3 ms·

People expect mobile games to be between 99 cents and free. The same game on PC might sell for $15. Why spend time making a quality game if no one is willing

by panic 12y ago

People expect mobile games to be between 99 cents and free. The same game on PC might sell for $15. Why spend time making a quality game if no one is willing to pay?

jiggy2011 12y ago
But a good game is a good game surely? Why does the platform affect willingness to pay so much?
- bunderbunder 12y ago
  The platform doesn't but the store sure does. In iOS, your game is sharing shelf space with: * Cribbage games that cost next-to-nothing to develop. ($1.99) * Hobby projects where the dev isn't looking to make money. ($0.99) * Free-to-play casual games like Candy Crush. ($0.00) On PC, all the Candy Crush and whatnot is relegated to Facebook, and your game is theoretically selling on Steam alongside games like: * AAA titles like CoD:MW3. ($39.99) * AA titles like Lego [INSERT_FRANCHISE_HERE]. ($19.99) * Re-releases of classics like Myst. ($5.99)
  - jiggy2011 12y ago
    That's what I feared, it seems the answer is to have either highly curated stores (Steam, traditional gamestores) or sell directly from your own website (Minecraft). I wonder if iOS had launched without being locked to a single store if things would be better?
    - bunderbunder 12y ago
      I'm not sure that 2nd option is really an option. Minecraft is a total black swan. I'm sure there are plenty of people trying to copy what Notch did, but, I think significantly, I've never heard of any of them.
zanny 12y ago
They may be just using the wrong business model. If you can pitch a good enough idea, I easily see either a kickstarter one time or ongoing patreon like project to support a games development would work, where the assets are CC licensed and the code GPL, and the community funds its development and anyone can play it for free. Think 0ad, for mobile. No reason the model couldn't transfer.
- jiggy2011 12y ago
  0ad only raised $33,251 (21% of it's target) , not really a great model for success.

by panic 12y ago

People expect mobile games to be between 99 cents and free. The same game on PC might sell for $15. Why spend time making a quality game if no one is willing to pay?

jiggy2011 12y ago

But a good game is a good game surely? Why does the platform affect willingness to pay so much?

bunderbunder 12y ago
The platform doesn't but the store sure does. In iOS, your game is sharing shelf space with: * Cribbage games that cost next-to-nothing to develop. ($1.99) * Hobby projects where the dev isn't looking to make money. ($0.99) * Free-to-play casual games like Candy Crush. ($0.00) On PC, all the Candy Crush and whatnot is relegated to Facebook, and your game is theoretically selling on Steam alongside games like: * AAA titles like CoD:MW3. ($39.99) * AA titles like Lego [INSERT_FRANCHISE_HERE]. ($19.99) * Re-releases of classics like Myst. ($5.99)
- jiggy2011 12y ago
  That's what I feared, it seems the answer is to have either highly curated stores (Steam, traditional gamestores) or sell directly from your own website (Minecraft). I wonder if iOS had launched without being locked to a single store if things would be better?
  - bunderbunder 12y ago
    I'm not sure that 2nd option is really an option. Minecraft is a total black swan. I'm sure there are plenty of people trying to copy what Notch did, but, I think significantly, I've never heard of any of them.

zanny 12y ago

They may be just using the wrong business model. If you can pitch a good enough idea, I easily see either a kickstarter one time or ongoing patreon like project to support a games development would work, where the assets are CC licensed and the code GPL, and the community funds its development and anyone can play it for free. Think 0ad, for mobile. No reason the model couldn't transfer.

jiggy2011 12y ago
0ad only raised $33,251 (21% of it's target) , not really a great model for success.