As the title says, are in-app purchases as effective as I'd like to think they are?
As we're all fully aware, there are a lot of people around the internet who will do whatever they can to get a game or app that they shouldn't be able to.
Obviously developers have to make money when they choose to because otherwise they could be making a loss and not want to continue to develop any more. What is their best option to make money?
1) They could have a price on their app/game but once paid for, no more money will need to be spent in the app/game.
2) They could use the popular method of creating a free version and a paid version.
3) Have the app/game free of charge but have in-app purchases to make some money from it.
There are of course downsides to each of the options above but in my mind, the best option is 3) because it's not as easy to be able to get around the paying system. The only way around, that I can currently think of, would be by using cheat systems such as GameCih.
Whereas with the other 2 options, it's fairly easy to be able to bypass the required payment.
A perfect example of in-app purchases working is with Shadowgun Deadzone.
If the app had not been free, chances are I wouldn't have been interested in it because I couldn't test it before buying.
As the game is free, I tested the game out and because I thoroughly enjoy the game, I've since bought in game gold numerous times and will continue to do so.
I know that not everyone will have the same mentality as me but it proves, in my case, that in-app purchases work.
What are your thoughts on in-app purchases or what do you feel are the benefits of simply putting a price on the app/game?
From my experience, In App Billing is really good.
In my truck parking game, 3D Truck Parking, there are about 4 level packs for free and 1 that you have to buy with IAB. I must say that I got a lot of purchases daily!
IAB is better, you don't have to maintain two different versions, its easy to set up. Also users can't cancel an order they make through IAB & its linked to their accounts. On a normal paid app you can copy the apk and cancel the order, making it easy to steal.
When i started to work with android app i did two version free and paid. Now i'm sure that it's wrong. One free application with in-app payments is the best choise.
Question
Hi Guys!
I'm writing my academic thesis about the market of the app stores and I would like to interview some developers about the monetization, revenue models etc... If you could answer some questions please contact me at [email protected] It would be a great help! Thank you very much!
Freemium and IAB
Hi,
I believe Freemium is a good model for many apps, specially games.
And IAB is the best option to support the Freemium model, to my experience.
I tried other options such as free app with paid apk acting as an unlock key, which is a quite popular model on the Play Store, but not as powerful and flexible as IAB.
So I would really recommend IAB, specially latest version 3 which is easier to use.
Make sure you use the helper class provided by Google, but be careful, there are a few bugs in it...Look for fixes in stackoverflow !
Good luck!
Eric
I can certainly say I wish I had implemented in app purchasing instead of a free and paid version of the same app. As mentioned before, the ease of not having to maintain two versions, as well as the advantage of free app entry is a big plus. Definitely the way to go if the app is designed in a way that makes sense for that style.
In-apps are gr8, the only problem is that the app must be developed rly good (if not excelent i.e. nice in-game economy) to encurage ppl to use them. Freemium FTW!
I would love to move to IAB but I already have a paid/free app combo in the store. That would just be another app to maintain
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Just to say, Google Play bans ALL apps with in-app purchase here.
Besides, I can't but any apps in GP.
What a shame, Google.
F2P is here to stay
When you look at the top grossing list on both Google Play and iTunes you will see that, in fact, free-to-play titles make more money than paid titles. Of course, market for premium titles will still exist, especially for high-quality utility apps but in games F2P is dominating and, I think, this trend will continue.
As you experienced yourself, this model is super-convenient for players, you can test a game and, if interested, pay for additional items, etc. The only one thing which is tricky is keeping balance, ie. not making a game pay-to-win.
Last but not least, it's so much more exciting from a dev perspective to have 1 million of players enjoying your title than 10k Making money of them is yet another matter.
As a user I still like the idea of purchasing an app once and using it for as long as I like, but maybe I'm getting old...
I don't like the pay2play model, for example in real racing 3 you can only race a couple of rounds and then your car needs maintenance. This maintenance takes just long enough to hate it, but with in game coins you can make it happen instantly, which you can buy with real money.
