Lite version of your game..

DuesDues Member Posts: 1,159
in Business and Marketing Theory

Hey guys,

I was thinking about "Lite" versions of games.
Do you see any advantages having a Lite version and a full version vs having a free version with IAP to unlock the same features that you would have in a full version?

Anyone that has experience?

Free of course drives more downloads but I imagine that it could be hard to make free customers paying customers. Also isn't it easier to keep a ranking in the paid category vs the free?

Some thougts :)

Comments

  • MoikMoik Member, PRO Posts: 257
    edited December 2015

    Having separate free and paid versions are a gamble if submitting to Apple.
    http://forums.gamesalad.com/discussion/42637/apple-dont-allow-the-lite-version-anymore

    "2.9: Apps that are “beta”, “demo”, “trial”, or “test” versions will be rejected

    Apr 20, 2012 04:17 PM. From Apple.

    2.9

    We found that your app appears to be a pre-release, test, or trial version with a very limited feature set. Apps that are in beta form, or that are for demonstration or trial purposes only, are not appropriate for the App Store and are not in compliance with the App Store Review Guidelines.

    Specifically, your app displays buttons for features that are only available in the full version. Please refer to the attached screenshots for more information.

    It would be appropriate to complete, remove, or fully configure any partially implemented features.

    Rather than providing a lite or trial version, you may wish to use In App Purchase to provide access to purchasing additional application features. Rather than requiring users to find, purchase, and download your other application from the App Store, In App Purchase provides a seamless, in app purchasing experience for your users, and an improved selling experience for you."

  • gyroscopegyroscope I am here.Member, Sous Chef, PRO Posts: 6,598

    Hi @Dues personally I think a lite free version and a full paid version is fine, except you will get less people "going out of their way" to find the full version if they enjoyed the free version.

    At least with IAP you have a "captured audience" to get those impulse buyers buying straight away.

    ""You are in a maze of twisty passages, all alike." - Zork        temp domain http://spidergriffin.wix.com/alphaghostapps

  • DuesDues Member Posts: 1,159

    Thanks for the info @Moik

    @gyroscope
    Yeah the good thing with IAP is that you can unlock it right away, on the other hand if I link from within your app to etc "Get full version"
    it's kind of the same.
    With IAP it would also require me to have the app free which is kind of a good thing. In that way it probably gets more spread around.
    The good thing is that all the rating stays with one app if I got the IAP route.

    Not sure what I think about this question :)

  • izamizam Member, PRO Posts: 503

    I always have lite versions of my games.

    All my games on Google Play

  • mhedgesmhedges Raised on VCS Member Posts: 634

    Sorry to possibly go off on a tangent, but if you call a lite version "Lite" and the full version is just the app name, what do you call an ad-free app vs one with ads?

    My Blog / App Store / Google Play

  • SocksSocks London, UK.Member Posts: 12,822

    @mhedges said:
    Sorry to possibly go off on a tangent, but if you call a lite version "Lite" and the full version is just the app name, what do you call an ad-free app vs one with ads?

    ChristmasDeathProjectilesFree

    vs

    ChristmasDeathProjectiles

  • DuesDues Member Posts: 1,159
    edited December 2015

    @Socks said:

    @mhedges said:
    Sorry to possibly go off on a tangent, but if you call a lite version "Lite" and the full version is just the app name, what do you call an ad-free app vs one with ads?

    ChristmasDeathProjectilesFree

    vs

    ChristmasDeathProjectiles

    :smiley:

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