Why is my game not selling as well as it could?

VmlwebVmlweb Member Posts: 427
edited November -1 in Business and Marketing Theory
Hey,

I've spent a lot of time making a game which I always thought was fun to play. It's a game a long the lines of Tap Tap Revenge except it's about the speed and is based on hand-eye coordination.

I made sure i squeezed out every bug and glitch I could and polished off the graphics as best I could.

I then submitted it to the AppStore and advertised it as best I could (I have no budget to spend on advertising)
I posted it on lots of gaming/tech/apple forums
I submitted it to tons of reviewers (only 1 did a review)
and I used a lot of social sites to post news such as facebook, twitter, tumblr and much more

It's averaging 5 star in the UK, 4 star in the US and we're had some great reviews

Here are links to the game:
http://vmlweb.co.uk/index.php?tab=1&app=26
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/ilectronz/id416148668?mt=8

Sales started off strong but soon dropped to very low
I didn't expect this to happen as lots of people see this game as unique and fun

If anyone has any suggestions to how I can really boost this game to it's full potential that would be great

Thanks a lot
Vmlweb

Comments

  • CodeCodeCodeCode Member Posts: 200
    May be because no one understands the game when they see the images??? may be they don't even know its a game?
    At least thats my case.

    I would put new images that doesn't look all the same, may be more themes, not only the chip theme.

    By the way, what do you understand under low sales? less then 100 the first week?

    Wish you luck :-)
  • CodeCodeCodeCode Member Posts: 200
    O i was looking your game again and i saw in your images down a description on how the game works, maybe do the description Bigger and with a different color so the people actually see it.
  • VmlwebVmlweb Member Posts: 427
    I'm working on a skin system at this moment and we're hoping to release a new sci-fi theme and a easter theme
    Hopefully that will make the game appeal to more people

    Yes it was less than 100 in the first week but rarely went over 50 even then
  • CodeCodeCodeCode Member Posts: 200
    When you do that you could try to re reallese your game to get a boost of your sales again.
    Probably a Lite version with iads would be good for your game.
  • VmlwebVmlweb Member Posts: 427
    What I'm thinking is a big update (level packs and skins) + iPad HD version + lite version with ads and limited levels

    If that doesn't do it I'm not sure what will
  • tenrdrmertenrdrmer Member, Sous Chef, Senior Sous-Chef Posts: 9,934
    Your icon makes it look like its some sort of utility app, IMO. Also no offense but how many of the reviews are people you know or sent codes to? 2 of your UK reviews sound like someone you know and then one was an honest review. That may not be the case but I recognize the name of one of the 3 from GameSalad.
    Also not sure what you are considering selling as well as it could. tons of hard worked games are lucky to get as many sales as you have ratings in just the UK store. So maybe its not doing as well as you like but better than most. IDK. Oh an I also don't really get what the game is. and the images definitely don't help that out. Sorry if some of that seemed harsh but you did ask for opinions. I hope your sales do better.
    Warning There was an error rendering this rich post.
  • jonmulcahyjonmulcahy Member, Sous Chef Posts: 10,408
    thats a question we all ask

    Send and Receive Data using your own Server Tutorial! | Vote for A Long Way Home on Steam Greenlight! | Ten Years Left

  • MatthewopMatthewop Member Posts: 9
    i really wanna know..

    cheap dvds for sale at http://www.collectcheaps.com
  • appleshowyouappleshowyou Member Posts: 31
    Keep Updating it to put it at the top of the most recent list.
  • quantumsheepquantumsheep Member Posts: 8,188
    appleshowyou said:
    Keep Updating it to put it at the top of the most recent list.

    Fortunately, that doesn't work anymore as Apple spotted many people abusing the system to do just that.

