iAP in Game For ad Removal or Publish 2nd Game for $0.99 no ads??? ~Your Opinion~

KillerPenguinStudiosKillerPenguinStudios Member Posts: 1,291
edited February 2015 in Miscellaneous

Hey GS,

I am debating between 2 things here. I have pros and cons for both ways and just wanted your thoughts.

In my game there are ads. Debating whether to have an iAP in the game to remove the ads or publish a 2nd version with no ads and sell for $0.99.

Again, I have reasons why I would do either, just want your guys and gals thoughts!

Thanks!

Comments

  • LovejoyLovejoy Member Posts: 2,078

    The only pro i see from having a priced app is doing a price drop, other than that i see all cons.

    Fortuna Infortuna Forti Una

  • tenrdrmertenrdrmer Member, Sous Chef, Senior Sous-Chef Posts: 9,934
    edited February 2015

    Up sales are typically higher with an ad removal iap than they will be to re download the game and start over. Unfortunately removing ads alone is not much of a sales incentive regardless. I would do other IAP in the game and just have it so that any IAP also removed ads.

  • KillerPenguinStudiosKillerPenguinStudios Member Posts: 1,291

    Hey @Lovejoy,

    Yours is one of them. Here another Pro to having a paid app.

    Pro 1: There are a lot of game review places that I am interested in but they only do it if it's a paid game then you can provide them with a redeemable code. Also, all the places that could possibly pick your app to give away for free for a day, couple days, week, etc. they only do it for paid apps. All in all, if you have a paid app and you give someone a promo code to download it for free and review it, they are more willing because they feel like they are getting something out of it.

    To me that's pretty big because that will help with marketing you and your game/app.

    I have a couple more pros to having a paid app but when writing this comment I have seemed to get a brain fart. Will post them once I remember. Stupid brain farts! :s

    Thanks @tenrdrmer,

    I definitely understand your points made and feel the same way but just wondered if doing a paid version would help get more exposer based off my above reasoning!

  • LovejoyLovejoy Member Posts: 2,078

    If you mean review it as in the App Store, then know that paid apps can't be reviewed if downloaded it with a promo code.

    Fortuna Infortuna Forti Una

  • imjustmikeimjustmike Member Posts: 450

    Why don't you do both and see which one performs best?

  • KillerPenguinStudiosKillerPenguinStudios Member Posts: 1,291

    @Lovejoy said:
    If you mean review it as in the App Store, then know that paid apps can't be reviewed if downloaded it with a promo code.

    I know that, which I think is stupid any way but I was referring to the people and places that do play reviews for paid apps.

  • KillerPenguinStudiosKillerPenguinStudios Member Posts: 1,291

    @imjustmike said:
    Why don't you do both and see which one performs best?

    I might just do that, hahaha thanx!

  • Thunder_ChildThunder_Child Member Posts: 2,343

    I asked a similar wuestion once before and the advice I recieved was to have a lite version with ads....and a paid version. Provide a button that isnt so much an IAP...as much as it is a link to the App Stores link to the paid version. Of course the "cons" to this method it that they woukd end up with 2 versions on their device. Making sure your app icon is clearly able to be distinguished between the lite version and paid cersion woukd allow them to see which once "lite" version to uninstall.

    All I can say is i have made more money is a weeks time with a paid version of a game than all my other games with ads made in over a year. Unless you have a stellar game ads arent going to make the revenue you can make by just chatging for the app.

    If you want to boast about the number of downloads...you will most likely get way more downloads with a free version...less with paid but...you will make more money.

    This is my opinion and experience. @KillerPenguinStudios

  • DaftbombDaftbomb Member Posts: 36

    I'm facing a similar dilemma, I think if profit is the sole focus then iAPs are definitely successful for making cash (based on what I've read from others' experiences on here, and that a lot of games do the whole freemium route these days).

    I have a less conventional solution in mind for my first game when it comes out, might be a tragic one but I'm tempted to try it:

    1. Sell my game as paid - no ads, no iAPs.
    2. Later down the road after seeing how it goes, release the full game for free with limitations (a low fat version) that gives a portion of the whole experience and allows people to decide to upgrade. Again, no ads, no iAPs.

    My reason for this is more personal. I hate the whole fragmented nature of software these days, i like to buy an app and for that to be the end of the transaction. No strings attached, no tripe interfering with my enjoyment or diluting the experience. Offering a free lite version would be the modern day alternative to the old school demo but with less limitation.

    By lite, i mean my full game has a game timer of 4 minutes, whereas the lite would have 90 seconds but both would have access to the same features perhaps with a few omissions.

    I guess principles and personal preferences make for a less stable future, but its a route I'm most keen to try out first. I'd like to think that the promise of no ads nor any iAPs would be a positive for some potential buyers...

  • KillerPenguinStudiosKillerPenguinStudios Member Posts: 1,291

    Thanks for your input @Thunder_Child and @Daftbomb

  • Thunder_ChildThunder_Child Member Posts: 2,343

    I will say, on the game I am currently working on...I will have a free version with ads..but will not have an option for conitnuation if they end up with a score of 0....which is hard to do...i will have another free versionwith no ads but IAP that allows for cintinuing the game and never reaching zero...and a paid versiin that has no ads...no IAP and can never reach zero but has a limited usage of consumables that can only be replaced after those consumables have been...consumed. Im still working on this concept and isnt yet fool proof...

  • JSprojectJSproject Member Posts: 730

    @Thunder_Child said:
    I will say, on the game I am currently working on...I will have a free version with ads..but will not have an option for conitnuation if they end up with a score of 0....which is hard to do...i will have another free versionwith no ads but IAP that allows for cintinuing the game and never reaching zero...and a paid versiin that has no ads...no IAP and can never reach zero but has a limited usage of consumables that can only be replaced after those consumables have been...consumed. Im still working on this concept and isnt yet fool proof...

    If the player reach zero then he/she could just uninstall your app and reinstall it, that way your game will be reset and it's game time again. What you could do to try to prevent that from happening is having interesting unlockables in your game that the player earns along the way, unlockables that the player would not want to loose.

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