Valve was a completely new company then. They weren’t going indie, but Sierra didn’t pay them for the remake of Half-Life. In the documentary they talk about financing it by creating Half-Life: Day One.
Usually publishers have multiple products in development simultaneously with varying degrees of investment, the more money invested into a studio to develop a game the more urgent they want it finished.
The real question is… Can indie games publishers afford the delay of a game?
Valve was a completely new company then. They weren’t going indie, but Sierra didn’t pay them for the remake of Half-Life. In the documentary they talk about financing it by creating Half-Life: Day One.
Depends on the circumstances. Small self funded team, part time? Can probably delay indefinitely.
Implying they’re not passing on whatever that “costs” them to the studio…
Yes. If I can wait for the Dune movie in February, video game nerds can also wait.
It’s up to the companies to coast and ration their resources accordingly.
Usually publishers have multiple products in development simultaneously with varying degrees of investment, the more money invested into a studio to develop a game the more urgent they want it finished.
Generally they would fare better than AAA studios who are beholden to their publisher to release no matter what.