Comments on: How much does an average casual game make? http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/71/how-much-does-an-average-casual-game-make/ Phil Steinmeyer's rumblings on the game biz, programming, and life Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:15:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Addicting Entertainment » Blog Archive » Passive Web Gaming: My New Passion http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/71/how-much-does-an-average-casual-game-make/#comment-323 Addicting Entertainment » Blog Archive » Passive Web Gaming: My New Passion Sat, 18 Mar 2006 00:46:23 +0000 http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/71/how-much-does-an-average-casual-game-make/#comment-323 [...] look at these conversion numbers from a recent post by phil steinmeyer covering the net loss you’ll be taking as a casual game developer. (jeff tunnell is covering this ground too) in the game xmas bonus, they post the following statistics: [...] [...] look at these conversion numbers from a recent post by phil steinmeyer covering the net loss you’ll be taking as a casual game developer. (jeff tunnell is covering this ground too) in the game xmas bonus, they post the following statistics: [...]

]]> By: Bryan Murphree http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/71/how-much-does-an-average-casual-game-make/#comment-316 Bryan Murphree Thu, 16 Mar 2006 22:46:54 +0000 http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/71/how-much-does-an-average-casual-game-make/#comment-316 1. Please fix your crossing of the definitions of mean and median. My 4th grade math teacher is rolling over in his grave. 2. Anytime anyone speaks about the "average" of something, they're always talking about the mean. Thank you. 1. Please fix your crossing of the definitions of mean and median. My 4th grade math teacher is rolling over in his grave.
2. Anytime anyone speaks about the “average” of something, they’re always talking about the mean.

Thank you.

]]> By: PhilSteinmeyer.com » Blog Archive » More on game profitability http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/71/how-much-does-an-average-casual-game-make/#comment-310 PhilSteinmeyer.com » Blog Archive » More on game profitability Thu, 16 Mar 2006 16:12:13 +0000 http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/71/how-much-does-an-average-casual-game-make/#comment-310 [...] Various follow-ups to my article from a couple days ago about the profitability (or lack thereof) of many/most casual and indie games, and another article I wrote on converting web traffic to sales. [...] [...] Various follow-ups to my article from a couple days ago about the profitability (or lack thereof) of many/most casual and indie games, and another article I wrote on converting web traffic to sales. [...]

]]> By: PhilSteinmeyer.com » Blog Archive » Converting Web Traffic To Sales http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/71/how-much-does-an-average-casual-game-make/#comment-286 PhilSteinmeyer.com » Blog Archive » Converting Web Traffic To Sales Wed, 15 Mar 2006 16:10:17 +0000 http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/71/how-much-does-an-average-casual-game-make/#comment-286 [...] Yes, others have drawn some traffic to their web sites and built a business. But they were generally pioneers of their genre, and have been going for 5-15 years. The half dozen-ish indies that can make a living this way are dwarfed by the hundreds who try to sell their game from their web site and fail (see some of the examples I posted yesterday). [...] [...] Yes, others have drawn some traffic to their web sites and built a business. But they were generally pioneers of their genre, and have been going for 5-15 years. The half dozen-ish indies that can make a living this way are dwarfed by the hundreds who try to sell their game from their web site and fail (see some of the examples I posted yesterday). [...]

]]> By: Hooders http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/71/how-much-does-an-average-casual-game-make/#comment-264 Hooders Tue, 14 Mar 2006 19:01:15 +0000 http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/71/how-much-does-an-average-casual-game-make/#comment-264 What is really boils down to is this - if you are going to make a game and have no real NEED to make a profit then go for it. Indie Game teams can then afford to try something different. If you want to make a living out of it and therefore need some PROFIT, make sure the game is bloody good or at least aim to make it so! I can see a lot more of the experienced development community moving into Indie Games and giving it a shot... What is really boils down to is this - if you are going to make a game and have no real NEED to make a profit then go for it. Indie Game teams can then afford to try something different. If you want to make a living out of it and therefore need some PROFIT, make sure the game is bloody good or at least aim to make it so!

