Game Porting and Publishing Services in the US: A Guide for Indie Developers
If you're an indie developer in the US with a finished PC game, you have three ways to get it onto consoles: sign with a full publisher, hire a porting studio, or work with a porting-and-publishing partner that handles the console side for you. Which one fits depends on how much control you want to keep and how much you can pay up front.
We're CUDIT, porting and publishing indie games on PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox and Steam is what we do. Here's how the options compare, and what to check before you sign anything.
What porting and publishing actually cover
People use these two words loosely, so it helps to split them.
Porting is the technical work of making your game run on a new platform:
Getting your engine build working on the console's SDK
Hitting stable performance, which is often the hardest part on Switch
Adapting controls, UI scaling and text size for TV and handheld play
Adding trophies or achievements, cloud saves and platform features
Fixing everything the platform's certification test flags
Publishing is everything around the release:
Access to platform developer programs and dev kits
Age ratings (ESRB in the US, through IARC for most digital releases)
Store pages, pricing, release dates and regional settings
Trailers, key art, press outreach and launch marketing
Some partners do only one of these. A full publisher usually does both, and often funds development too, in exchange for a larger revenue share.
The three options, side by side
Option | What you get | What it usually costs you |
Full publisher | Funding, porting, marketing, launch | A large revenue share, sometimes IP rights |
Porting studio (work-for-hire) | Technical port only | An up-front fee; you handle publishing |
Porting + publishing partner | Port, certification, store setup, launch | A revenue share, little or no up-front cost what CUDIT Games do |
Does your partner need to be in the US?
Not really. Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft and Valve all run global developer programs, and most porting work happens remotely anyway. Plenty of US indies work with partners in Europe and Asia.
What matters more:
Shipped titles on the exact platform you want. Ask for store links, not logos.
Working-hours overlap. A few shared hours a day is enough for a smooth project.
A clear contract. Know which country's law applies and who owns what.
CUDIT is based in Ankara, Turkiye and works with developers in the US and worldwide.
How CUDIT works with developers
We take games that already work on PC and bring them to PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox and Steam. That includes the port itself, getting through certification, setting up store pages and planning the launch.
One example is Rooster Saga: I Believe I Can Fly, which is out on PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and Steam. Our catalog also includes Island Market Simulator, Hyper Rider and the Jigsaw Chronicles series.
Questions to ask any partner before you sign
Which games have you shipped on this platform? Can I see the store pages?
Who does the porting work: your own team or a subcontractor?
What's the revenue split, and is it different per platform?
Do I keep my IP and my Steam page?
Who pays for dev kits, age ratings and certification resubmissions?
What happens if the port isn't finished on time?
A good partner answers all six without hesitation.
FAQ
How much does it cost to port a game to consoles? It depends on the engine, the game's size and the target platform. Work-for-hire porting studios charge a fee up front. Porting-and-publishing partners like CUDIT usually take a revenue share.
How long does a console port take? For a small or mid-sized Unity or Unreal game, expect a few months including certification.
Can I publish on consoles myself? Yes. All three console makers accept independent developers. But you'll need a registered company, dev kits and time to learn each platform's rules. A partner saves you that learning curve.
Which platforms does CUDIT support? PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox and Steam (PC).
Have a PC game you'd like on consoles? Get in touch with CUDIT and tell us about it.
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