99c vs 1.99 POLL - How much do you spend?

AfterBurnett · July 2010

This has been brought up quite a bit but I thought a poll might be in order. I'm thinking that although there are people out there who will only ever spend 99c on an app, that there is likely to be a lot more people who'll spend "just a buck more", justifying the 1.99 price point. Who agrees/disagrees?

At the end of the day, 99c apps are great and you never get too peeved off if they suck. If you buy a good app at $1.99 though, that's still bloody massive value!

I'm also thinking 99c apps are more prone to bad reviews... stingy people are always just stingy with money.

If we get enough votes on this poll I think we can get a pretty decent view of the marketplace and know how to price our apps! Keep in mind the poll is for SPENDING, not what you're charging for your apps.

YOUR THOUGHTS PLEASE! :-D

design219 · July 2010

I will spend more on utility or other apps, but for games, $.99 is about my limit. Just because I don't do games much.

_________________________________

HOLY NOSE JOB!: Nesen Probe: Is this the single most unappealing game in the history of GameSalad? I can't seem to give it away! Anywhere. But if anyone want's to try it out, codes are still available!

AfterBurnett · July 2010

!@#$%, it's tied so far... which means that one person would buy the game, one wouldn't resulting in the same profit as if two people bought a 99c app + there is one person who MIGHT buy the game after a bit of research, leaning the odds towards the $1.99 app at this 3 vote early stage - this would DOUBLE the profits

AfterBurnett · July 2010

design219 said:
I will spend more on utility or other apps, but for games, $.99 is about my limit. Just because I don't do games much.

_________________________________

HOLY NOSE JOB!: Nesen Probe: Is this the single most unappealing game in the history of GameSalad? I can't seem to give it away! Anywhere. But if anyone want's to try it out, codes are still available! http://gamesalad.com/forums/topic.php?id=8097

I'll admit I tend to spend more on utilities... especially music synths etc... which I never end up using. HAHAHA. And I've only spent $15 on the odd game. I'll quite happily spend $5 though on a game. I'm looking at Splinter Cell and thinking I want it but $15 does seem a little too steep for a game that might suck on iPhone... and yet, I used to buy PSP and DS games for $100 each (that's NZ dollars).

aalzanki · July 2010

I bought a messenger app that is $6.99 dollars, but it was worth it

I'd personaly go for $0.99, most of my games are $0.99, only one of my games is $1.99
But if a $1.99 app was worth it, I would buy it.

AfterBurnett · July 2010

@design219: Just a thought, have you considered translating your game to Japanese? You'd make a killing! They LOVE that kind of zany stuff ;-)

design219 · July 2010

I'm actually considering Zen Bound, which is $2.99. I got the lite version and really love it. It's a bit different and the artwork and music appeal to me. There is nothing I've seen like it.

The idea of paying more than $.99 for a block remover or tilt to live or something that is very common just doesn't click for me.

AfterBurnett · July 2010

The odds are in favour of the big spenders so far. lol. Seriously if we get enough votes it really could help me decide how to price my app!

AfterBurnett · July 2010

design219 said:
I'm actually considering Zen Bound, which is $2.99. I got the lite version and really love it. It's a bit different and the artwork and music appeal to me. There is nothing I've seen like it.

The idea of paying more than $.99 for a block remover or tilt to live or something that is very common just doesn't click for me.

I agree.. I'd never heard of block removing games until the iPod Touch! Fun as they are, there are a LOT of them out there. Have to admit, I haven't bought Red Block Remover yet but I do love Danger Cats!

design219 · July 2010

POLYGAMe said:
@design219: Just a thought, have you considered translating your game to Japanese? You'd make a killing! They LOVE that kind of zany stuff ;-)

No I hadn't, but that's not a bad idea. I wonder if Blade Olson would be up for that?

design219 · July 2010

POLYGAMe said:
t I do love Danger Cats!

Yeah, Danger Cats works because of the the masterful art and sounds. It's hard not to enjoy that game.

AfterBurnett · July 2010

I've translated mine into Japanese, Chinese, German and Spanish and have Russian, Portugese, Italian, Dutch and French planned. There are always people keen to do it. I offered my guys a percentage of their translated region's App Store sales.

quantumsheep · July 2010

It's an interesting topic.

If I'm interested in something, I'll buy it for anything up to $5 I think. I've bought some music making apps for a lot more (closer to $20!!!) before, but no more!

If you're going for $1.99, why not make a lite version of Max using just the first level of the game. I think that would sell it to most people who tried it

I'm planning on doing something like that for Kraken.
$.99 on launch weekend.
$1.99 from the Monday following that
Lite version featuring three of the 16 levels released by the Friday of the same week (a week after initial launch in other words).

Also, updates to older apps with links to Kraken.

Cheers,

QS

AfterBurnett · July 2010

Yeah, I think I will do a lite version. I want to call it a demo... don't think Apple will let me, will they?

AfterBurnett · July 2010

This is interesting...

I wonder if I called it a "demo" if that would be okay? Might limit downloads but people surely know that lite versions are just demos anyway...

Chaser · July 2010

I know plenty of people that say "I only get free apps and maybe spend $.99 tops if needed"
You are pilling a slightly different group of users (devs).
I've reduced price by half and only picked up 1 or 2 more sales a day if any at all. I have spent $10 tops for higher priced apps. I consider my wife typical when buying apps. She will fork out $.99 to $1.99 all day long for herself and my son (7yr) but she will research the $1.99 and $3.99 apps. But she wouldn't spend over $5. What sucks with apps is that people would put $.50 and$1.00 in arcade games all day long and never go home with a purchased game as you do with apps

AfterBurnett · July 2010

Ah ha! You just said that you dropped price in half and only picked up a couple of sales? My theory seems correct then...I don't think it matters that we are all "devs". We're also consumers with varying opinions. If anything, devs would be LESS likely to spend over 99c as they are more than aware of the amount of crap out there... still... do I risk it? Need more numbers! lol.

design219 · July 2010

I also have a theory that higher priced apps tend to get easier ratings.

