For Creative Project Teams
A manual, simple, transparent, robust, flexible, fair, and scalable system for indie gamedev revshare teams
This is a transparent, self-balancing revenue share system designed for indie creative teams who want fairness without the legal overhead. It solves the classic problem: how do you compensate people fairly when contributions vary wildly in scope and impact? How do you do it long term yet keep it simple without making the leader's or the team member's heads explode?
The system handles this elegantly:
(Each tier earns a proportional share of total revenue whenever there's a payout, automatically balanced as the team evolves.)
By default the split is a clean 50/50% for any starting team:
...with robust support to keep things fair if the team ever expands.
(Note: this document is written from a Project Leader's perspective.)
A four-tier system based on contribution level and project importance:
Examples: Lead coder, project leader, main designer, main artist, heavy content developer, OST maker, main soundscape designer, main writer, strong sales/marketing contributor
These are the core pillars crucial to the project's existence and success.
Examples: Medium content developer, subsystem coder, secondary musician/sound designer, part-time marketer with medium impact
Contributors who enhance the project significantly but aren't essential for its core existence.
Examples: Light content developer, asset creators, small but notable project improvements
Contributors who provided meaningful but smaller contributions worth rewarding.
Examples: Playtesting and feedback, one-two donated art pieces, minor marketing boosts
Minimal assistance that earns credits in the game but no monetary compensation.
Total Revenue After Platform Cut = R
Number of Main Tier Members = M
Number of Assistant Tier Members = A
Number of Special Thanks Tier Members = T
Base Share Units = M + (A × 0.5) + (T × 0.167)
Individual Main Share = R ÷ Base Share Units
Individual Assistant Share = (R ÷ Base Share Units) × 0.5
Individual Special Thanks Share = (R ÷ Base Share Units) × 0.167To prevent situations where main contributors get unfairly diluted by too many assistants/thankers, a self-adjusting system is implemented:
Total Contributing Members = M + A + T
Assistant/Thanker Ratio = (A + T) ÷ M
If Assistant/Thanker Ratio > 5:
Main Tier Adjustment Factor = 0.95^(Assistant/Thanker Ratio - 5)
Main Tier Minimum = max(0.30, Main Tier Adjustment Factor)
Adjusted Main Share = Individual Main Share × (Main Tier Minimum ÷ Original Main Percentage)This ensures main contributors always receive at least 30% of total revenue, even with large teams.
Base Monthly Threshold = €50 × Total Contributing Members
Base Quarterly Threshold = €15 × Total Contributing Members
If Revenue ≥ Base Monthly Threshold: Monthly Payouts
If €15 ≤ Revenue per Member < €50: Quarterly Payouts
If Revenue per Member < €15: Hold until next quarterRevenue: €1,000 after platform cut
Base Share Units = 2 + (1 × 0.5) + (1 × 0.167) = 2.667
Individual Main Share = €1,000 ÷ 2.667 = €375.05 each
Individual Assistant Share = €375.05 × 0.5 = €187.53
Individual Special Thanks Share = €375.05 × 0.167 = €62.63
Total Check: (€375.05 × 2) + €187.53 + €62.63 = €1,000.21 ✓Result: Main contributors get 75% total, assistant gets 18.8%, thanker gets 6.3% ✅
Revenue: €2,000 after platform cut
Base Share Units = 3 + (5 × 0.5) + (3 × 0.167) = 6.001
Individual Main Share = €2,000 ÷ 6.001 = €333.22 each
Individual Assistant Share = €333.22 × 0.5 = €166.61 each
Individual Special Thanks Share = €333.22 × 0.167 = €55.65 each
Total Check: (€333.22 × 3) + (€166.61 × 5) + (€55.65 × 3) = €1,999.51 ✓Result: Mains get 50% total, assistants get 41.7% total, thankers get 8.3% total ✅
Revenue: €5,000 after platform cut
Initial Base Share Units = 2 + (15 × 0.5) + (10 × 0.167) = 11.17
Assistant/Thanker Ratio = (15 + 10) ÷ 2 = 12.5
Since ratio > 5, apply adjustment:
Main Tier Adjustment Factor = 0.95^(12.5 - 5) = 0.95^7.5 = 0.688
Main Tier Minimum = max(0.30, 0.688) = 0.688
Original Main Percentage = (2 × (€5,000 ÷ 11.17)) ÷ €5,000 = 0.179
Since 0.179 < 0.30, boost to minimum 30%:
Adjusted Main Total = €5,000 × 0.30 = €1,500
Individual Main Share = €1,500 ÷ 2 = €750 each
Remaining for Others = €5,000 - €1,500 = €3,500
Other Share Units = (15 × 0.5) + (10 × 0.167) = 9.17
Individual Assistant Share = (€3,500 ÷ 9.17) × 0.5 = €190.74 each
Individual Special Thanks Share = (€3,500 ÷ 9.17) × 0.167 = €63.69 eachResult: Protection ensures main contributors get 30% despite large team size 🛡️
Realistic thresholds that scale with team size to minimize transfer fees:
If revenue falls below quarterly thresholds, funds are held until the next quarter to accumulate enough to justify transfer fees. Very small individual amounts (typically under €15 per person) aren't worth transferring due to banking fees, so we wait until earnings accumulate to meaningful amounts.