The same goes for buying new cars: you don't make a lot of money racing so buying a new car takes ages (if you don't pay for quick maintenance that is) but you can again buy credits with real money to make it faster.
This probably makes for a continious money flow for the developers, but it annoys me; I would much rather just pay once and then play forever, and after that maybe pay some more for some dlc or something, but i don't like paying just to keep playing...
I don't mind what model developer choose. But I'm really disappointed by the lack of proper filters in Google Play. Free and Payed is not enough! It's cheating that demo or IAB applications are listed together with really free applications. There should be at least third category, which would gather demo, IAB etc apps - apps that aren't fully free. I would also love to have "open source" category.
Google's IAB is simple to implement in the app/game, but it has a huge disadvantage: if no server verification was implemented, then it is very easy to automatically hack IAB, there are many hacking tools available. Server verification is not an easy to implement. At least, a dedicated server is needed + experience in server programming.
IAP is good, but takes work
I have deployed apps with both IAP as well as the free/paid model.
IAP allows a single app with combined ratings and DL count (and free apps get more casual attention)
IAP takes more work - code, testing, and setup in portal
Paid apps on different app stores are easy. IAP solutions from each app store are not compatible with each other.
I plan to use IAP as the primary model on my next app (as well as ads), with no paid version. We'll see how that goes. I decided to try subscriptions, which is a tougher sell.
For a first app, however, the free/paid model may be much easier for many devs. Just hit a switch to show the no-ad layout (or whatever other features the paid version has) and dump the separate apk up on Google Play.
BTW I blog on ad networks and Android app stores at http://www.projectjourneyman.com. I created a report with charts showing my experience with a paid app as well as a free app w/IAP on Amazon and Google Play (plus paid app on Nook). Getting it signs you up to my email newsletter, but you can unsubscribe right away if you want
As a user I agree with an earlier poster that a once off fee for a full featured product is the most satisfying.
The biggest problem is IAP is that it needs to be very well implemented and generally this is not the case. More often than not it becomes a pay to win scenario which is just silly.
Too many games entice you to make a payment and then you feel you've been robbed as there was little value in the purchase.
I understand it is a good business model to get money from your hard work as a developer but personally I find it almost unethical. It becomes a little like gambling where games are addictive and require you to keep feeding in money to continue playing. This is not dissimilar to the pokie machines (aka slot machines) which are a very political issue here in Australia. I can imagine this pricing model in mobile games also becoming a political issue for similar reason if it is not self regulated by developers.
Also, hacking IAP apps is often pretty easy to do to avoid payment so this model is not immune to piracy.
Developers who depend on freemium might find their market drying up when their customers finally realize it's really a scam.
Im sorry for putting it this way but it's more honest to say so.
Freemiums are making money right now because of new smartphone owners who dont know any better.
But just like kids growing up, they will realize its better to buy outright a game than to keep throwing money into a game to get in game items just to play it well. It becomes pretty expensive later on.
The gold rush isnt going to last.
Here's my 2p's worth as a consumer, not a developer. The Freemium model is OK if its implemented correctly. Hill Climb Racing and Jetpack Joyride are two examples of what I believe to be decent titles. They're both so well made I have ended up spending real money on them both, not because I had to in order to progress or complete them (I'm looking at you Glu Games) but because I enjoyed the titles so much I wanted to play faster and support the developers. As for Real Racing 3, well I've got all the cars fully upgraded and I've never given EA a f***ing penny, nor will I.
There are limits.
I personally love the free / paid app model and almost all the tools and system apps I now use or have used were free versions I found invaluable and subsequently paid for. Hell, I've even bought 'Donate' versions that are exactly the same (Orux Maps) purely because the apps are that good.
Ultimately if people want to steal your work they'll find a way. Theft isn't going anywhere. But neither is the desire to reward decent work that is genuinely good value. I guess the way to get paid is to strive to create something of value.
bong4316 said:
Developers who depend on freemium might find their market drying up when their customers finally realize it's really a scam.
Im sorry for putting it this way but it's more honest to say so.
Freemiums are making money right now because of new smartphone owners who dont know any better.
