Comments on: 'Payback' Generates $400,000 in First Two Months http://toucharcade.com/2009/03/31/payback-generates-400000-in-first-two-months/ ... keeping in touch with the latest in iPhone gaming Sun, 21 Mar 2010 01:32:06 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Mark http://toucharcade.com/2009/03/31/payback-generates-400000-in-first-two-months/#comment-21431 Mark Wed, 06 May 2009 04:33:51 +0000 http://toucharcade.com/?p=3197#comment-21431 4.99? ha. anything that is over .99 is too much. Sorry but I don't think so buddy. 4.99? ha.
anything that is over .99 is too much. Sorry but I don't think so buddy.

]]> By: Tanner http://toucharcade.com/2009/03/31/payback-generates-400000-in-first-two-months/#comment-18684 Tanner Fri, 03 Apr 2009 01:48:56 +0000 http://toucharcade.com/?p=3197#comment-18684 No, what I think Apple needs to do is divide the "Top Paid" section into "Top Paid 3.99 and Up" and "Top Paid .99-2.99" or something. Maybe allow the user to set the price ranges for Top 50 No, what I think Apple needs to do is divide the "Top Paid" section into "Top Paid 3.99 and Up" and "Top Paid .99-2.99" or something. Maybe allow the user to set the price ranges for Top 50

]]> By: Peter321 http://toucharcade.com/2009/03/31/payback-generates-400000-in-first-two-months/#comment-18555 Peter321 Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:01:26 +0000 http://toucharcade.com/?p=3197#comment-18555 Maybe the release of 1.1 with new features and maps? Maybe the release of 1.1 with new features and maps?

]]> By: spiffyone http://toucharcade.com/2009/03/31/payback-generates-400000-in-first-two-months/#comment-18533 spiffyone Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:58:49 +0000 http://toucharcade.com/?p=3197#comment-18533 Ah...but if you are on your iTouch/Phone and in the mood for a game, do you go to the All Categories section, or specifically to the "games" section? I gather that the majority of those interested in one particular type of app go to the appropriate section. Why? Because top overall is just that: top overall. If I'm in the mood for a game I don't want to have to search through a list that contains things that are NOT games (like utility apps, entertainment apps or creative/photography/music/etc. apps). Again, though, the assumption that higher cost games cannot do well is a false one. Oregon Trail, Crash Nitro Kart, Monkey Ball, etc. have all done very well, were at one time or another at the top of the paid games section. What do those have in common? Known IPs, and published by larger companies. So the larger companies have an inherent advantage with the higher paid apps. Smaller developers have to dynamically market their games as best they can. One way (a bad way, IMHO) they've done that is to lower price to a buck. Others include lite version releases, contests, etc. And, remember, the top of the paid overall section should be a secondary, and not a primary concern, as if you're selling a game you aren't directly competing with ColorSplash or iFitness no more than PC game makers are in competition with PhotoShop or MS Office) Ah…but if you are on your iTouch/Phone and in the mood for a game, do you go to the All Categories section, or specifically to the "games" section? I gather that the majority of those interested in one particular type of app go to the appropriate section. Why? Because top overall is just that: top overall. If I'm in the mood for a game I don't want to have to search through a list that contains things that are NOT games (like utility apps, entertainment apps or creative/photography/music/etc. apps).

Again, though, the assumption that higher cost games cannot do well is a false one. Oregon Trail, Crash Nitro Kart, Monkey Ball, etc. have all done very well, were at one time or another at the top of the paid games section. What do those have in common? Known IPs, and published by larger companies. So the larger companies have an inherent advantage with the higher paid apps. Smaller developers have to dynamically market their games as best they can. One way (a bad way, IMHO) they've done that is to lower price to a buck. Others include lite version releases, contests, etc.

And, remember, the top of the paid overall section should be a secondary, and not a primary concern, as if you're selling a game you aren't directly competing with ColorSplash or iFitness no more than PC game makers are in competition with PhotoShop or MS Office)

]]> By: Spek http://toucharcade.com/2009/03/31/payback-generates-400000-in-first-two-months/#comment-18527 Spek Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:22:45 +0000 http://toucharcade.com/?p=3197#comment-18527 Instead of debating how to sort the apps I think Kris Jones had it right when he said that the apps should be sortable in a way that is user defined. They should have many different categories to choose from to sort by. I also find most of my apps from the top 50 list or from this web site. I had heard about payback weeks before it was released from toucharcade and got it right when it was released so the app store played no part in getting me to buy. Instead of debating how to sort the apps I think Kris Jones had it right when he said that the apps should be sortable in a way that is user defined. They should have many different categories to choose from to sort by. I also find most of my apps from the top 50 list or from this web site. I had heard about payback weeks before it was released from toucharcade and got it right when it was released so the app store played no part in getting me to buy.

