Shank developer: Publisher marketing is not enough

Jamie Cheng, CEO of Eets, N+ and Shank developer Klei Entertainment, has said indies can't rely on publishing support alone when it comes to marketing.

"I see publishers normally as a multiplier on my marketing efforts, Cheng told Indie Games Blog.

"So if I have zero marketing efforts, then you multiply that and you still get zero."

Cheng explained that "if you have a name or a backing or a track record ... those are all things that can help you" convince publishers to invest more marketing power in an independent title, but it has to be a joint effort.

"With marketing, we work with publishers often. So we're working in tandem with them, but a lot of the times they just let us do whatever it is that we want to do, whatever it is that we need to do. So that's great."

"It's always an issue for everybody including independents, including publishers," he added later.

"How do you get your name out there? How do you get the title out? I don't have the answer to that. I am definitely trying to focus more."

Klei's last release was the over-the-top cartoon beat-em-up, Shank, which sold well enough to fund the studio's next, unrevealed project.