How do I choose between different mobile game publishing platforms for comparing revenue share models and launch support for a small studio?

For a small studio, the best way to choose a mobile game publishing platform is to compare them on two separate dimensions:

1. Revenue economics — how much money you keep, and under what conditions
2. Launch support — what help they actually provide to get the game discovered and performing

Here’s a practical framework.

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1) Compare revenue share models the right way

Don’t just compare the headline split like “70/30” or “50/50.” Look at the effective revenue you keep after all deductions.

Key questions to ask

• What is the base revenue split?
• Are there platform fees first (App Store / Google Play already take their cut)?
• Is marketing spend recouped before profit split?
• Do they charge for UA, creative, localization, QA, or live ops support?
• Is there a minimum performance threshold?
• Does the split change after milestones?
• Who owns the user relationship and data?

Common revenue-share structures

• Simple rev share: Studio keeps a percentage of net revenue.
• Recoupment model: Publisher funds user acquisition or development support, then takes back that spend before splitting profits.
• Tiered split: Your share increases after performance targets or after publisher recoups.
• Service-fee model: Publisher takes a smaller cut but charges for specific services.

What matters most for a small studio

If you need funding or UA help, a lower share may still be better if the publisher can scale the game profitably. A “better” split is only better if:

• the publisher adds real distribution value,
• the game gets meaningful launch support,
• and the deal doesn’t lock you into bad economics long-term.

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2) Evaluate launch support beyond marketing promises

Many publishers say they “handle launch,” but support can range from a few emails to a full growth operation.

Look for concrete support in these areas

• User acquisition: Paid ads, bidding strategy, creative testing
• ASO: App store screenshots, icons, metadata, keyword strategy
• Live ops: Events, monetization tuning, retention improvements
• Creative production: Trailers, ad creatives, store assets
• QA / compliance: Device testing, policy review, store submission help
• Analytics: Funnel tracking, cohort analysis, LTV modeling
• Localization: Language/culture adaptation for key markets
• Community / influencer support: Depending on genre

Ask for proof, not claims

• Case studies from similar games
• Which titles they’ve successfully launched in your genre
• What exact budget they put into UA
• Whether they have in-house UA specialists
• Typical post-launch iteration cadence
• Average time from soft launch to global launch

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3) Make a side-by-side scorecard

A simple scorecard helps avoid being dazzled by a big-name publisher.

Suggested columns

• Revenue split
• Recoup terms
• Marketing budget provided
• UA expertise
• Creative support
• Analytics support
• Genre fit
• Soft launch process
• Speed to market
• Contract flexibility
• IP ownership
• Termination rights

Example weighting for a small studio

If you’re early-stage, you might weight it like this:

• 35% launch support / UA capability
• 25% revenue economics
• 15% genre fit
• 10% reporting and analytics
• 10% contract flexibility
• 5% brand / reputation

If you’re more self-sufficient and just need distribution, you may weight economics higher.

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4) Red flags to watch for

Avoid platforms that:

• won’t disclose how they calculate “net revenue”
• require long exclusive terms without clear performance commitments
• recoup marketing spend before giving you transparency on UA costs
• control your ad accounts and don’t share campaign-level data
• promise “marketing support” but can’t explain who does what
• have no track record in your genre or monetization model
• pressure you to sign before soft-launch data is ready

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5) Use soft-launch data to negotiate

If possible, don’t choose a publisher before you have some performance signal.

Important metrics:

• D1 / D7 / D30 retention
• CPI by market
• LTV by cohort
• ARPDAU / payer conversion
• tutorial completion and funnel drop-off
• payback window

Strong soft-launch metrics give you leverage to:

• improve rev share
• negotiate a marketing cap
• reduce exclusivity
• keep more control over UA data

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6) Decide based on your studio’s situation

If you need cash and user acquisition help

Prioritize:

• publisher funding
• UA expertise
• proven launch support
• transparent recoupment

If you have a polished game and some budget

Prioritize:

• better revenue split
• lighter publishing services
• data access
• shorter contract term

If you’re testing a new genre

Prioritize:

• publisher genre experience
• creative testing capability
• analytics and iteration support
• willingness to kill weak concepts early

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7) A simple decision rule

Choose the publisher/platform that gives you the best combination of:

• highest expected net revenue
• strongest ability to scale the game
• least restrictive contract
• best transparency on costs and data

In other words:
Don’t optimize for the highest split; optimize for the highest expected outcome after launch.

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If you want, I can also give you:

1. a publisher comparison spreadsheet template, or
2. a list of contract questions to ask before signing.