Is this allowed: paid lite version

Discussion in 'Public Game Developers Forum' started by willzeng, Apr 12, 2012.

  1. Say, you have a full version charging $1.99 while another lite version charging $0.99. Is it allowed?
     
  2. I see other apps doing it except they don't call it lite. They call it regular and pro versions or something similar. What exactly will be the difference between the 2?
     
  3. The difference is just like other games do between lite & normal.

    Reasons for a paid lite:
    1) Some marketing campaign, such as FAAD, needs free versions. I would never again yield my full version free, so I'll do it with the lite version, which should price for a certain period before the campaign.

    2) If little income from the app, I won't work for Apple for free with the lite version. Change it to paid is only to prevent downloads.

    Since I released the full version first, I may still use the name of lite later.
     
  4. I'm assuming then that your lite version is more of a "demo" that has reduced number of levels or less content

    You should read their terms of service first. They may not allow lite versions or charge you more because they consider it free to begin with.

    Why do you see it as working for Apple? Aren't you doing this to market your app? It seems like you're trying to find a loophole to market your app on your own terms but in all honesty if you ask any user they will tell you a lite version is free. I just get this feeling that this will make you look bad and possibly get you bad reviews for charging for an app that doesn't have all the features. Please correct me if I'm misunderstanding something here.
     
  5. If it's all about names, I may change the names to normal version & deluxe version. Anyway, I'm only asking whether it is allowed, not about user impressions.

    Paid versions are for both sides (Apple and indie developers), I agree with that, even currently the big picture is totally misleading. But free versions are just Apple's free meals till the developers really know how to benefit from them.

    Developers don't need to close a paid app even it's badly saled. But for free ones, developers should reserve the right to close them. Say, change it to paid?
     
  6. Eli

    Eli ᕕ┌◕ᗜ◕┐ᕗ
    Staff Member Patreon Silver Patreon Gold

    As mentioned in a very similar thread about this, Apple is actively cutting down on the number of duplicate entries on the App Store. I've hear from multiple developers that if you want to offer your game at different price points (i.e. a free and paid version) to release the paid version and allow the rest of the game to be unlocked through various IAP options. You might be able to slide through under the radar with a lesser-known game, but I'd have a contingency plan in place if/when Apple rejects one of your two ski's.

    edit: And I sort of doubt you'd be fooling anyone with a "normal" and a "deluxe" version when it comes to this.
     
  7. Those are double entries, I realized that... But I'd ensure no free apps left once I quit the market... So how about normal version $0.99 while lite version $1.99? No one will download the lite version so no fooling at all. Haha.
     
  8. mr.Ugly

    mr.Ugly Well-Known Member

    Dec 1, 2009
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    Berlin, Germany
    i don't understand why you want someone to now download your lite version..

    i mean if your full version does not sell well , offering the lite for an even higher price does not really shed a good light on you..

    and whats the fuss about that a lite is for apple? i don't get it.. its one of the promotinal tools you have for your full version.. apples free meals.. what the heck.. ? o_O
     
  9. 4SlotToaster

    4SlotToaster Member

    Feb 25, 2012
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    yeah just do Normal and Pro
     
  10. BluesClues

    BluesClues Active Member

    Apr 15, 2012
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    Ya, what the toaster said, but this may give you a bad rep tho.
     
  11. The developer releases a free version to promote their paid version. What's your reason for releasing a lite version?

    This is what's confusing me the most. Are you trying to "stick it to the man" by now allowing your free demo to be downloaded?
     
  12. Then what?

    It only about whether it is allowed. I think the problem is just duplicate entries to a same app. Otherwise it's fully justified and I don't need to ask such question at all.
     
  13. Isn't it obvious? A Lite version counts little without other promotion campaigns. If that fails, a developer should able to cancel the lite version if he likes.

    Current app store is no longer good for indie ones, but developers continually rushed in and yield free apps for their promotions, which in turn make their situation worse. While Apple still enjoys even more and more apps go free. More (free) apps on shelf will attract more users to by iPad/iPhone, and will attract more developers who pay fees. That's the free meal for Apple, OK?
     
  14. So if you don't want your free app on the store you can just remove it from sale. Once your Apple developer subscription is over and you don't renew, all of your apps are removed from the store. The $99 a year covers all costs of hosting and they handle taxes for you, track sales and step in when Lodsys knocks. I really don't think they make much on your developer fees.
     
  15. Nullroar

    Nullroar Well-Known Member

    Jan 6, 2010
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    Software Rep, Rhyme Guru, Game Editor
    Munich
    One idea, other than simply going with "Normal" and "Premium" or "Gold" versions, is to make small modifications to the game that renders one version not inferior (a "lite" or "demo"), but simply distinct and different.

    Pokemon did this with sheer genius. The differences between PM Red and PM Blue were, from a development perspective, virtually nonexistent.

    But BOY did the differences make an impact on gamers!

    If you can do this in such a way so that the the game is still distinct for gamers, they will want to taste the non-FAAD version for a variation on the gameplay they tried and enjoyed.

    And, of course, you can then make the other version Premium after FAAD.
     
  16. PixelEnvision

    PixelEnvision Well-Known Member

    Jun 8, 2011
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    Indie Developer
    Brighton, UK
    My 2 cents on the subject,

    Splitting the app too much also splits your downloads & reviews which would affect your appstore rankings, ultimately...

    So, I would suggest keeping it compact as much as possible.
     

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