Write a two-page brief before requesting prices or credentials. Make suppliers respond to the same use case rather than sending you unrelated catalogue presentations.
What are you actually buying?
Specify each component separately:
| Component | Required clarification |
|---|---|
| Playable game access | Which titles, configurations and delivery endpoints? |
| Publishing permission | Which legal entity, websites, audiences and presentation methods? |
| Metadata | Which fields may be stored, edited and published? |
| Marketing assets | Which thumbnails, logos, screenshots and videos may be reused? |
| Launch infrastructure | Hosted iframe, JavaScript widget, launch API or self-hosted files? |
| Support | Who handles failed launches, withdrawals and access changes? |
| Operational information | Availability feeds, release notices, deprecation notices and status reporting? |
These distinctions have practical contractual consequences. MarketJS, for example, describes fixed-fee delivery of compiled files separately from subscription delivery of hosted links, and says its standard licence covers one domain. Buying a game does not automatically mean receiving source code or unrestricted multi-site deployment. (marketjs.com)
What belongs in the brief?
Use this proposed checklist:
- [ ] Contracting entity and business contact.
- [ ] Production domains, subdomains and staging environments.
- [ ] Intended countries and priority US states; identify excluded audiences.
- [ ] Whether pages contain advertising, paid placements or wagering affiliate links.
- [ ] Confirmation that the proposed demo has no purchases, cash-out or prizes.
- [ ] Ten to twenty must-have titles, with studio and version where known.
- [ ] Secondary priorities: mechanics, studios, languages and release coverage.
- [ ] Current CMS, hosting, caching and deployment arrangements.
- [ ] Priority devices and browsers from your own audience data.
- [ ] Expected game launches—not merely website page views.
- [ ] Required asset and metadata uses.
- [ ] Support, withdrawal and export requirements.
- [ ] Pilot scope, decision date and production target.
Use your own traffic and editorial records. Do not substitute an invented industry mobile share or a supplier’s most popular games for your requirements.
Which documents should you create immediately?
Create one shared project folder with access appropriate to commercial and personal data:
01-sourcing-brief
02-priority-game-list
03-supplier-responses
04-rights-and-territory-register
05-privacy-and-promotion-review
06-catalogue-and-version-mapping
07-commercial-comparison
08-integration-specification
09-test-evidence
10-launch-and-exit-runbooks
Each unresolved issue should have an owner, a next action and a decision deadline. Store credentials separately from these documents.