Futurlab: Sony Gives ‘Guaranteed Sales Buyout’ to Devs Contributing to PS Plus

Everyone loves getting a free game, which is likely why PlayStation Plus has gained so much momentum since its conception. Each and every week, Sony offers discounted, free, or exclusive content on its PlayStation Network service for those willing to shell out a monthly fee for Plus. As a consumer, it’s a solid offering. But what about the developers who work night and day to release a title without a price tag? Brighton-based developer Futurlab, best known for its space shooter Velocity and a pair of PS4 projects shown at Gamescom, has contributed to Plus in the past, and co-founders Kirsty Rigden and James Marsden are more than happy with the results.

"They come to you with a deal," Rigden said to Game Industry International. "They say, we'll give you this much money if we can have the game for free, or exclusive, or money off, or a combination. There are a lot of different ways you can do it. The amount of money that they'll suggest will be relevant to the package."

"They call it a guaranteed sales buyout," Marsden added. "It's like looking at guaranteed downloads – you discuss a deal up front and decide if it's worth it. For us it was less about money and more about exposure, especially with a sequel coming."

It’s not the content-delivery method many developers might consider early in development, but along with the nice chunk of money guaranteed early on, the number of eyes that the game draws is vastly increased. It’s an investment in the brand, and as Rigden jokes, “the ultimate demo.”