the web site for our pre-publisher game, I can tell you that if you can wait, do so. It eats up a bunch of time to maintain and will add pressure to your project in places that it need not be.

That being said, if you do put up a site, do it completely and properly. Its what your potential customers will judge you by until you release a game. Good luck.

Kressilac

Unless you are developing a game that would require a huge download I don’t see why anyone would choose to pitch his or her game to a retail publisher. Even if the game was a huge download a.k.a 600 MB, I would still consider selling the game myself via CD online.

A website is an excellent tool to sell your product. And the community of people interested in your game can be maintained with a modest amount of effort. Having a plan file on your site as well as a monthly newsletter is a good way to build awareness of your product. People will return to your site if you update the content on a regular schedule, and the newsletter helps keep in contact with people who at least at one point were interested in your product.

You don’t want to be building your customer base from scratch after you complete your title. Especially if your publisher hunt doesn''t go as well as planned, it would be nice to be able to fall back and sell the game yourself to an existing fan base.

Check out this
related thread.

Hehe, I like Kressilac''s comments, and would have to agree with his professional opinion. The community can be a beast once it is awakened. Push forward with your vision as far as you can, then perhaps throw up a site when you start pitching to publishers. Keep your efforts focused on the production for now, worry about promotion just a bit later.

Good luck.

wise words. thanks all.

--Gunnar