Free with ads, Trial version or Paid?

Monkey Targets Forums/Android/Free with ads, Trial version or Paid?

tagoror(Posted 2011) [#1]
Hello,

What are your recomendations about how to release the apps on Android Market?

Paid app + Free version with ads or a limited trial version?

What is your experience about that?

Regards,

Javier


benmc(Posted 2011) [#2]
**edit** Decided to truncate post a lot.

I see that you've put up a holiday game. I put out a Santa game for free last year to get some exposure for my other games. I got about 39K downloads of the free game.

All I really want to say is that I haven't had much success with ad-supported games with a paid, non-ad-supported version. The ad revenue has been pretty weak, and the ads alone haven't been enough to get people to upgrade. This is just from my own experience, I've heard much different however.

I do have many successful paid apps in the Market, but lately, some events have made me wonder if free/lite versions help or not, so I don't really have any advice or input on this matter. I used to think they were really important, now I'm not so sure.


Samah(Posted 2011) [#3]
I've been debating this with myself for a while too. I want to actually start writing a game (not just frameworks like Diddy), but I've been trying to think of a good business model.

I think what I might do is write a "free" game with no adverts, but with in-app purchases. Sort of like the TF2 drop system + Mann Co store, where you can either buy items or just play heaps and hope you randomly find them.

People will play free games if they don't have ads. Adding cheap in-app purchases is enough for people to say "ooh I want that item, it's pretty easy to just click the Buy button."


therevills(Posted 2011) [#4]
I want to actually start writing a game


hahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahaha!!!

What is your experience about that?


I tried a free version with a different name (PS Tripeaks) with no ads (as I dont like them) and hoped that the users would see the paid for version... it didnt work out though :(


AdamRedwoods(Posted 2011) [#5]
Thanks for the insight people. I'm getting to the point of releasing my game (the last 10% = 90%), and am wondering the EXACT SAME QUESTIONS. I'm so glad people ask these questions here.

One of my ideas was to release a free PC/MAC version and release the game for purchase on mobile. If people want to try before buy, then they could try the PC/Mac version first. The Apple App store doesn't seem to like "trial" versions, so releasing paid games (I think?) is easier to gain traction than trial->to->paid versions.

The other idea was to add a nag/ad screen every so often (yes, interrupt game play or create a big black bar at the top that is visually distracting). Again, Apple app store may not allow this.

I like the idea of in-app purchases, but that's more overhead for development and to maintain, and you end up modeling your game around that which doesn't always fit for some types of games.

I hate the Zynga model (Farmville, Empire & Allies) where they jam in-app purchases down your throat.


I want to actually start writing a game


Although therevills is teasing you, I do find there's a distinct difference between game coding and module coding, but it's fun either way. I look forward to what you decide to create!


Samah(Posted 2011) [#6]
hahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahaha!!!

Yeah, I was waiting for that. :)

I look forward to what you decide to create!

The only game I ever actually "finished" was the Left150Dead entry for Dabz's 150-line game challenge.