Taking a game or software product to other markets comes down to one early choice: license it to a partner who sells and supports it locally, or publish it yourself on storefronts and your own channels. Self-publishing keeps control and revenue but puts the work on you. Licensing shares revenue and control in exchange for local capability. Many products use a mix, such as self-publishing in English and licensing for specific regions or languages. This article is general information, not legal advice.
The two routes compared
| Question | Self-publish | License to a partner |
|---|---|---|
| Who sets price and promotions? | You | Often the partner, within agreed limits |
| Who handles localisation? | You | Typically the partner, or shared |
| Who talks to players or customers? | You | Often the partner for their market |
| Revenue | You keep it, less storefront fees | Shared, per the agreed model |
| Upfront effort | Higher | Lower, but deal-making takes time |
| Control over brand and updates | High | Depends on contract terms |
| Local knowledge and relationships | You must build or hire | Provided by the partner |
Neither is better in general. The right choice depends on how much capability you have in each region and how much control matters.
What self-publishing involves
If you self-publish through digital storefronts, you take on tasks a partner would otherwise handle.
Pricing and regions
On Steam, Valve’s documentation says partners set and manage their own pricing, prices are set in 37 currencies across four region groups, and a currency with no price makes the game unavailable to customers using that currency. Steam offers optional conversion methods (exchange rate only, purchasing power only, and multi-variable), and many developers set their own price for each currency (Steamworks Documentation). The same page says the partner is responsible for checking prices before submitting. Other stores have different systems, so read each one’s current documentation. For wider pricing thinking, see international pricing and currency.
Localisation
Steam describes store page localisation (description, images, trailers) and in-game localisation as independent, and lets developers flag each language as offering subtitles, interface or full audio. It states official support for 29 languages and recommends prioritising languages using store traffic, sales, community feedback and wishlist data by region (Steamworks Documentation). That data-led approach applies beyond one store. Localisation covers more than text: see localisation versus translation.
Support, community and compliance
You also take on customer support across time zones, community moderation, tax and payments handling, age ratings or classification where required, and consumer law in each market. Check requirements for each target country before launch rather than discovering them afterwards.
What licensing involves
In a licence deal, you grant a partner defined rights in return for payment. The vocabulary is the same as other content licensing: territory, term, platform or media, language, exclusivity and sublicensing. Our international content licensing introduction explains each term.
Points specific to games and software:
- Scope of platforms. PC, console, mobile and web are often licensed separately. Be explicit.
- Language rights. A partner may hold rights for one language or region only. Define who owns the translated assets afterwards.
- Updates and live operations. Decide who ships patches, who runs events, and how fast partners must adopt updates.
- Source code and escrow. Software licences raise questions about access to source, which most developers want to keep restricted. Seek legal advice on these terms.
- Revenue model. Options include flat fees, royalties and minimum guarantees. Define how revenue is reported and audited.
- Branding. Agree on how the title, logo and key art may be used or adapted, and who approves them.
- Data and privacy. Decide who is the data controller for player data in the territory and what laws apply.
- Exit terms. Specify what happens to accounts, content and player data when the licence ends.
Questions that decide the route
- Do you have capacity in the region? If you lack language skills, support staff or market knowledge, a partner may fill the gap.
- How important is control? Brand, pricing and community relationships are harder to keep in a licence.
- How large is the likely market? A smaller market may not justify your own localisation and support, but a partner may be willing to take it on.
- What do regulations require? Some markets require local entities or approvals. The market entry modes article describes the range of options.
- Can you test first? Release in English or in a few languages on a global storefront, watch the data, then decide where a partner adds value.
A staged approach
Many teams use a sequence like this:
- Self-publish in the home market and in English on storefronts with global reach.
- Add store page localisation for languages where wishlists or sales show interest.
- Add in-game localisation for the languages with clear demand.
- Seek a licensing partner only for markets where local support, platforms or regulations make it worthwhile.
This keeps options open and lets evidence, not guesses, drive investment.
Due diligence on a partner
Before signing, ask for references from other developers, check the partner’s track record with similar products and platforms, understand how they will market the title, and ask how they report revenue. Have a lawyer familiar with the target country review the agreement. Do not hand over rights you may need elsewhere.
Limits of this article
Store features, fees and policies change, so check current documentation. This article does not cover tax, classification or consumer law in specific countries, and the Steam pages cited describe one storefront’s tools, not the whole industry. Treat the comparisons as prompts for your own decision.
Where Radiance Impact fits
Radiance Impact’s Global Expansion and Content Licensing work includes launching games and software to English-speaking audiences, alongside localisation and adaptation. If you are weighing licensing against self-publishing, get in touch via /contact.
Sources
- Pricing, Steamworks Documentation
- Localization and Languages, Steamworks Documentation
