For a game developer, getting the best game publishing deal is important, and you want to do your best to avoid a publi…In "How to get the best game publishing deal," video game attorney Zachary Strebeck advises developers to treat publishing agreements as partnerships and push back against one-sided, boilerplate contracts. He highlights critical areas developers must negotiate to protect their studios, such as enforcing strict release deadlines to prevent publishers from indefinitely shelving a game, retaining full ownership of original intellectual property and proprietary tools, and shortening milestone approval windows to maintain steady cash flow. By explicitly defining post-launch responsibilities and avoiding restrictive "key man" clauses, Strebeck empowers developers to secure fair, mutually beneficial deals that safeguard both their creative work and financial stability.