But just like kids growing up, they will realize its better to buy outright a game than to keep throwing money into a game to get in game items just to play it well. It becomes pretty expensive later on.
The gold rush isnt going to last.
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Click to collapse
I do not agree, not all games use aggressive freemium model to milk the money from the users. In-app purchases are often used to buy additional unnecessary content (for example, extra levels) or to remove ads (because all free games are supported by ads). So the game just gives users a choice: either live with ads, or convert game into ads-free version.
nishyt said:
IAB is better, you don't have to maintain two different versions, its easy to set up. Also users can't cancel an order they make through IAB & its linked to their accounts. On a normal paid app you can copy the apk and cancel the order, making it easy to steal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
totally agree! IAP is much better!
Related
hexage, the makers of radiant hd, evac hd, and totemo hd released a new game today called robotek hd. im a huge fan of everything theyve made thus far and robotek hd is another killer game!
you got that right! ive been playing it nonstop
omg. i discovered this on my own from the suggestions on the web version of android market and can i just say...
best. game. ever. (i think)
everything about it is so frikkin cool!
My son loves this game. I haven't been able to pry the NOOK out of his hands all day!
only bad thing about the game is you cannot beat it without spending about 12 dollars on upgrades
You got this on the Android Market? Can't find it for my Evo. Ill try the NC tomorrow.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA Premium App
addicted...
ramiss said:
You got this on the Android Market? Can't find it for my Evo. Ill try the NC tomorrow.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not finding it either (on my manualnootered nook). Market online says not compatible.
bobo12 said:
Not finding it either (on my manualnootered nook). Market online says not compatible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
im running cm7 - gb 2.3.4
luciferii said:
only bad thing about the game is you cannot beat it without spending about 12 dollars on upgrades
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I spent .99 in order to unlock the recharger node and now when I run out of charge just beat the recharger node for charge I currently have over 2000 charge and almost finished the game
Sent from my NookColor using Tapatalk
bobo12 said:
Not finding it either (on my manualnootered nook). Market online says not compatible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dunno' why, but I couldn't find it when I searched "Robotek". A search for "Hexage Ltd" displayed all their games, however, including this one. I was able to download and install. I'm on CM7.
getwilde said:
Dunno' why, but I couldn't find it when I searched "Robotek". A search for "Hexage Ltd" displayed all their games, however, including this one. I was able to download and install. I'm on CM7.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tried that, got everything but Robotek.
Hexage's Robotek Cheats Big Time
Don't play this game. The AI cheats big time and gets all the impossibly lucky rolls. Its hack attack is uncannily accurate while yours is so weak. Total imbalance. You have to keep paying real money to win. Don't get suckered.
I have a pretty good strategy and its allowed me to beat the toughest nodes. I have not made any inapp purchases. If you look over the readme, it explains the AI and its occasional "cheating".
This game is very beatable without in-app purchases.
Just use Titanium backup and restore if you lose.
I have over 1000 charge points at level 12 because I'm batting a thousand using Titanium.
thanks luciferii, now I'm addicted
thinking of trying totemo next.
I dont know how a so repetitive game can be so addictive...
its just too fun!
I recently finished Robotek and was able to draw a good conclusion as to why it has so many bad reviews and accusations of cheating AI on the Android Market. The dev claims the AI is "damn good" in the FAQ, but it really isn't. I finished the game with about 6500 charge, no in-app purchases, and defeated the level 50 mainframe. Lost the occasional game, but can confidently say every loss was completely out of my control.
Robotek isn't rigged, which initially crossed my mind and almost made me quit as I ran low on charge. It was a fair assumption: this is far from my first or most complicated/difficult strategy game. I knew the rules and knew what to do, yet still managed strange and irritating losses. The problem was obvious: perfect rolls, which give a powerful unit/effect/attack plus an extra turn, occur far too frequently. This is the source of all the frustration that has led so many people to ***** and moan about the gameplay. As a turn-based strategy (albeit a simple one), no amount of skill can save you if the opponent continues getting free turns while you wait idly and get pummeled.
