Publisher

How it is used

The developer makes the game; the publisher brings it to market. Studios pitch to publishers, sign publishing deals and deliver milestones in exchange for payments. Companies that release their own games without a publisher self-publish.

Example sentences

1. We're pitching to three publishers next month at the conference.

2. Our publisher handles the console ports and all the marketing.

Common collocations

• publishing deal
• pitch to a publisher
• sign with a publisher
• indie publisher
• self-publish

Related terms

• milestoneAn agreed point in development when specific work must be delivered and reviewed, such as a playable demo, alpha or beta; publishers often pay the studio per milestone.
• platformThe hardware or store that a game runs on and is sold through, such as PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, iOS or Android, or a store like Steam.
• indieDescribes games and studios that are independent: usually small teams that make games without the money or control of a large publisher.
• localizationAdapting a game for players who speak another language and live in another culture: translating text and voice, and adjusting things like fonts, dates, jokes and images.
• certificationThe process in which a console maker tests a game against its technical rules before allowing it to be released on its platform.

More terms: Publishing & Release

• patch
• AAA
• early access
• wishlist
• go gold
• port
• age rating