We all know about the problem with free apps and the instant 1 star ratings, but I think some people who spend two or more bucks feel a little better about that expenditure if they drop a good rating. Sort of rationalizing their higher purchase.

Could be completely wrong about that though.

Any psychologists here?

_______________

Nesen Probe
Tickle Stones
 Food Fight! (free)

AfterBurnett · July 2010

Yeah, I agree... if the app is good, of course. Seems to be fair game to whack 1 star on even the best 99c apps....

I have been sold. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense. I have set Max Vector at $1.99. We'll see how it goes!

quantumsheep · July 2010

Chaser said:
people would put $.50 and$1.00 in arcade games all day long and never go home with a purchased game as you do with apps

My friend and I were discussing the moral implications of bringing that to the App store.

"Here's an arcade game - have five lives with your initial purchase. Oh? What's that? You've lost all your lives and can't play the game anymore? $0.99 for five more lives please. Or you could buy 15 lives for $1.99!"

We're still divided as to whether we'd be genius entrepreneurs or the biggest assholes in history. I think it's a very fine line these days

QS

JamesZeppelin · July 2010

I'll spend five or six bucks if I know it's good but....

If it is a unknown app I'm not gonna spend 2 bucks when there are thousands more to check out for a buck. Why would I do that unless I have already tried all the 99 cent apps.

I think the poll doesn't really get to the heartbof the matter.
Sure i'll spend it if I do some research bt like a lot of people what's the motivation to even research with so many options.

Chaser · July 2010

quantumsheep said:
My friend and I were discussing the moral implications of bringing that to the App store.

"Here's an arcade game - have five lives with your initial purchase. Oh? What's that? You've lost all your lives and can't play the game anymore? $0.99 for five more lives please. Or you could buy 15 lives for $1.99!"
LOL
In general devs screwed themselves in the app store. Love the in app purchase idea of more lives but think it went way of "buy extra skins or characters , levels and so on"
Really though I could spend $30 at an arcade and still come home even more empty handed

We're still divided as to whether we'd be genius entrepreneurs or the biggest assholes in history. I think it's a very fine line these days

QS

Chunkypixels · July 2010

I didnt vote.... the answers seemed a bit loaded.

I'll basically pay anything from 99c up to $9.99 for an iphone/ipad game, if I think its really worth it. I'd say my average spend per game is around $2.99.

The screenshots go probably 80% of the way in selling me the game, with a video showing gameplay usually either making it a definate buy or not.

I'll be influenced by a good website review, but tend not to bother reading the appstore reviews, as I know how skewed they can be.

I'd say put your game at 1.99 though... as it gives you room to play with for sales,promos etc and you can always reduce it at a later date if sales dont go well

quantumsheep · July 2010

Capcom are doing a sale to celebrate comic-con, and I bought, today, 1942: First Strike and Dark Void Zero.

They were both $.99

I'd not heard great things about 1942, but I loved it as a teenager and wanted to get it - at $1 I couldn't complain, and I'm quite enjoying it.

Dark Void I've not tried yet, but I love retro graphics so thought I'd give it a go.

I also got Helsing's Fire for $.99 today as well. Not tried that yet.

At $.99 I'm willing to give anything I already know about a go (e.g. 1942). I'm also willing to pay a little more for new and/or original/interesting game mechanics (like Helsing).

I also recently got Star Wars: Battle for Hoth - because I'm a massive Star Wars fan. That was about $2 I think.

As Chunky says, screenshots really do help sell a game. If it looks interesting to me, I'll buy it.

I won't normally buy a physics based game as they don't interest me, even though they might be great, or have good screenshots.

And I definitely won't buy one of those 'catch objects falling from the sky' games. They just suck

Or, essentially, what Chunky said

QS

butterbean · July 2010

I just spent 4.99 on the new Castlevania SOTN puzzler, just came out! Loved SOTN was one of my all time favorites so this was a no brainer purchase.

If it's a game I'm very familiar with, like Secret of Mana that's coming out for the iphone, I will buy it no matter what pricing point, within reason of course

chosenonestudios · July 2010

I dont buy games.... Sorry

but neither does a large portion of the gaming world...

Castlevania was really fun though!

AfterBurnett · July 2010

It amazes me that people who make games are still willing to steal them...

chosenonestudios · July 2010

POLYGAMe said:
It amazes me that people who make games are still willing to steal them...

No I don't have the money... I didn't steal it either.. I played it on my brothers iPod... Don't assume anything, I probably should've been more clear though... Its just a bit embarrassing saying I cant afford a $5 game...

Thanks for bringing it up though...

AfterBurnett · July 2010

LOL. My bad ;-)

FranzKeller · July 2010

Yes, how soon they forget the prices of yore - $50 + for a new NES or PSX title

I'd say 3$ is more the dividing line? It's hard to say.

Thanks for info on 1942 and SOTN! As long as it's not like Puzzle Fighter, I want to play it

The other cap com title is an 8 bit game that never was? Amusing

I'm going to start my app at 99 and see what happens

scorelessmusic · July 2010

I just spent $1.99 on POLYGAMe's game, Max Vector. And that was the exception rather than the case. In most cases, I try to wait until there's an offer (usually 0.99 or free).

99c vs 1.99 POLL - How much do you spend?

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