In the early game, the player has fairly low HP and a few perfect rolls on the AI's side can quickly kill you. In the late game, you can lose upwards of 200 HP from this common scenario and still recover for a comeback win. This would explain why newer players rushed to the Market to slam the game of cheating, while those who stuck it out said winning without paying was doable and not difficult.
If the dev would greatly decrease the chance percentages of perfect rolls, then the number of complaints would go down with it. I've angrily played through too many rounds where the AI got anywhere from 4 to 8 perfect rolls, while I had none. Cheating or not, this is very poor game design and it happens frequently enough to make any sane person want to quit in anger. I recall around level 15 playing one particular mainframe and losing to it with nearly all HP intact. I played it again, using the same exact strategy as before, and quickly won with full HP. Downright silly.
To be fair, I played a number of games where I was the one with "luck" on my side. It made the game no more enjoyable and really made it seem worse. I often took stock Droid and Drone up to Hero across several turns of careful strategy, making my way towards a sound victory.. only to be rewarded with a bunch of unnecessary perfect rolls that made the whole experience feel very cheap and easy.
The other main issue is the low level of control at the player's hands. I wouldn't suggest getting rid of the slot machine, since this is obviously a unique aspect of the game. I would suggest allowing a player to choose which unit attacks which. At the very least grant the player the ability to assign the attack order! Too often an Elite or Hero Droid wastes its powerful laser on a low-HP unit or shield when a stock Tankbot could've done the job. Or my units directing attacks at a harmless messed-up Tankbot while leaving a dangerous Drone alive to fight another turn.
I think all of this masks how weak the AI actually is and simply adds an unneeded layer of frustration, causing less-patient players to jump at the in-app purchases. I gave Robotek a 2-star rating when I thought the game was cheating, and left it at 2 stars when I came to realize its actual problems.
The suggestion that this game is not rigged is just utterly ridiculous, although I agree with much of the rest of the above post. It may just be that it takes some folks longer than others to see that. There is no debating whatsoever (with me, at least) that this is a classic pay-to-win setup. 'Pay-to-win' is synonymous with 'rigged-by-design'. Yes, it is possible to win a fair number of rounds without paying a dime, but especially in multiplayer mode, your ranking will never advance very far without paying, or without using a hack or cheat of some kind (like some of the folks using Titanium backup to reduce damages). If you do not pay (and no one should), the game will make sure that the odds are stacked heavily enough against you that your wins will be limited. In other words, Robotek IS rigged.
I find this entire pay-to-win model obnoxious at best, and downright creepy at worst. It also seems to me that a person has to be especially desperate, or just a pretty bad player, in order to even want to spend money to be better able to defeat one's robotic foes.
To me this whole approach is disingenuous, and I will personally never give Hexage a dime. I'm even mean enough to say that all I wish for them is bankruptcy. However, I gather it isn't just Hexage doing this. That is unfortunate, and a weakness of closed-source, for-profit apps and app stores. Such games take on the flavor of the arcade games that were mainly after a person's quarters. I read somewhere recently that this kind of thing may be the wave of the future. I certainly hope not.
hi all,
I recently uploaded a new free game - IdunkU
I just wanted people to know that free games are usually made by indie programmers and designers who worked hard on their games
and count on their users to click on their sponsers banners now and then so the free gaming can live well and prosper.
fyi - each click gets the developer ~0.01$.
so the question i am asking you is: are you clicking those ad banners in games? if not, why?
market.android.com/details?id=tomer.idunku
No I don't click.
If you are a good enough developer you work for a proper gaming company and they pay your wages.
On the other hand, if you can code a gameloft like game on your own I would happily pay 8 dollars to buy the game.
It all depends on game quality. Let's be honest, free games are usually ****e.
I rarely if ever see the ads as I only enable data to go on CrapBook or check my email.
i have never known anything about it
thanks alot
What you think of 'Rule the Kingdom' ?
It seems like a great idea, an rpg + sim/simcity style game.
Its free to download.
The part that I think breaks the gameplay is the huge fremium portion of the game. It takes forever to do anything unless you spend crystals, which are extremely rare unless you buy them with real money.
