Removing apps from the Portfolio to make it more valuable?

BigDave

I struggle recently.. I think about removing less popular apps. Which I'm not 100% happy with.
In order to make the portfolio more valuable.. Feels like heartbreak but also like a reasonable idea..
What you guys think, have you done such a thing?

UtopianGames

Never done it myself but I can understand why people would.

Darren.

The_Gamesalad_Guru

I don't rush to release stuff for the sake of releasing stuff. Once we are confident we release it. We have a game in process and we work it until it's exactly how we want it. We usually release one game a year.

jigglybean

I'm currently doing this right now. Removing/ed low downloading apps. But right now, I am going through a brand overhaul to focus on better quality apps going forward and not jump on the flappy bird band wagon - but if I didnt, I probably wouldnt be in the position to purchase an iMac and some new software toys.

pHghost

How will removing some apps help the ones you leave up? Hey, if there is a game you've come not to like, take it down, fair enough. But just because they are less popular? Not sure why to do that.

jigglybean

If its less popular then there really is no reason to support it, unless you throw out a small fix/update.

If you check your game insights and activity, you can see how engaged the player is with the game. Less engaged, don't bother.

Publishers remove old games all the time so it's nothing new. Some will set up a legacy but others will just remove games from their back catalogue especially when hardware and software change.

A fine example would be legacy iphone and older games that would look awful on an ipad unless the art was updated and would you really spend time and money doing this, if your app only had under 100 downloads over 3-4 years ago?

Tiny_Ideas

Also think from a customer point of view. If someone has downloaded or paid for if, are they going to be disappointed that there will be no future updates.
Regardless if it's been removed from the AppStore, those who have previous downloaded it or purchases it will still be able to re download it at any time. You may want to make sure it's all in working order before you remove it

Hopscotch

@BigDave, you could consider making a separate dev account with apple and transfer the apps. That way they are still available and ... you never know what may find an audience some day.

Lovejoy

Take the game off and re-invent it. Make it more polished, add new features, change game mechanics, etc. This way when its released as a new game it can get that "new game" exposure. This is done all the time in marketing.

RP

Yeah, because Apple Dev accounts should be treated like youtube accounts.

MattButlerStudios

@BigDave‌ I have struggled with the same concept. I am wanting to focus on my good games, but something keeps telling me "what if they take off"? tough decision..

iamcartez

I recently had some success and saw how my other games were receiving more downloads and saw how some of my crappy apps had more downloads as well... I was like damn, this will prevent users from downloading other games because of the craps in my library.

So I deleted about 10 of my crappy games and flappy clones because even though they generated a few cents for ONE DAY... it wasn't worth it because I feel I would lose that customer forever because of a crappy experience.

FallingBoxStudios

@Hopscotch said:
BigDave, you could consider making a separate dev account with apple and transfer the apps. That way they are still available and ... you never know what may find an audience some day.

I agree. It took Flappy Bird 1 whole year to get popular, before that it was just like any other unfound game, you never know what might happen even though @jigglybean‌ said a very valid point

@jigglybean said:
A fine example would be legacy iphone and older games that would look awful on an ipad unless the art was updated and would you really spend time and money doing this, if your app only had under 100 downloads over 3-4 years ago?

JSproject

@BigDave said:
I struggle recently.. I think about removing less popular apps. Which I'm not 100% happy with.
In order to make the portfolio more valuable.. Feels like heartbreak but also like a reasonable idea..
What you guys think, have you done such a thing?

I think it's a good idea in general to remove apps of lower quality if your work has improved a lot in later apps. There is also of course a huge difference between a simple app that is done right and a low quality app. A simple app does not automatically equal a low quality app. Listen to others but ultimately trust your own judgement, that is my tip.

BigDave

Thanks guys! A lot of point of views.

Lovejoy

@BigDave‌ Just noticed three points isn't on iPad, any reason why?

BigDave

@raycur09‌
Efficiency. I created 20 apps within a year, mostly all by myself.
I can't bother about multi platforms etc.

Regarding deleting apps.
I also thought about and talked with my current partner Sabba Keynejad.
I will keep all my apps since they maybe not on the level I'm on now but they still a part of the way. And instead of going nice smooth apple account with only winners. I will go for a huge app account. Planning to have at least 10 new apps by the end of this year.
Peace!

jay2dx

@BigDave said:
raycur09‌
Efficiency. I created 20 apps within a year, mostly all by myself.
I can't bother about multi platforms etc.

Regarding deleting apps.
I also thought about and talked with my current partner Sabba Keynejad.
I will keep all my apps since they maybe not on the level I'm on now but they still a part of the way. And instead of going nice smooth apple account with only winners. I will go for a huge app account. Planning to have at least 10 new apps by the end of this year.
Peace!

Hey man, have you thought about packaging them up as one app! like you know Mario party, call it BIGDAVE party haha but I guess you know what I mean, maybe look at what you have a make like 3 different packages with say 5 games in each!

BigDave

@jay2dx‌
haha "BIGDAVE party" sounds porn.
But seriously nice idea.