3DO ZONE Forums

Here's a question for those of you who know more about the video game industry than I do.

Okay, so I presume Wii points are sold by the local branch of Nintendo (in my case, Nintendo of America). I would also guess that when Wii points are spent on a third party game, Nintendo of America passes on a sum of money proportionate to the amount of Wii points to the third party.

But what percentage of the money do they pass on, and what percentage do they hang onto to cover licensing? And more importantly, what do they do if the third party in question no longer exists?

Basically, I'd like to know who's getting paid when I buy a game on the Wii shop. Part of the fun of being a patron of the arts is knowing that you're funding good publishers so they can produce more stuff. I was a little dismayed when, after enjoying the heck out of the Wiiware title GhostSlayer, I looked up the publisher only to find that they seem to have gone under years before I bought the game.

I am pretty sure the third party would get most of the money while nintendo would take some fees likely. Likely a small percentage on those fees. I really can't think of any other way it would go. If the third party didn't get most of the money, they wouldn't be so reluctant to put their game on the platform.

I am just making an intelligent guess here.

Even if the game company doesn't appear to exsist, someone still has a hold on the IP. Someone will be collecting that check. Otherwise the owner would file a lawsuit for money owed.