The International Game Developers Association Releases Free Business Resources for Game Developers

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - May 6, 2003 - The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) announced today that its Business Committee is delivering resources for the game development community to improve game development contracts, streamline the game submission process to publishers, and educate developers on game industry best practices.

The following three business resources are available at no charge at http://www.igda.org/biz/

Contract Walk-Through
The Contract Walk-Through is meant to educate all developers on game contract issues, so they will be better able to understand and discuss such matters with their lawyers and publishers. Game industry lawyers have compiled essays on important contract issues (sample topics include IP ownership, definition of net sales, the reserve) and each essay includes annotations from industry experts.

Game Submission Guide
The Game Submission Guide is an invaluable resource for developers who are submitting games to prospective publishers. It includes publisher feedback on submission checklist items, and information on what to expect before, during and after the pitch, along with insight into the publisher decision-making process.

Best Practice Reports
The Best Practice Reports were generated from a series of roundtables at the 2003 Game Developers Conference. They help educate and provide solutions for developers on industry best practices in various disciplines: financing, resource management/scheduling, human resources, marketing/promotion and quality assurance.

“Video game development is serious business,” stated Committee co-chair Kathy Schoback, Director of Product Operations, Eidos Interactive. “Game developers must learn how to cultivate strong business relationships and implement best practices in order to advance the art form.”

The work of the IGDA Business Committee is based on the efforts of volunteers from the game community. The Committee strives to maintain a balance of contributions from both the development and publishing sides of the industry.

"The IGDA Business Committee's mission is to empower the development community with business knowledge," said Committee co-Chair Ray Muzyka, Joint CEO of BioWare Corp. "By providing this knowledge to developers, we can raise the profile of game development studios, maximize their chances of success, and help ensure that video game development is seen as a credible business."

For more information on the IGDA Business Committee or to download a free copy of these resources, please visit http://www.igda.org/biz/

About the International Game Developers Association (IGDA)

The International Game Developers Association is a non-profit association established by game developers to foster the creation of a worldwide game development community. The IGDA's mission is to build a community of game developers which leverages the expertise of its members for the betterment of the industry and the development of the art form. For more information on the IGDA, please visit www.igda.org or e-mail info@igda.org.