Why don't people make more freemium games?

cbowers428

Hey I'm thinking about making my game free with ads and also have a paid/ad free version available. I was wondering why don't more people do that? I see a lot of sub par games up for 0.99 or even 1.99 and don't get why people don't at least make their game in a free ad version. Am I missing some secret (which wouldn't be surprising)

tenrdrmer

Because once people see your subpar game in a free version they will not buy it in an ad free paid version and you then only made maybe $0.01 on each download unless of course your game gets a million downloads and apple supplies a good fill rate. You will make a lot more if you just make a good paid game and then release a lite version if your sales start to dip. But really for a lite version to work the game has to be very good to begin with.

I actually think I've come to the conclusion to get a ton of downloads you either need to have an amazing game so good people come back in droves to leave reviews or your games must suck so bad people feel it is their duty to come back to warn others which in turn will almost guarantee you more downloads. I have noticed if you have a ton of horrible reviews people will download the app to see how bad for them self. Or you need a ton of really good reviews for people to buy based on the opinion of others.

quantumsheep

tenrdrmer said:
I actually think I've come to the conclusion to get a ton of downloads you either need to have an amazing game so good people come back in droves to leave reviews or your games must suck so bad people feel it is their duty to come back to warn others which in turn will almost guarantee you more downloads. I have noticed if you have a ton of horrible reviews people will download the app to see how bad for them self. Or you need a ton of really good reviews for people to buy based on the opinion of others.

What a pity I kept my soul - I might have been able, without it, to put this up on the app store, where it surely belongs!

http://gamesalad.com/game/1305

(use left and right to move, Space to call out and determine your position)

QS

Scoots

quantumsheep said:
What a pity I kept my soul - I might have been able, without it, to put this up on the app store, where it surely belongs!

http://gamesalad.com/game/1305

(use left and right to move, Space to call out and determine your position)

QS

This will keep us busy until AppChogie gets back!

;-)

HoneyTribeStudios

Great game. You should add controls to jump, duck, strafe, claw, run, hide behind cover, morph into a robot jet and change weapon to nuclear rockets.

Otherwise its perfect

Will you be selling the template? I'll start the bidding at 100.

quantumsheep

shaz said:
Great game. You should add controls to jump, duck, strafe, claw, run, hide behind cover, morph into a robot jet and change weapon to nuclear rockets.

Otherwise its perfect

Will you be selling the template? I'll start the bidding at 100.

All those features are already in there - you obviously didn't get far enough into the game to see 'em!

Can I bid on my own template? I see your 100, and raise you 50!

QS

cbowers428

This went off topic. But anyway if your game is good to begin with and free then don't you have a chance to be well... awesome.

frario

ROTFL!
QS, try to upload it and report back. Please please please...

jonmulcahy

Because nobody likes freemium games. If you download somethin for free and have to pay for levels or anything, that's a quick way to get negative reviews.

cbowers428

I mean if you have the full game. Same game for free and paid, just free has ads.

cbowers428

not really freemium i guess

gazjm

I did this with one of my games. I got a lot of downloads and iad income over xmas, and its around $2 a day now. The bad thing is that people who don't necessarily like the game genre / style will download because its free, and leave poor reviews / ratings.

the game I released for free averages 2 - 2.5 stars, but the paid version which is only downloaded by people who like the style of game is averaging 4.5 according to app annie. Which has had an impact on the paid sales. I've now removed the free version.

HoneyTribeStudios

@jonmulcahy

Nobody likes freemium?! Ngcomo were bought for $400m and their games support this business model. And then there's those facebook games...

The big developers are making big bucks from free addictive games that encourage consistent in-app purchases.

jonmulcahy

yes, but with those types of games you can play the full game without paying, it just takes longer.

I'm talking about the games where it's a free download with 1 level, and it basically says "for only $3 you can have every level", basically tricking you into downloading a lite version thinking it's free

tenrdrmer

jonmulcahy said:
yes, but with those types of games you can play the full game without paying, it just takes longer.

I'm talking about the games where it's a free download with 1 level, and it basically says "for only $3 you can have every level", basically tricking you into downloading a lite version thinking it's free

I think a 1 level download gives anyone the right to bitch if it wasn't in the app description. I don't see and issue with offer game for free with 10 levels and then having 30 level "level packs for sale inside the app. but still all of that should be in the app description. But you would need in-app purchasing for that. What cbowers is asking is what about two full versions 1 paid 1 free with iAds. And as mentioned already iAds really don't pay unless your game is off the hook popular so thats why most people don't do that.