How to open a game development studio

The possibility of earning millions of dollars a year from game development seems very attractive, especially for creative individuals. But is everything as simple as novice developers think?

We can safely answer: no, there are nuances in legislation, promotion, and supervision of such projects. When opening a game development studio, you will face many issues, just like any other business.

For example, you need to think about financing in order not to fail. It is better to develop a business plan, and not to take it from the Internet, but to make individual calculations. It is much easier to take all these steps not on your own, but under the strict guidance of lawyers. For example, taking into account the more than 11 years of experience of our team in registering companies of various profiles, including gaming companies.

Do you want to open a game development studio? Let's start by understanding how everything works in such projects

Two companies are involved in the development of video games: developers and publishers. Developers are companies that create games directly. The publisher is engaged in promotion and marketing. And it is the publisher who sets the task for developers and pays for it. Therefore, they follow a rational approach and to some extent limit the flight of imagination of developers. This can lead to disagreements, so you should pay attention to the legally correct drafting of contracts, taking into account all the risks.

Inexpensive projects for a small target audience can be created by a private entrepreneur. However, such game development studios are in the minority, and the reason for this is the focus on growth and scaling at the time of opening. That is, you need to immediately think about what kind of games you will create.

In addition, you will need to learn the project management methodology. And it would be better to hire a project manager for this purpose. Do not think that independent development is easy. If you create a game by yourself, you also promote it alone.

 So, an individual developer is at least a 3-in-1:

• game developer;
• project manager;
• marketer.

Are you ready for such a role? Think and decide on the type of company you want to start.

How to open a game development studio: project implementation

If we consider game development as a business, we need to pay attention to the implementation part.

Publishers are taxpayers, they are responsible for all organizational work.

Choosing an organizational and legal form of a game development studio

Choosing a legal form is not always easy. A sole proprietorship or an LLC? Which is better? The best way out is to consult a specialist so that all registration actions are carried out clearly, under his or her guidance, with the ability to quickly resolve issues in accordance with the requirements of the law. If you want to open a studio for the production of large-scale projects, the LLC legal form can often be recommended. But there are many nuances in this matter.

Taxation of a game development studio

As for the single tax status, this type of registration is optimal for individual entrepreneurs. For this area, it is KVED 58.21 "Publication of computer games". You can choose several KVEDs (an unlimited number) if your business will involve the development of other software products, not just games. This way, you will be more likely to stand on your own two feet and secure your business while the game promotion is ongoing. It takes from a few months to a year or two, so you will have to think about where to get funds during this period.

Get legal and tax advice from RegService. Be sure that you are moving in the right direction if you want to open a game development studio. You will also be able to get further legal support, advice on contract law and intellectual property law. If you wish, you can order subscription legal services on an ongoing basis.

Contact us in a convenient way and get advice on company registration:

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