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Where can I distribute my game or app?

David Thomson answers your questions on distributing games and apps on different platforms.

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Since websites and particularly contact information frequently change, we have chosen to link to top-level sites for further information. You will need to search within the site to get the details.


Where can I learn about distributing my game or app via Apple’s App Store for iPhone and iPad?

Apple Developer. It’s free to register as a developer and build your app, but you must pay a fee of $99/£69 per year if you want to distribute your apps via the App Store (whether or not you charge for the app). 


Is it possible to distribute apps for Apple devices in any other way?

No. 


Where can I learn about distributing my game or app via Google Play for Android devices?

Android Developers. Again, free to register as a developer, but you must pay a one-off fee of $25 to distribute via the Google Play store. 


Is it possible to distribute apps for Android devices in any other way?

There are a variety of alternative stores available, normally tied to the manufacturer. Of these, Amazon’s own Kindle Fire store is the most popular. 

Android games consoles such as OUYA and GameStick are also possibilities – more information about these platforms are available from their websites.

Where can I distribute my game or app?

What other tablet/phone platforms are available?

Blackberry, Windows Phone and Surface are the main other technologies you may want to release your app for. However, it should be noted that the number of users for these platforms are far lower than for iOS and Android. 


Where can I distribute games I’ve made for non-phone/tablet devices?

There are a variety of outlets available for your games. If you’ve made a game that can run in the browser try:

For desktop PC/Mac games, the number one outlet is via Steam. However, this can be tricky to achieve unless you can raise the profile of your game or gain enough votes via the Greenlight process. 

There are a number of other options available for distributing on PC/Mac:

In addition, you can also use a service such as FastSpring or Itch.io to sell directly via your own website. You should be aware of new VAT rules which came into force in January 2015 if you choose to sell direct.


Can I distribute my games on consoles such as PlayStation? 

The short answer is probably not, unless you have a track record or a game that earns a high profile. All the primary console manufacturers (Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony) are all open to small and independent game makers now, and more information can be found on their websites. They also scout game showcase events for new games.

Do you have a question?

Get in touch

0333 999 7989
info@culturalenterpriseoffice.co.uk

Disclaimer: We want to keep you in the know, so we offer a wide selection of useful resources. But Cultural Enterprise Office isn’t responsible for the advice and information of external organisations in this document. So if you have any questions, please contact the specific organisation directly. 

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