I’ve just started a blog recently (see my sig) and want to share some of my stats of some of my apps. So if you’re interested in statistics, just take a look there. I will post the plain numbers here as well…
My game Paint&Conquer has its first month (february) in the markets and the numbers are quite surprising with Windows Phone going through the roof - well at least compared to iOS and Android. The numbers are quite disappointing as it’s basically a free app but all in all I made €83,68 mostly from ads (Admob) in february.
All in all I had downloads which is quite low for a free app BUT, 7411 downloads came from Windows Phone (7408 free, 3 paid), 224 from iOS and only 73 from Google Play. 73 downloads for a free app in a month! Not that much, eh…
I think you only should be proud of yourself. The likelihood of receiving just pennies or nothing at all is very high especially from a more simulation type of game. Over a hundred euros is a reasonable chunk of money. Also, I don’t see that Windows Phone -sales are so surprising simply because right now it doesn’t have such a humongous library of content like iOS and Android, so the quality vs quantity -ratio is more on your side. Brian Provinciano had a similar experience on his Retro City Rampage –game with PS Vita –sales (skip to ‘gross revenue’ on chapter selection).
Would it be possible to ask a breakdown between different weeks? Does it differ or stay constant? Is there certain days of the week that trigger more downloads?
Thanks! Actually I have more numbers but can’t share them as my team mate is against it. So I just share some of my app numbers. My best performing app (Battleship formerly, now Sea Battle → Thanks Hasbro! LOL) made around $20k in two years, sales only.
I will continue to share my journey, next app will be a kids puzzle which is almost done, so stay tuned.
Windows Store is a really recent platform and they’re definitely looking for quality content to put on their store. A lot on game that are not a really high quality are currently making around $3 K / month. It’s a platform you guys have to consider porting your game to. Issue is you need to have windows 8 installed … Can be worth re installing though.
Yes, the Windows Phone store is really underestimated but of course my numbers are quite to low to show some significant statistical numbers. Let’s see how this continues!
Xaron, I’d suggest creating some sort of a marketing plan. I was interested what kind of attention you have tried to gather for yourself and I didn’t see any. You should have at least posted a launch trailer on YT and preferrably convinced a person, who’s willing to play your game, comment it and post the play session/walkthrough on teh interwebz. For your next game it’d also be beneficial to have a development videolog also on YT in order to get attention before launch.
Remember, the more you grab attention and talk to your fans beforehand, the more succesful the launch. For example, for you next game you could register to some simulation forums and talk to the members over there. Make sure to treat the hardcore audience gently or otherwise they might eat you alive :-/
I have a few apps out on Windows Store/Android/Windows Phone.
By best month I made about £800. (Mainly due to higher sales in Norway corresponding a Norwegian in the finals of the Chess Championships!)
This month I think I’ll make about £400.
I consider breaking even point £1000 a month since this roughly corresponds to working minimum wage in MacDonalds in the UK.
So I’ve been going for a year now. Hopefully with all my practice from the previous year my next apps will be better. I’ll make a couple more apps then if I don’t break even I’ll give up and do something else!
Windows Store Paid and Android with ads has been most profitable then Android paid and Windows Phone.
Windows Store Ads has been least profitable due (I think) to them targeting ads only to USA. Also Amazon Kindle is hardly worth it either.
Yoonitee, keep in mind even the most succesful indie devs kept creating games for years and years and years, until they hit big. Notch, Team Meat and Jonathan Blow had a lot of projects that were only moderate successes at most before they created their golden egg. Then there are people like Tom Francis, the creator of Gunpoint, who hit big on his first try. However, his experience as a game reviewer heavily influenced his ability to make a great game.
Honestly it’s not that shocking to me.
The Windows Phone user base is definitely lower than iOS or Android.
And Windows Phone has way less apps available than iOS and Android.
Since there aren’t much apps available, you have more chance people will spot your game.
And since there’s less competition, you have more chance people will choose your game.
