In our previous article, we talked about how important it is to build open and transparent relationships between studios and publishers for a mutually beneficial partnership. But let’s be real — this is still business, and both sides are bound to have questions and concerns, especially when it comes to profits and intellectual property.

So today, let’s dive into some of the specific fears and uncertainties that often come up in studio-publisher relationships.  

Will they give us lifetime guarantees?

We’ve already emphasized how crucial it is for publishers and developers to align their goals and intentions early on, ensuring that everyone is on the same page. But the reality is that studios tend to focus more on the present, while publishers are looking toward the future. If this isn’t addressed up front, misunderstandings are bound to happen.  

For instance, imagine a studio approaches a publisher with a game that’s already pulling in $100K per month and shows potential for growth. It’s not uncommon for the studio to expect a guaranteed lifetime payment in exchange for working with the publisher. After all, if the game is already generating $100K, surely it can continue to do so, right?  

Unfortunately, the mobile games economy is far from static. Very few projects can sustain consistent profit levels indefinitely. Over time, CPI will rise, metrics will dip, and new competitors will enter the market every day. To put it simply, maintaining profits requires that your LTV grows faster than your CPI. And for that to happen, a lot of things need to align — including the studio’s willingness to update and improve the game.

This is why we stress the importance of shared goals and flexibility. If a studio resists making changes or is hesitant to experiment, it will inevitably impact the game’s profitability.

Because of this unpredictability, publishers are rarely in a position to guarantee fixed payments for several years. A more realistic option might look like a declining payout structure — for example, $100K for the first six months, then $80K, $60K, $40K, and so on.  

What if the publisher loses interest in our project after six months?

Most large publishers aim for long-term partnerships, ideally lasting 5-10 years. The nature of this business makes it more profitable for publishers to take the long view — scaling the project, increasing revenue, and sharing the profits with the studio.  

That said, there are cases where both sides realize after 3-6 months that the collaboration just isn’t working. If this happens, there’s no need to panic — as long as everything was discussed and agreed upon in advance, the transition can be smooth. You’ll walk away with not only your project intact but also valuable experience and insights from working with the publisher.  

Keep in mind, walking away isn’t a win for the publisher either. They have to shift focus from other projects, which means fewer ad creatives for those titles, ultimately reducing their revenue. On top of that, they lose time transferring the project back to you (hopefully, your agreement includes a clear clause to ensure that happens smoothly) and take a financial hit if the project didn’t turn a profit — among other things.

If you feel like the publisher isn’t putting effort into your project, don’t jump to conclusions. Go back to communication basics — refer to step #2 here — and try to have an open conversation. It could just be a misunderstanding.  

What if they clone our project?

The market operates in a way where everyone keeps an eye on each other, hunting for successful ideas to use as inspiration or references. More often than not, it’s developers borrowing ideas from other developers — not publishers. This happens not only in mobile games but even in AAA projects — just look at the battle royale genre.

The truth is, if your idea is good, it’s going to get noticed, whether you share it with a publisher or launch it independently. A publisher’s job is to track what’s performing well and use those insights to help other projects scale. If you want to keep your idea completely secret, your only option is to make a game that doesn’t attract attention — which means it won’t generate installs or revenue either.

That said, negative scenarios like cloning do happen, but they’re rare. I don’t think it’s something to be seriously worried about because in 99% of cases, publishers have no reason to copy a project. Our goal as a business is to find talented teams and help scale their games to give the revenue a significant boost. The idea is for developers to make more money — even after our share — while building a stronger, more stable business with a partner who’s always on the hunt for new growth opportunities.

In reality, it’s far more efficient to work with a project that’s already market-ready than to spend time cloning it. If you’re still worried about this, make sure your contract protects your IP, includes clear termination terms, and outlines the process for returning the project to you if things do go sideways.  

Time is one of the most critical metrics in this market. Depth adds value — more mechanics, more content, and more room for scaling — but takes months to reach. The faster a game gets to market, the better its chances of success. Copying someone else’s project and spending 6-12 months on a clone is rarely worth it.  

For us at AppQuantum, we focus on hybrid genre games, deep and intricate projects in unexplored niches. It’s hard to imagine anyone investing the time and resources to clone such a complex concept without knowing if it will even succeed. 

I still have a ton of questions

There’s a persistent stereotype among some developers that publishers are greedy, cutthroat corporations. Anytime a public controversy arises, it gets projected onto the entire industry. In reality, most publishers are open to communication, flexible with terms, and willing to address all your concerns in contracts.

While no agreement can offer a 100% guarantee, you can dramatically increase your chances of finding a reliable, long-term partner by doing the following:

• Have open discussions about shared goals and intentions.  
• Agree on how you’ll work together to achieve those goals.  
• Stay in touch and address questions as they arise.  
• Talk openly about fears and concerns.  
• Protect your intellectual property in the contract.  
• Update your strategy when the situation calls for it.  

This kind of proactive, transparent approach paves the way for financial growth and mutual respect.

If you have specific worries, propose adding them to the contract. Concerned about employee poaching? Bring it up. At AppQuantum, we’re happy to include this clause in our agreements (when allowed by local laws). Worried about unfair profit-sharing? Just ask how it’s calculated.

The truth is, both sides are always taking risks. When a publisher takes on a new project, their entire team — marketers, analysts, creatives, and more — invests time and expertise to figure out how to make the game more profitable. On top of already high burn rates, these resources are often pulled away from other projects, leading to opportunity costs that studios don’t always factor in.

Collaborate on a roadmap for both the short and long term. Where do you want to be in 3, 6, or 12 months? What about 5-10 years? Decide together how you’ll respond if expectations aren’t met by key milestones.

Ultimately, there’s no need to be afraid. With clear communication, shared goals, and a solid plan, you can build a partnership where both sides work together to reach new heights — without pulling the blanket to their side.