27 Bookkeeping & Tax Services Inc. 27 Bookkeeping & Tax Services Inc.
Open ledger and payout slips on a playtest bench under warm light

Questions from game studios

Bookkeeping FAQ for game companies, answered plainly

This page answers the questions game studios ask most often about bookkeeping, tax services, platform reconciliation, and pricing. The answers describe how we work and what we need from a client. They are general information, not a promise about any particular studio's tax position.

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Titles

Each game is tracked on its own lines, from gross sales to net payout.

Platforms

App store and console storefronts are reconciled separately, by statement.

Monthly close

A fixed close day each month, after the last statement arrives.

Starting the work

What a studio needs to hand over, and how the price is set

The same core facts drive every engagement: how many titles you ship, which platforms pay you, where your team sits, and how much payroll and contractor work runs each month. Once those are clear, the scope can be written down and compared.

Ledger sheets fanned in rows on a bench

Per-title rows, kept separate from the first month

Pricing and engagement

Pricing depends on the number of titles, platforms, and states involved, plus the payroll and contractor volume. A single-title studio with one platform starts at a different point from a publisher with several titles and royalty contracts. We give a written scope before work begins, so the studio can compare the scope with its own needs rather than a vague package name.

Titles and platformscounted first

States, payroll, contractorsadd to scope

Written scopebefore work begins

Documents needed to start

The starting set includes bank and card statements, platform statements for each storefront, publisher or royalty contracts, payroll records, and contractor invoices. Additional documents, such as loan statements or equity records, are added when the studio has them. A studio that sends the core set can expect the first close to proceed without a long document chase.

  • Bank and card statements
  • Platform statements, per storefront
  • Publisher and royalty contracts
  • Payroll records and contractor invoices

Timelines for the monthly close

The monthly close is scheduled on a fixed day each month, after platform statements and payroll records are available. The exact day is set at onboarding based on the platforms the studio uses, because each storefront publishes statements on its own calendar. A close that waits for the last platform statement is more accurate than one that forces a cut-off date.

Working at a distance

Indie and remote teams

Indie studios and remote teams are a core part of our practice. The work is done by email and scheduled calls, with documents shared securely through the systems the client already uses. Team location matters for payroll and sales tax, so we ask about employee and contractor locations at onboarding and record them in the file.

That means a remote studio does not need a new tool to start. Statements, contracts, and payroll records can arrive the way they already arrive for the studio, and the close is built around the platforms and people already in the file.

Indie developer working at a desk with a laptop and controller

Email and scheduled calls carry the work

R&D tax credits and records

R&D tax credits depend on the development activity and the records that support it. Project descriptions, time tracking, and payroll records kept during the year are the foundation. We review those records for qualifying activity and explain where the documentation is strong and where it needs work before a claim is filed.

Platform reconciliation questions

Platform reconciliation matches gross sales, fees, and net payouts by title and by platform. Payout delays and refunds are normal parts of the process, and the reconciliation shows them as separate lines rather than absorbing them into revenue. The result is a monthly pack that ties to the bank deposit.

Gross salesFeesNet payout

Short answers

The questions we hear first

Open any answer below. If your question is not there, send a short note about your titles, platforms, and team structure and we will explain the next step.

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How much does bookkeeping cost for a game studio?

It depends on titles, platforms, states, and payroll volume. We provide a written scope after a short discovery call, so the price reflects the actual workload rather than a generic package.

What documents do you need to start?

Bank and card statements, platform statements, publisher contracts, payroll records, and contractor invoices. That core set is enough to begin the first close.

Do you work with indie and remote teams?

Yes. Our work is conducted by email and scheduled calls, and we record team locations at onboarding because they affect payroll and sales tax.

How do R&D tax credits work for game development teams?

Qualified research activity can support a credit when the activity, the people who performed it, and the related costs are documented. We review project and payroll records to identify activity and keep the supporting file together.

Developer reviewing tax documents beside a console

When to call

When a studio should ask for help

A studio should ask for help when platform payouts do not match the bank record, when a publisher royalty statement is hard to follow, or when a tax filing is approaching without closed books. Those are the moments where a small correction prevents a larger one. An early call costs less than a reconstruction.

  • Payouts do not match the bank record
  • A royalty statement is hard to follow
  • A filing is approaching without closed books

How to reach us

Send a request through the contact page or write to [email protected] with a short note about titles, platforms, and team structure. We reply to the email provided and explain the next step. Our office is at 2424 W Florence Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90043.

Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM · (213) 504-8792

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