How securing a publishing deal for your game is like starting a romance

The developer-publisher relationship can be a difficult one full of love, hate, confusion, and delays. That’s why it’s important for both sides to find partners that they can get along with and launch a successful product with.

David Jaffe, who’s directed games like Twisted Metal and God of War, has years of insight into a the publisher-developer deal. To him, it’s like starting a new relationship. “It’s kind of like going out on a date with someone you’ve just met,” Jaffe said when talking about the first pitch a developer makes to a publisher. At some point you have to be yourself and let them see that, no matter how well you dress up. Genuineness and passion can go a long way. However, for something to hit, there has to be mutual love.