The pros and cons of alternative distribution - what you need to know
Alternative PC game distribution is a tantalizing opportunity for publishers — the chance to go beyond Steam to get up to 20% more revenue should be a given. Despite this, many publishers are still hesitant to enter the space because of popular misconceptions and concerns about market transparency, pricing control, and key reselling.
In this guide, we’ll explore the pros and cons of alternative distribution, and how Rokky can help publishers navigate this constantly evolving landscape with confidence.
In this guide, we’ll explore the pros and cons of alternative distribution, and how Rokky can help publishers navigate this constantly evolving landscape with confidence.
Pros
In many ways, diving into alternative distribution is a no-brainer for studios as it represents a way to naturally expand their game’s reach across borders. Other positives include:
Marketing and Promotional Opportunities: Publishers can market their games to new audiences and promote them in ways that appeal uniquely to them — increasing the visibility and engagement of their product worldwide.
- Additional Revenue: Selling game keys outside of Steam allows publishers to tap into new revenue streams, unlocking more than 20% more incremental revenue.
- Global Reach: Publishers can reach players and stores from around the world, expanding their audience to new markets.
- Controlled Distribution: Gamers are already on hundreds of global platforms, and publishers that offer their games on these stores can cater to many of them.
Marketing and Promotional Opportunities: Publishers can market their games to new audiences and promote them in ways that appeal uniquely to them — increasing the visibility and engagement of their product worldwide.
Limitations
While the benefits are undeniably impressive, the limitations can be incredibly daunting for publishers, particularly those without a trusted partner. Publishers who distribute games on their own often face…
- Regional Pricing Manipulation: Games are bought and sold without publisher approval, creating a major headache for publishers. Resellers buy discounted keys in bulk in one market and sell them for profit in another.
- Game Retail Price Depreciation: Widespread discounts from resellers lead to game prices depreciating in the market, causing revenue loss for the publishers.
- Lack of Key Tracking: As a result of the reselling gray market, publishers do not have control of their distribution and struggle to track where their keys are sold.
How Rokky Can Help
Rokky helps publishers enter the alternative distribution space safely, amplifying the pros of alternative distribution and dramatically reducing the impact of the cons. While alternative distribution offers publishers significant opportunities to boost revenue, navigating it without a distribution partner is a nightmare. Success requires the right strategy, and the right partner.
Here’s an overview of what we can do:
Here’s an overview of what we can do:
- New Markets: Rokky’s relationships with 200 global stores help publishers reach new audiences.
- Custom Marketing and Promotion: Rokky creates custom marketing and promotional plans for every game on every store in every region we service to maximize awareness and ensure the strongest sales conversion possible.
- Consultancy: Rokky provides consultancy on publishers’ go-to-market strategy, from regional pricing to marketing strategies for different stores.
- Controlling Distribution: Rokky ensures games are sold in different markets at a publisher-approved set price to ensure that their revenue is protected and to block resellers who buy keys from one market to sell in another.
- Transparent Data Access: Rokky provides publishers with full real-time access to sales data, broken down by store and partner. There are no hidden resellers, no blind spots — just complete visibility into where and how your game is being sold.
