Creating a Software Game Company Chuck Goebel CTO/Lead Engineer East Coast Games, Inc.

Outline Intro Intro Incorporating Incorporating Creating a Team Creating a Team Preliminary Activities Preliminary Activities Getting the Title to Market Getting the Title to Market Some Advice Some Advice Who is East Coast Games Who is East Coast Games Spoils of War Spoils of War

So You Have the Next “Halo” You have a great idea for a game You have a great idea for a game You have the technical skills You have the technical skills You have the ambition You have the ambition You have the time You have the time You have large financial needs You have large financial needs

Start Your Own Game Software Company

Incorporating - What’s First Incorporate (“C”, “S”, “LLP”, “LLC”…) Incorporate (“C”, “S”, “LLP”, “LLC”…) Create an Executive Team Create an Executive Team President President Treasurer Treasurer Secretary Secretary Issue Stock Issue Stock Get a Federal & State EIN Get a Federal & State EIN

Incorporating – Items to Ponder What am I trying to build? What am I trying to build? Where do I incorporate? Where do I incorporate? How do I set up payroll? How do I set up payroll? How much stock do I create? How much stock do I create? How do I divide the stock? How do I divide the stock? Do I lease/rent office space? Do I lease/rent office space? How do I establish company credit? How do I establish company credit? Paying taxes Paying taxes

Creating the Team Visionary/Designer Visionary/Designer Software Engineers Software Engineers Artists Artists Musicians/Sound Engineers Musicians/Sound Engineers Marketers Marketers Financial Wizards Financial Wizards Legal Experts Legal Experts Business Savvy Experts Business Savvy Experts

Preliminary Items Conceptual Design Conceptual Design Marketing Plan Marketing Plan Functional Design Functional Design Sales Forecasts and Projections Sales Forecasts and Projections High Level Project Timelines High Level Project Timelines

Getting a Title To Market Find/Create a web presence Find/Create a web presence Find/Create a distribution mechanism Find/Create a distribution mechanism Establish relationships Establish relationships GameSpy GameSpy PC Gamer PC Gamer GameSpot GameSpot Buy hardware/software Buy hardware/software Create Press Releases Create Press Releases Activate your Marketing Plan Activate your Marketing Plan

Hey! This is Going to be Expensive > $1,000,000 to get an online game to market > $1,000,000 to get an online game to market Venture Capital Venture Capital Angel Investment Angel Investment Bank Loans Bank Loans My rich Uncle Louie My rich Uncle Louie

Some Sage Advice Release a quality product Release a quality product Spend money wisely on development, marketing and sales Spend money wisely on development, marketing and sales Maintain your vision, but don’t be blind to new opportunities Maintain your vision, but don’t be blind to new opportunities Treat your employees (especially your developers) well Treat your employees (especially your developers) well Make sure you define your processes and procedures early on for the company Make sure you define your processes and procedures early on for the company Don’t be convinced that superior technology will win over superior marketing Don’t be convinced that superior technology will win over superior marketing Always try to have fun Always try to have fun

Who is East Coast Games? Startup Software Game Company Startup Software Game Company Founded in 2003 by Jim Servia and Chuck Goebel Founded in 2003 by Jim Servia and Chuck Goebel Mission Statement: Become the World’s Largest Source of Online Games Mission Statement: Become the World’s Largest Source of Online Games Our First Title: Spoils of War Our First Title: Spoils of War

Spoils of War Third Person Strategy Game integrated into a First Person Shooter Third Person Strategy Game integrated into a First Person Shooter Online play accessible from GameSpy and other internet portals Online play accessible from GameSpy and other internet portals

Spoils of War

Spoils of War – Human Commando

East Coast Games Is looking for a few exceptional developers? Are you up to the challenge?

Questions?