    Dr. Sam Beckett never returned home...
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/Quantum_Sheep
    Web: https://quantumsheep.itch.io

  • appleshowyouappleshowyou Member Posts: 31
    Hey quantumsheep can you please check out my post, because I have a problem with the gamesalad viewer and really need help. Thank you
    Here it is: http://gamesalad.com/forums/topic.php?id=20095
  • itwebsolutionitwebsolution Member Posts: 40
    I agree with the others - your icon for the game looks like it belongs in the utility section and not in the games section. I would focus on creating an icon for the game that says "Fun, puzzle, brain teaser" without too much focus on the circuit board. The current imagery and description for the game has me thinking of utility apps that help with benchmarking system performance and not of a brain teaser type of game.

    I would suggest some sort of icon that depicts a cartoon head with a cut-out that shows a circuit board short circuiting or frying. Make the image fun and interesting to the browser who is crawling through 350,000 apps to make a purchase...

    Best of luck!
    Ian
  • ozboybrianozboybrian PRO Posts: 2,102
    I'm sure it's a great game, but some people are right, it's first look (like the icon etc) does not appeal. Graphics are good but it just doesn't appeal untill you actualy play it, some people would be afraid of waisting there money.

    The title makes no sense unless you play it. There's no Draw to it.
    A good YouTube video explaining somethings may make it make more sense.

    And it does sorta seem like more or a resource at first.
    Just need to work it's first impressions. I wanna release my first game but i'm having a simmilar issue.
    Good luck

    .
    .
    .
    -----------------------------------------------------
    Join the GameSalad Community and have your game noticed for free.
    http://www.facebook.com/ListYourTopiPhoneGame
    List your Top iPhone Game on FaceBook!
  • xyloFUNxyloFUN Member Posts: 1,593
    After so many commented on the icon, curiosity took hold of me and I had to peek too!

    How about if you make an icon from your first screen shot?
    What I mean by that is, turn it into a square image and use the extra space on the side to write "electronz" in pink (move it from the top spot and turn 90 degrees).

    But it's hard to change an icon of an app ... you will have to update for that :)
  • UtopianGamesUtopianGames Member Posts: 5,692
    Red Ball of Goo: 1 day to make $15,000

    Running Wild: 3 months $150

    It's hit and miss m8...RW imo is 10Xs better the Goo but has made 100x's less.

    I feel for ya but you have to keep going because mb your next game will be a hit.

    Darren.
  • DreamLabDreamLab Member Posts: 2,127
    utopiangames said:
    Red Ball of Goo: 1 day to make $15,000

    Running Wild: 3 months $150

    It's hit and miss m8...RW imo is 10Xs better the Goo but has made 100x's less.

    I feel for ya but you have to keep going because mb your next game will be a hit.

    Darren.

    $15,000 on the first day? WTF???? wow -_- did you use some good advertising?
  • calvin9403calvin9403 Member Posts: 3,186
    15000 A DAY, HOW???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
  • AddictiveGamesAddictiveGames Member Posts: 105
    DreamLab said:
    $15,000 on the first day? WTF???? wow -_- did you use some good advertising?

    and
    calvin9403 said:
    15000 A DAY, HOW????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

    .......I think he means it "took him" 1 day to make the actual game and it went on to sell $15,000 worth of revenue (while running wild took 3 months to make and made only $150).

    lol
  • StusAppsStusApps Member, PRO Posts: 1,352
    I'm pretty sure it was $15000 in one day of sales, red balls of goo jumped the charts really quickly.
  • StusAppsStusApps Member, PRO Posts: 1,352
    Saying that I've just nearly hit $20000 since I started last august, pretty pleased with that for a 7/8 month hobby
  • PhoticsPhotics Member Posts: 4,172
    Heh, I hate that word... hobby. This is no hobby. Golf, remote control airplanes, bowling... those are hobbies.

    $15,000
    $20,000
    $70,000

    I keep seeing these kinds of numbers. That's not a hobby. It's a job... a career... a profession!
  • StusAppsStusApps Member, PRO Posts: 1,352
    Ok, a part time business.

    But either way it's not career money yet.

    For me the hobby is learning new software, this has just turned out to be a profitable one.
Sign In or Register to comment.

© Vanilla Keystone Theme 2024