But without the fremium, I think the game would be great. (I refuse to spend money on fremium games)
EDIT:
Haha, just found a huge exploit in the game, so now you don't need to to buy diamonds to speed things up
The game's time is dependent on the system's time. Meaning if you go to settings and increase a day, a lot of resources you were making just finish instantly (and you get the daily chest).
There are downfalls to placing the system's time back to the real time.
What I did:
Went back to the year 2001, used the diamonds that came originally, to heal my character. Now i'm playing till i pass the game. Safely advancing the time by day. When i complete the game, i go back to today's time and wait for the new content with a loooot of resources hehehe.
eddymonti said:
What you think of 'Rule the Kingdom' ?
It seems like a great idea, an rpg + sim/simcity style game.
Its free to download.
The part that I think breaks the gameplay is the huge fremium portion of the game. It takes forever to do anything unless you spend crystals, which are extremely rare unless you buy them with real money.
But without the fremium, I think the game would be great. (I refuse to spend money on fremium games)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will say it right off the bat, and it goes with ANY game on ANY console; I despise freemium and pay to win. They are horrible and just scam the customer. Even when you "purchase" a game and are able to buy your way through faster and better equipment. I had a game similar to that called MyCountry and I downloaded a cheating client so I could have as much money as I wanted and actually play the game. I can't stand those. Other than that I know quite a bit of people to play that game and enjoy it, so it could be fun. Who knows.
Anyone have suggestions for similar games, pref. with no pay to win / pay to get items ?
Been looking for sim games for ages ( civ like games etc)
DeBoX said:
Anyone have suggestions for similar games, pref. with no pay to win / pay to get items ?
Been looking for sim games for ages ( civ like games etc)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or age of empire like game, or better still a port of space empires
Im surprised there are not more real time startegy games for android, as real time strategy and touchscreen controls seem to go hand in hand if done right
DeBoX said:
Anyone have suggestions for similar games, pref. with no pay to win / pay to get items ?
Been looking for sim games for ages ( civ like games etc)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am a big fan of the SimCity series and EA has a full on port of in the Play Store that is very well made. Very nice touch controls. Don't know if that's your sort of game, but I thought it was worth it. And i completely agree with the A full Touch RTS would be fantastic
Sent from my GT-N7000 using XDA Premium HD app
Updated the original post with info to make this game free, not fremium.
Mobile games are a huge hit amongst people from all ages. The most common problem faced by mobile game app developers is that there is very little provision to make profit and this is the reason why most of the newbie end up running out of the competition. Making a strong provision for continuous cash flow ensures long term stability and sustenance.
Developing a game in itself is an arduous task; it requires imagination, planning and execution. A normal sort of an idea will never let you develop a permanent or long term user base; you need to cull out something unique and captivating. Selecting the correct OS, getting hold of an interesting design and UI and bringing in several other factors help you create a successful gaming app. Now the ultimate question which pops out here is that “how are you going to make a profit out of your product?”
Well it’s a fact that none of us work just for the sake of working; we all expect a reward in the form of profit. Monetization becomes the last but most important part of developing a game based application. Let us take you through some of the best ideas to monetize your app and get in a good turnover.
Made for the user: The first question you ask yourself when developing a game is about the target audience. Basically what you are developing is meant for your end users and not for you. The apt genre and target audience go hand in hand and then only you can ensure a long term user base. A popular game will automatically bring a larger crowd and hence create opportunities to earn.
Surprise your users: Who doesn’t love surprises? If you are continuously offering something novel to your users with regular updates then you can assure yourself with a strong user base. People will keep on coming back and take keen interest in getting the app updated because of the surprise element.
Bonus on referrals: Well this has become quite a bit common and effective too. You can put in some incentive for your users so that they refer your game app to their friends and family. This will again bring a lot of genuine installs and create a large user base pretty much quickly.
Effectiveness of the Freemium Model: Freemium has become quite a common internet term these days, it basically means providing basic things for free and the premium ones can be used at a price. The first three points have already given you an idea to create a large user base, now offering a freemium model will let you have monetary conversions. A good game will pull in some of the fans to purchase the premium offerings.
