Digital games and profits
Digital games and profits
Hello, according to what I understand, steam keeps around 30% of the revenue, leaving the rest for the developer and publisher. But if a publisher goes bankrupt—like THQ did or if a self-published game fails—what happens to those profits? In such cases, the developer might receive a share of what remains, while the publisher’s cuts go elsewhere. The exact process can vary depending on contracts and agreements.
Licenses are transferred from failed publishers to active ones. For Saints Row, the intellectual property moved to Deep Silver following THQ's bankruptcy.
After THQ's collapse, there were discussions about which games got sold to other companies. Licensing decisions determined who received the rights and terms. Some creators drafted agreements that shifted some licensing control to them. This allowed them to reclaim the rights if the publisher failed. Generally, developers leave rather than publishers do so.