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The Hidden Costs of Self-Publishing on Consoles

Indie developers are increasingly opting to self‑publish on consoles, bypassing traditional publishers. While the DIY route eliminates revenue sharing, it introduces substantial hidden expenses, including costly devkits, legal entity formation, and extensive technical work such as controller integration, save‑system adaptation, and UI scaling. Certification adds another layer of delay, often requiring multiple resubmissions and weeks of waiting. Ultimately, the opportunity cost of time spent on these tasks can outweigh the financial savings of keeping 100% of revenue.