In-app purchases are a must: Since we are talking about monetization, the word ‘purchase’ holds a lot of importance. You must provide for in-app purchases to ensure that at least some people from your user base are purchasing something or the other. It might be a third party app or product, but, in this way you can build up on a good section of commission based earnings.
Discounts! Somebody who has always wanted to purchase something but couldn’t do it because of a higher price would definitely understand the importance of discounts. Offering a discount on the most sought after products in your range will keep on encouraging a lot many users to spend money.
Removal of limitations: Your game is an absolute hit, people love it but then there are some annoying hindrances like advertisements, zero lives, turns or even energy. Now you can bank on this opportunity and get such limitations removed for a paltry sum of money. Most of the users would spend.
Social Gaming: It is a human habit, when we are with our social groups we tend to spend more. Now if your game app gives an opportunity to function socially then people can be lured to spend more. If their friends are scoring high, then they will definitely want to beat them at any cost! Sounds clever?!
Merchandises: Lastly, once a game is quite famous, users do want to get hold of merchandises and accessories from the same game. Angry birds is a classic example, people buy mugs, apparels, footwear and other accessories just for the sake of love for their favorite game.
These are some of the most important methods of channelizing funds to your bank accounts. Gaming is a great sector to invest in, but the shortage of funds tends to shallow down the foundation of growth. Some of these strategies definitely will help monetizing funds.
If you believe that you have developed a good game then you should contact me now to start promoting your app around the word!
Online games can be classified broadly into two areas. The first category is the game, which is directly on the structure and is easy to play. The second type of game, which is a bit more complex and has a theme. Players need to use awareness and his intuition to unravel the mystery of the game.
Whether it’s a flash game or a simple game, online, games are always in search of the most updated website and rewarding. So games site authorities are coming up with the best of services to attract traffic. In today’s world where people have to pay even to drink a collection of online games absolutely free for all seems like a dream offer
When you search the web for something to do when you’re carrying in your work and you’re bored, you will be happy to find that there are many online games via the Internet nowadays. In fact, there actually is a new online game being given each day all throughout the year.
Children often get bored very easily and needs something that can hold their interest for a long time by its variations. Games are no new concept that most children will enjoy. This not only looks attractive because of the bright colors and design, but also because it allows the player to control the graphics on their computer or television screen.
In the new friv 2 games, you’ll see more than a thousand free games. Some of his costume up games comes with upbeat music to capture the sense of the joy of the players. The theme of the dress up games may vary such as princesses, countries, fairies, holidays, rabbit, pop stars, prom dates, and more. For those who do not have the slightest clue of what abcya is all about, it is basically a site that is equipped with an excess of online games. Many sites offer free online games, but to play free yepi 2 games are very popular on the internet despite the fact that there are so many sites out there that will provide the same kind of perk. The site will provide more free gaming experience worry so people do not have to fret about viruses and spyware-map is usually on the ground to see another game.
To support the popular notion that an idle mind is the devil’s advocate, play y8 games will help in the redevelopment of the important functions of the brain because it is put into running back. When you are playing, the brain is stimulated which will lead to an increase of blood flow hence improving your memory.
Besides, no matter how ironic it is, playing free online y3 games helped in your tired body. Prime then will make bigger hands and fingers just before each game as to ensure greatest flexibility. Almost all parts of our body will be put to a test like our ears that will work well to clutch and guidance. In the core, online gaming is not just a trend for the enjoyment of players but this is also a way to perk up health conditions of the body. To be sure, this article was able to expand our mind from the limited notion we have had with online gaming. So, now, open a new tab and visit unblocked games for an online gaming experience unlimited! In fact, kizi games exist in the online world for much of the year pretty since it was first created which is just a proof of how many people will vote for over pbs kids its competitors.
XDA:DevDB Information
45gerdf, Device Specific App for the Acer F1
Contributors
anhquoc90
Version Information
Status: Testing
Created 2016-08-26
Last Updated 2016-08-26