]]> By: Dave http://toucharcade.com/2009/03/31/payback-generates-400000-in-first-two-months/#comment-18526 Dave Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:18:48 +0000 http://toucharcade.com/?p=3197#comment-18526 Interesting point you guys brought up...I never thought of it that way... Actually I don't think that'll be much of a problem. Let's be honest, if you app sucks it doesn't matter how much you spend to get your apps artificially up on the list. Eventually sales will plummets and you'll be off the chart unless you constantly spents $10k per week/days (however often apple updates the ranking). If you app is "good"...and you starts collecting sales then... then I actually have no problem with this tactics. Big third parties are always complaining about how app store is flooded with craps and it's hard to invest in developing iphone apps...well now they have a way to get visibility for their apps...lol. Another thing is that it might depend on how strict Apple is policing their app store. I highly doubt you'll be able to pad thousands of downloads without anyone noticing. Even if you hide under another "ad" agency...eventually info will leak and people will know about this. Interesting point you guys brought up…I never thought of it that way…

Actually I don't think that'll be much of a problem.

Let's be honest, if you app sucks it doesn't matter how much you spend to get your apps artificially up on the list. Eventually sales will plummets and you'll be off the chart unless you constantly spents $10k per week/days (however often apple updates the ranking).

If you app is "good"…and you starts collecting sales then…
then I actually have no problem with this tactics. Big third parties are always complaining about how app store is flooded with craps and it's hard to invest in developing iphone apps…well now they have a way to get visibility for their apps…lol.

Another thing is that it might depend on how strict Apple is policing their app store. I highly doubt you'll be able to pad thousands of downloads without anyone noticing. Even if you hide under another "ad" agency…eventually info will leak and people will know about this.

]]> By: SacrificialLamb http://toucharcade.com/2009/03/31/payback-generates-400000-in-first-two-months/#comment-18525 SacrificialLamb Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:44:17 +0000 http://toucharcade.com/?p=3197#comment-18525 The problem with sort by rating is that it's too easy for unscrupulous developers to game. The problem with sort by rating is that it's too easy for unscrupulous developers to game.

]]> By: abstract http://toucharcade.com/2009/03/31/payback-generates-400000-in-first-two-months/#comment-18524 abstract Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:37:18 +0000 http://toucharcade.com/?p=3197#comment-18524 I think more sort options would be the way to go. What I would like to see is something similar to the Genius playlist & Google's relevance. So you would have an option that list "picks" based on your prior choices (both paid & free), ratings, and popularity (downloads). The flaw in most of the above suggestions that no one has pointed out is, the larger companies can skew these results. An example would be. Let say and app is 2.99$. Apple gets its 3rd (roughly 1$), Game Studio/Publisher gets 2/3rds (roughly 2$), if Game Studio/Publisher was a big name they could buy 100,000 copies of their own game, easily pushing it into the top 10, and the 100,000$ that Apple received could easily be written off as advertisement expenses. 100,000$ really isn't much to spend on advertisement if you think about, a TV commercial probably goes for alot more. I think more sort options would be the way to go. What I would like to see is something similar to the Genius playlist & Google's relevance. So you would have an option that list "picks" based on your prior choices (both paid & free), ratings, and popularity (downloads).
The flaw in most of the above suggestions that no one has pointed out is, the larger companies can skew these results. An example would be. Let say and app is 2.99$. Apple gets its 3rd (roughly 1$), Game Studio/Publisher gets 2/3rds (roughly 2$), if Game Studio/Publisher was a big name they could buy 100,000 copies of their own game, easily pushing it into the top 10, and the 100,000$ that Apple received could easily be written off as advertisement expenses. 100,000$ really isn't much to spend on advertisement if you think about, a TV commercial probably goes for alot more.

]]> By: Dave http://toucharcade.com/2009/03/31/payback-generates-400000-in-first-two-months/#comment-18523 Dave Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:29:58 +0000 http://toucharcade.com/?p=3197#comment-18523 @Jacob Oh...I have no problem with rating as a ranking option. I just don't think it makes any sense for it to be the DEFAULT ranking. @Jacob

Oh…I have no problem with rating as a ranking option. I just don't think it makes any sense for it to be the DEFAULT ranking.

]]> By: Dave http://toucharcade.com/2009/03/31/payback-generates-400000-in-first-two-months/#comment-18521 Dave Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:25:21 +0000 http://toucharcade.com/?p=3197#comment-18521 @Jacob I not trying to pick on you or anything. Although I don't think rating is the solution, I don't think any SINGLE method would work. The most logical thing for me is to let the consumer selected their own ranking and default to "popularity"/# item sold. I mean any site with rankings will allow user to select through a drop-down list how they want to rank the list. Why can't the app store do the same? tbh, I actually think ranking by revenue could work. Cheap 0.99 will actually still make it on to the list...but high earning app will too. However, I think we should also keep the ranking on # or apps sold. Regardless of what people said, I still think it's a perfectly valid and reasonable way to rank apps. @Jacob

I not trying to pick on you or anything. Although I don't think rating is the solution, I don't think any SINGLE method would work.

The most logical thing for me is to let the consumer selected their own ranking and default to "popularity"/# item sold. I mean any site with rankings will allow user to select through a drop-down list how they want to rank the list. Why can't the app store do the same?

tbh, I actually think ranking by revenue could work. Cheap 0.99 will actually still make it on to the list…but high earning app will too. However, I think we should also keep the ranking on # or apps sold. Regardless of what people said, I still think it's a perfectly valid and reasonable way to rank apps.

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