To handle revenue sharing transparently and efficiently, a comprehensive management system is built around a custom web application. This system tracks all team members, calculates fair distributions, and maintains complete transparency throughout the process.
The core concept is simple: platforms take their cut, send money to a dedicated "payout hub" account, and the remaining revenue gets distributed according to the tier-based formula using automated calculations that ensure accuracy and fairness.
Project leaders are encouraged to explore alternative options, like specialized apps or services for handling payouts to multiple members; anything that would work better for handling payouts if it means less fees, more security and better transparency amongst members. The hub account method is simply a baseline approach.
These payment methods may change and project leaders can suggest other options, except for bitcoin or its derivatives.
In other words, money is earned, payout day comes, money goes from store to hub, hub splits rewards by sending them to members as per tiers until nothing is left in the hub. Then this process repeats.
The entire system is built around a purpose-designed web application that serves as the central hub for all revenue sharing operations. This offline-capable tool handles everything from team tracking to payout calculations, ensuring complete transparency and accuracy. It can even be used in any other revshare project too!
All data is saved into a 'team-project data file' that can be loaded back into the web app when changes need to be made or calculations/payout commits to timeline need to be done. It contains everything for team info, payout timeline info and project intro info.
While payouts are monthly/quarterly, there is no rigid schedule or date because the project leader will have to manually process each payment individually, which takes time and requires careful attention to avoid errors. This is especially true once the number of members goes above 5 people. The extra scrutiny may mean delays of a day or two to ensure everything is correct before everyone gets their money as intended.
There is a risk a careless or rogue team member may leak files to the general public. This could potentially lead to drama, envy, harassment (doxxing, pressuring, guilting, shaming, extortion) from bad actors. Project leaders should aim for a balance between transparency, trust and security, so that leaks won't ultimately cause damage to team members or put them in unnecessary danger. Vet new contributors carefully using your intuition to sense if they could be a problem before letting them inside the team.
This system outlines the general idea, but the details may change based on what obstacles are encountered during implementation.
The system operates with these principles:
See "Teamwork Style" document for full details
Following an open IP policy:
Generally it should never come to this, but if someone clearly tries to sabotage the project, harm members or do something really bad/illegal/evil that cannot be reconciled, then they will be removed from all future payouts and added to a blacklist.
To be clear, it's fine to be odd/quirky/strange/weird or to be slow/lazy/incompetent/unskilled/busy/overwhelmed - no one is expected to be superhuman; team members are expected to be culturally earnest, be kind to others and keep improving their skills. You're welcome to be a maverick, a freelancer, to have different preferences/tastes, to work with another team or company, to simultaneously work on anything you personally want besides the project. There are no restrictions on that and no judgement, even if it competes against the game. Branching and mutations are fine and cool, not viewed as sabotage per se.
An example of actual evil sabotage is to contaminate code with malware, intentionally introduce defects or bugs with intent to break or weaken it, inject illegal content that will get the team banned off stores/platforms, do smear campaigns or harass/endanger members, to actively screw over the team with lies, manipulation or deception.
That kind of behavior will rapidly get the culprit onto the blacklist and any earned tiers revoked and all future payments permanently stopped. It will be difficult to regain trust afterwards, even potentially impossible to reconcile once that line is crossed. Stay honest and keep the water well clean for everyone's sake.
Start on platforms that support individual creators without requiring a registered business entity. This includes Itch.io, Ko-fi, Patreon, BuyMeACoffee and similar services that allow flexible distribution and payment as an individual.
Once the project generates stable income and it's safe to register as self-employed or establish a business entity, expand to major storefronts. This includes Steam, GOG, and other established digital distribution platforms. Sales from Phase 1 will also cover fees like Steam's $100 entry fee, business registration costs and other similar fees or requirements on other stores/platforms, such as consoles or mobile if the game is ever ported.
