How does a WiiWare developer make money?

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Have you wondered how a WiiWare developer makes money? Me either, but a friendly tip sent in by a developer to Kotaku reveals the magical number needed before they start seeing dough in their own pockets.

The numbers needed to turn a profit in NA is double that of Europe and also varies depending on how big the actual game is. Here is the breakdown according to Kotaku’s tipster:

NA
Games over 16MB – 6000 units
Under 16MB – 4000 units

Europe
Games over 16MB – 3000 units
Under 16MB – 2000 units

If the numbers are met within two years then the developer will see a 65/35 split in their favor from total sales. But if they don’t meet that target by the two-year mark then they’re SOL. And now you know the rest of the story.

via Kotaku