I can see a lot more of the experienced development community moving into Indie Games and giving it a shot…

]]> By: Game Producer http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/71/how-much-does-an-average-casual-game-make/#comment-263 Game Producer Tue, 14 Mar 2006 18:54:01 +0000 http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/71/how-much-does-an-average-casual-game-make/#comment-263 James - would be interesting to know if you work for some game company? And perhaps willing to share some figures? Anyway, these numbers are good for *an average* (most games sell zero... or near zero). Btw, there was an article about this at the asharewarelife.com (http://www.asharewarelife.com/2005/11/how_many_sales_.html) James - would be interesting to know if you work for some game company? And perhaps willing to share some figures?

Anyway, these numbers are good for *an average* (most games sell zero… or near zero). Btw, there was an article about this at the asharewarelife.com (http://www.asharewarelife.com/2005/11/how_many_sales_.html)

]]> By: John http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/71/how-much-does-an-average-casual-game-make/#comment-262 John Tue, 14 Mar 2006 18:28:40 +0000 http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/71/how-much-does-an-average-casual-game-make/#comment-262 The point is that those games are at the median, if you note his qualification on average titles losing money. That doesn't make them average on the fun-o-meter. It means that half the games were worse and half were better. The bottom of the barrel is HUGE compared to the top. As a personal data point, I have written and published a small indie game as well. I sold one copy in the first year. I think I just about broke even because I purchased a couple of sampled sounds. Yea, I'm part of that group at the bottom the barrel. One of the titles that makes the ones mentioned above look good in comparison. :) As a second data point, I helped out with a friend's game by doing a launcher app and some play testing. He's selling about a copy a month, so he's above the median and making a (small) profit now, I think. The point is that those games are at the median, if you note his qualification on average titles losing money. That doesn’t make them average on the fun-o-meter. It means that half the games were worse and half were better. The bottom of the barrel is HUGE compared to the top.

As a personal data point, I have written and published a small indie game as well. I sold one copy in the first year. I think I just about broke even because I purchased a couple of sampled sounds. Yea, I’m part of that group at the bottom the barrel. One of the titles that makes the ones mentioned above look good in comparison. :)

As a second data point, I helped out with a friend’s game by doing a launcher app and some play testing. He’s selling about a copy a month, so he’s above the median and making a (small) profit now, I think.

]]> By: Phil Steinmeyer http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/71/how-much-does-an-average-casual-game-make/#comment-261 Phil Steinmeyer Tue, 14 Mar 2006 18:25:35 +0000 http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/71/how-much-does-an-average-casual-game-make/#comment-261 By the standards of pro developers, yes. By the standards of first-time indies (i.e. the developer segment heavily represented on IndieGamer), they're probably about average. Or to put it another way, there are probably 500+ legitimate Casual Game creations by indie developers of all stripes in a given year. (That's just the completed ones - projects started and not completed is a multiple of that). Big Fish publishes 365 of them. Probably 80-120 of them are 'pro' level (i.e. made by experienced developers who are trying to make a living at this and approaching things in a very professional, full-time manner). Of the remaining ~400 or so, XMas Bonus and Cursed Wheel are at least average, maybe even a bit above average. But yes, they're well below the top echelon. Then again, the 80-120 top echelon attempts probably cost $50-200K each to make, versus $1-50K for the lower group. By the standards of pro developers, yes. By the standards of first-time indies (i.e. the developer segment heavily represented on IndieGamer), they’re probably about average.

Or to put it another way, there are probably 500+ legitimate Casual Game creations by indie developers of all stripes in a given year. (That’s just the completed ones - projects started and not completed is a multiple of that). Big Fish publishes 365 of them.

Probably 80-120 of them are ‘pro’ level (i.e. made by experienced developers who are trying to make a living at this and approaching things in a very professional, full-time manner). Of the remaining ~400 or so, XMas Bonus and Cursed Wheel are at least average, maybe even a bit above average.

But yes, they’re well below the top echelon. Then again, the 80-120 top echelon attempts probably cost $50-200K each to make, versus $1-50K for the lower group.

]]> By: james http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/71/how-much-does-an-average-casual-game-make/#comment-259 james Tue, 14 Mar 2006 17:32:55 +0000 http://www.philsteinmeyer.com/71/how-much-does-an-average-casual-game-make/#comment-259 No disrespect to either developer, but I wouldn't call Xmas Bonus or The Cursed Wheel average, both titles are pretty poor... maybe even bottom of the barrel. No disrespect to either developer, but I wouldn’t call Xmas Bonus or The Cursed Wheel average, both titles are pretty poor… maybe even bottom of the barrel.

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