Drawbacks to releasing both free and paid versions of your game?

Discussion in 'Public Game Developers Forum' started by Yixian, Jul 28, 2014.

  1. Yixian

    Yixian Well-Known Member

    May 12, 2009
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    People are often torn between going paid or going free/freemium.

    Some apps on the appstore have both a free version, and a paid version with either all the content available or no ads.

    This seemingly covers both bases, but what are the downsides? Why isn't everyone doing it?
     
  2. Destined

    Destined Well-Known Member

    Aug 11, 2013
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    I do that, but I think generally conversions rates are low. I have been basically doing "no ads" with no additional content which is a mistake.

    I have always thought if i ever got a popular app the paid version extra content could simply be one version ahead of the free (so having the paid gets you content earlier).
     
  3. Yixian

    Yixian Well-Known Member

    May 12, 2009
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    So you're saying that the paid version typically doesn't sell much to make it worth it?

    It's amazing how much the App Store has changed. I still have the mentality that "69p-£2 is nothing, I'm happy to take a chance on this app" but that seems to be very out of fashion these days. I really don't think freemium is a very healthy model but I suppose we have to play the game, so to speak, and get that money.
     
  4. OnlyJoe

    OnlyJoe Well-Known Member

    Sep 29, 2013
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    I do think it depends on the type of game that you make. There is still a bracket that want to buy paid games, and if your game fits into this space then it does better if it is paid.
    Have a read of this: http://toucharcade.com/2014/07/25/big-action-mega-fight-succeeding-as-paid-game/

    But your game has to be good. I think the real issue is people make very bad games, and then are wondering why people won't pay a dollar to get them. Its not that people are unwilling to part with a dollar, it is just that there is now so so much choice for that dollar, why would they pick a bad looking, low reviewed game?
     
  5. Yixian

    Yixian Well-Known Member

    May 12, 2009
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    #5 Yixian, Jul 28, 2014
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2014
    That's actually a very uplifting article! Thanks!

    Another downside is I suppose it splits your download stats, giving each app a lower place in the rankings.
     
  6. Destined

    Destined Well-Known Member

    Aug 11, 2013
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    I think it is worth it from my point of view but only about 1% of my downloads are sales. I like it cause if anyone complains about the ads I just say there is an ad free version.

    I just use that model cause as a consumer I think it gives the most choice.
     
  7. optimizemyapps.com

    optimizemyapps.com Active Member

    Jan 10, 2014
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    I think going the Freemium version is best i.e., App is free with Ads. If the user doesn't like Ads then give him a option to pay to remove Ads.

    My reasoning is:
    You need downloads to rank well on the keywords on the App store
    If you make the App paid you get 10% of the downloads as compared to a Free App
    If you get that much less downloads, then your keywords dont rank well
    Leading to even lesser downloads
    So make it Free, consider this as your marketing budget i.e., the money you would have spent to promote your App by Ads, paid reviews etc
    Free gets you more downloads
    You get some revenue flowing from Ads
    People who hate Ads will pay to remove them
    People who cant pay - Tough luck, there are no free lunches in this world
    You need to get paid for your effort, we all have bills to pay
     
  8. Xaron

    Xaron Well-Known Member

    Oct 16, 2013
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    I did an experiment by myself quite some time ago.

    Free version with limited features (and ads) plus full paid version (no IAP) with all features and no ads.

    Conversion rate was about 1%. I got quite some odd reviews for the free version so I removed it later from the market. Surprisingly that didn't affect the sales for the full version at all! So in my case it didn't change anything. I had the same number of sales, no matter if I have a free version or not.
     
  9. Yixian

    Yixian Well-Known Member

    May 12, 2009
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    I've had some messages from other developed saying the same! It might be a case of one of those strategies that sounds like it would work but in practice it doesn't much difference.
     
  10. DyabitGames

    DyabitGames Member

    Mar 14, 2014
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    Hello people!

    From my own experience, Free + Ads doesn't worth even if you get Featured by Apple. You need tons of downloads and ads impressions to make decent revenue. In my case, after some maths, I ended up with a $0.01 per download, i.e, I only got 1 cent per user. Suppose you get 100k downloads, then you make $1000. The question is: is that the value of your game? Is that the value of your hard effort? One cent per user? I personally think it's ridiculous and unfair.

    So, right now, I prefer to get much less downloads, but paid. Those paid downloads usually come from people that value your game, so you get better reviews and ratings, if any.

    Of course, you can support your paid version with a limited free version (with less content, less levels, etc.). But I think there are two problems with that: you are "competing" against your paid version and if you show too much on your free version, you lost user interest on your paid version. That depends on the type of game and duration. Anyway, if you release a free version, don't forget to display ads. At least you'll see some cents.