Those costs will be deducted from the hub account money pool after platform cuts/transfer fees but before the reward split between members. By rough estimate, annual earnings for main tier members would need to reach €10k annually per person before a Phase 2 can be done.
This approach is necessary due to various bureaucratic challenges. See the separate explanation document for more details and alternative ideas that could possibly accelerate transitions to Phase 2 sooner.
A: You'll be included in payouts starting from the cycle after your contribution is submitted and evaluated. You won't receive retroactive payments for earlier cycles.
A: Promotions can happen when you significantly increase your impact on the project. However, demotions do not exist - once you earn a tier based on your past contributions, you keep receiving that tier's payout forever. This system rewards historical achievements rather than ongoing performance.
A: No money means no payouts, but you'll still get credit in the game. The system only activates when there's actual revenue to share.
A: The project leader evaluates based on contribution significance, project impact, and essentiality. It's a mix of measurable metrics (features added, content created) and intangible benefits (problem-solving, team support).
A: Each team member is responsible for reporting their share as income in their local jurisdiction. The project leader doesn't provide tax advice, they just send the money.
For example, in Finland, the project leader would take a receipt for money received from the hub account, then report it to the local tax authority as 'individual income', similar to selling old items at a flea market or doing a favor for a friend. It would not classify as salary or royalty. Each country has different requirements, so consult local tax authorities for proper procedures.
A: Absolutely! No exclusivity requirements. You can even work on competing projects - this system is about collaboration, not control.
A: The system is designed for transparency to prevent disputes. If issues arise, address them through open discussion and review.
A: Equal splits don't account for different contribution levels. Some people contribute more essential work; others provide valuable but smaller additions. This system rewards both fairly.
A: They're subtracted from individual payouts. The threshold system minimizes their impact by ensuring transfers only happen when amounts are substantial enough.
A: Yes! The web app shows complete breakdowns of how every amount is calculated, and all team members get read-only access to the team-project data file.
A: If members leave amicably, they continue receiving their tier's payout from all future revenue cycles, forever. This ensures people aren't penalized for life changes or new opportunities. They're sort of like royalties, but not official and without a contract since teams are just a group of individuals operating under honor and trust. Ultimately, it's the contribution and impact on the project that mattered, not how long you worked or if you stopped working after already contributing notably to the project.
A: If the project leader gets a legitimate confirmation, earnings will be rerouted to next of kin. If there's literally no one to receive the money and it bounces back, they will be removed from the list of future payouts and their last share will be recycled into the next payout.
A: If the project leader becomes unavailable long-term, the project effectively dies as is. Another street-smart team member with good moral character would need to become the project leader and assume all responsibilities, including setting up their own cloud folders, doing all the accounting and transparency work, and communicating with the team clearly and timely.
Thankfully, this revenue share system is easy to pick up and use by anyone who can read a manual. Make sure to pick up all the extra documents and the web app too; they're all openly available so you get both the guide, the tools, the mentality, and the whole infrastructure to set up your own zero-budget revshare project.
Stay sharp, some people may want to scam/manipulate you if you're not careful or too naive; you'll automatically be a target if you handle any kind of money or command any kind of power. Be very careful who you accept into the team and how you deal with them.
Read up on "narcissistic personality disorder" to detect bad actors early on and read up on "nonviolent communication" by Marshall Rosenberg to know how to communicate safely and respectfully with others, how to motivate a team, while remaining firm against BS, to remain mentally strong and be self-compassionate when things get tough. Another excellent resource is TheraminTrees on YouTube for advanced manipulation threat detection and healing from it if you've been abused before.
Likewise the same advice of caution applies to team members looking to find a project leader to follow; if you notice a team leader has traits of NPD, throws a temper tantrum rather often when even slightly challenged, presents strange inappropriate requests, or is somehow shifty/toxic/too nice/oddly charismatic, then trust your instincts and do not join nor engage that project, it may be a bad trap. Of course, try to verify your worries before jumping to conclusions, but usually your body may be able to subtly sense something is wrong before you consciously realize it.
Stay safe out there and never lose your heart despite it all.
A: If earnings aren't enough money to justify transfer fees, keep working until they are, or accept that the project didn't succeed financially. Funds accumulate until they reach minimum payout thresholds.
This system was designed to ensure fair, transparent, and sustainable revenue sharing for creative teams. It prioritizes simplicity, trust, and mutual benefit over complex legal structures.
Last Updated: November 2025
Version: 3.0