What's in a Name: Defining Creator Programs & Key Terms

In the famous line "What's in a name?  That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet" from Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare contends that a name doesn't alter the essence of a thing. While this is true in certain instances, and with all due respect to the literary master, a unified definition of Creator Programs benefits us all.

At Nexus, we believe that the defining element of a Creator Program is the performance-based affiliate system. Without such a system, the programs lack a way to incentivize long-term Publisher <> Content Creator partnerships and know which partnerships are the most impactful.

Extending beyond Creator Programs, let's also align on who and what exactly a content creator is. In the gaming realm, these individuals are commonly referred to as influencers, streamers, or YouTubers, though often prefer the title of Content Creator as it speaks to the material value of what they provide to their partners, namely Publishers.

The video or live-streaming content they produce influences the success of a game in terms of awareness, player acquisition, revenue, and player engagement.

And finally, Creator Codes. A Creator Code is the unique moniker that a Content Creator claims when joining the Creator Program. They then encourage members of their community to use it when downloading the game (referral attribution) or when making an in-game purchase (revenue attribution). These Creator Codes help the Publisher see which content creators are driving impact and compensate them accordingly, which is generally done through a revenue share.