    Freemium model gets you more downloads, but the conversion rate (people that spend money on your game, or people that remove ads) is quite low. I have no personal numbers but I think I read 2% somewhere (it depends on the case). Another problem of Freemium is that you must design your game towards freemium model, i.e, transform your game into a virtual store. As indie developer, I think this is a shame. You don't become indie to develop what it's trending (ex: platform games with a store to buy weapons and characters). You become indie to make original and unique games, something different, a whole. Not all type of games can be monetized this way. In most cases it seems forced and absurd.

    My two cents. Well, my 1 cent.
     
  11. Yixian

    Yixian Well-Known Member

    May 12, 2009
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    The more I'm researching this the more I agree with you, DyabitGames.

    It seems that ad revenue alone is generally under performing, which isn't really a surprise, but also, for the free+IAP model to work the game really has to be designed entirely around it. You can't expect much success if you just tack it on.

    Our game is not particularly suited to the free to play model, however, there are drawbacks to the paid model that need to be addressed.

    For example, one of the benefits of your app being free is that it has greater downloads and therefore a greater chance of being spread by word of mouth.

    I think that a paid game can instead attempt to have a greater % of it's users spread word to their friends using incentives to share via social networks. For example, free in game upgrades if the user posts to twitter/facebook?
     
  12. DyabitGames

    DyabitGames Member

    Mar 14, 2014
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    #12 DyabitGames, Aug 1, 2014
    Last edited: Aug 1, 2014
    Sounds like a good idea to me, you should try it and see what happens.

    On the other hand, and if I remember correctly, Apple don't want you to reward people for watching ads or video ads. You shouldn't make something like "Tap here to watch a video ad and earn 100 coins!". But, you know, Apple has rules that they don't apply and I have seen this strategy in some freemium games.

    To me, paid model has no problem at all if you make a good unique game, except that you'll absolutely need press coverage. Go paid if you're sure your game will be covered by the press. Usually, an Apple feature leads to press coverage, so the most important thing here is making a polished game for Apple to feature (in my humble opinion). After the initial release, usually after one or two weeks, you can start posting additional stuff about your game on social networks, Youtube and forums: development process, gameplays, walkthroughs, etc. to keep people interested. Usually, the life of an indie app is quite short, even if it's free (you cannot compete against big marketing budgets), so I think it's better to release with paid version. And, of course, release a polished original game.

    What would you prefer as developer? 100k downloads of a free+ads game or 1k downloads of a paid game? Do you want people downloading your free game (only because it's free) even if they're not interested? It's very clear to me: I don't want free-downloaders giving 1 star ratings in games they haven't paid for.
     
  13. Destined

    Destined Well-Known Member

    Aug 11, 2013
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    I would rather 100K unpaid ad supported downloads than 1K paid downloads although it would be close.
     
  14. Xammond

    Xammond Well-Known Member

    Mar 22, 2014
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    Paid or free I think most games get the bulk of downloads at launch (followed by a lasting trickle), so imo the design might be to aim for paid. But the thread questions releasing both which suggests maybe just have free with a single purchase to upgrade to full, instead of maintaining two apps of the same game.
     
  15. Destined

    Destined Well-Known Member

    Aug 11, 2013
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    you could always release the paid version the week before the free version and essentially get a double launch.
     
  16. POLYGAMe

    POLYGAMe Well-Known Member

    Jul 3, 2010
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    Auckland, New Zealand
    I have had no luck with free games. My best performer brings in around $6 a month... conversely, my best performing paid game brings in $150 a month and it's been out for a year. Oddly though, that's on Google... it makes nothing on iOS... BUT I have a free demo version for Android, so I think this has been very helpful in getting sales.

    I'll never go freemium. I hate IAP and I can't stand the way the industry has gone... I just hope paid games will last a while longer. I certainly have more paid games than freemium installed on my devices.
     
  17. pated

    pated Well-Known Member

    Jul 30, 2014
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    It's not only the game industry. We live in the era of low cost. It will get worst as we go deeper into the economical depression.
    Unless you find a luxury sector for games like there is Mercedes for the auto industry. :(

    It's sad, I agree, but if it's your main job you have to follow the global trend and adapt to survive.

    I'd say just go for free, with IAP and ads. Don't confuse players with 2 separated versions.
     
  18. POLYGAMe

    POLYGAMe Well-Known Member

    Jul 3, 2010
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    Personally I'd go paid, I have had much more success with paid and as I said, the one game I have a free demo version for makes the most money (it made a hell of a lot more a year ago when it was released, though)...
     
  19. Destined

    Destined Well-Known Member

    Aug 11, 2013
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    which game is that?
     
  20. Yixian

    Yixian Well-Known Member

    May 12, 2009
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    I hate it too and I think it's damaging to creativity on the App Store.

    We can only hope that the increased exposure of the public to gaming via free games will encourage new people into gaming who will buy their apps, maybe in the longer term.

    There are some IAP models that I am fine with but so many freemium games eg. Clash of Clans you can tell that the first idea was not "what kind of game shall we make" but "how can we get people to buy IAPs".
     

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