BlueHawk
New Member
Hi all - - I'm researching the early history of home computers and game development, mostly in the 1980s. Does anyone know how, and how much, game developers were typically paid by the software publishers?
I mean the sorts of games that were published by Electronic Arts, Activision, Sierra Online, etc. In many cases, a game had one creator / programmer. The platforms would've been Apple II series, C64, Amiga, IBM / DOS, maybe Atari 8-bit and ST, etc.
EA had an interesting magazine ad featuring the programmers behind its games. They seemed to be independent contractors, like book authors: https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130129/we_see_farther__a_history_of_.php
Ten years ago, I think book authors usually got $3-4 per copy sold, for hardcovers. Games in the 80s cost $20 - $30 retail, so would programmers have gotten $3 - $4 per copy sold? More? Less?
Thanks.
I mean the sorts of games that were published by Electronic Arts, Activision, Sierra Online, etc. In many cases, a game had one creator / programmer. The platforms would've been Apple II series, C64, Amiga, IBM / DOS, maybe Atari 8-bit and ST, etc.
EA had an interesting magazine ad featuring the programmers behind its games. They seemed to be independent contractors, like book authors: https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130129/we_see_farther__a_history_of_.php
Ten years ago, I think book authors usually got $3-4 per copy sold, for hardcovers. Games in the 80s cost $20 - $30 retail, so would programmers have gotten $3 - $4 per copy sold? More? Less?
Thanks.