This checklist walks indie teams through finding and pitching game publishers without spraying generic emails into the void. Work through each section in order, or jump to the stage you are in now. The goal is a short, evidence-backed list of publishers worth contacting, plus outreach that references what they actually ship.
Publisher perspective
Video: What is it like working with an Indie Game Publisher? by IMPRESS / Ash Gwinnell. Recorded at IMPACT! Indie Games Pitch Up (enabled by Silver Lining).
1. Clarify what you are pitching
Publishers say yes or no based on fit. Before you research names, be able to describe your game in the same language stores and catalogs use.
Lock your core genre and subgenre
Write one sentence: "We are making a [genre] game about [hook]." If you cannot say it clearly, polish the pitch before you email anyone.
List platforms and release stage
Note target platforms (PC, console, mobile), whether you have a vertical slice or demo, and your rough timeline. Publishers filter on stage as much as genre.
Capture tags, themes, and features
Steam-style tags (co-op, roguelike, narrative, etc.) help you compare your game to titles a publisher already shipped. SteamDB lists every Steam tag in one place. Match vocabulary, not marketing fluff.
Define budget and support you need
Be honest about whether you want funding, marketing, porting, localization, or live ops help. Different publishers specialize in different deal types.
2. Research publishers by what they ship
A spreadsheet of fifty names from a forum thread is a weak start. Rank publishers by portfolio overlap, not by logo recognition.
Pull their released catalog
Look at games they published in the last three to five years. Note genres, art style, scope, and price point. Ignore "we publish all genres" unless the catalog proves it.
Score overlap with your game
For each publisher, name two or three shipped titles that resemble yours in genre, audience, or production scale. No overlap means low priority.
Find the right contact
Prefer business development or submissions inboxes listed on the publisher site. LinkedIn can work when the public email is missing, but verify the role before you send.
3. Prepare materials publishers expect
Most passes happen because the email is vague or the links are missing. Have these ready before batch outreach.
One-page pitch summary
Hook, genre, platform, stage, team, budget ask, and what makes the game different. Keep it scannable. Attach or link, do not paste a novel into the email body.
Gameplay video or demo link
A short capture beats screenshots alone. Password-protect a build if needed, and test the link on a fresh device before you send.
Steam page or store-style page (if available)
Even an unlisted Steam page gives publishers tags, capsule art, and wishlist signal. If you are pre-Steam, a polished press kit page is the fallback.
4. Write outreach that earns a reply
Personalization is not flattery. Show you know their catalog and why your game belongs on it.
Reference a shipped title in line one
Name a game they published and one concrete similarity to yours (genre, camera, session length, audience). Generic praise reads as spam.
Keep the first email short
Four to six sentences: who you are, what you are making, why them, links, ask. Offer a call or demo follow-up. Save long design docs for interested replies.
Use a professional subject line
Format: "[Genre] [Platform] / [Game Name] / publishing inquiry" or similar. Avoid ALL CAPS and clickbait.
5. Follow up, evaluate, and negotiate
Finding a publisher is a pipeline, not a single lucky email. Treat each conversation as data.
Follow up once, politely
If there is no reply in ten to fourteen business days, send a brief bump with the same links. Then move on. Multiple bumps hurt your reputation.
Track status for every name
Columns: sent date, contact, reply, call held, pass reason, next step. You will need this when three threads are active at once.
Compare term sheets on the same basis
Look at advance, rev share, IP ownership, porting obligations, marketing commit, and termination clauses. Cheap money with bad terms is not a win.
Shortlist faster with catalog data
Manual research works, but comparing dozens of portfolios by hand takes days. findgamepublishers ranks publishers against public Steam metadata so you can start with overlap, not guesswork.
12,547 listed publishers in our catalog (last updated ).