Comments on: How to Increase Trial, Improve Conversion Rate, and Sell More Games http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/ For those interested in the business of making good video games. Entrepreneurial spirit a must. Mon, 08 Mar 2010 04:52:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Jogos Online http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/comment-page-1/#comment-166631 Jogos Online Thu, 07 Feb 2008 18:24:44 +0000 http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/#comment-166631 The only thing missing was accessibility. Some games take 2-4 minutes just to start it up and then boot you from the demo when finished. anyway Thanks The only thing missing was accessibility. Some games take 2-4 minutes just to start it up and then boot you from the demo when finished.
anyway Thanks

]]> By: Abiyasa http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/comment-page-1/#comment-159775 Abiyasa Fri, 25 Jan 2008 09:12:16 +0000 http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/#comment-159775 I really like your article :) I think every game developer, especially indie, should learn a little bit about finance, business, and marketing. Otherwise, the game will stand no chance against those big companies. I don't believe in 'good product speaks for itself'. The team has to do more efforts to increase the sales, because in the end, sales matters. Okami and Psychonauts proof that without enough sales, their good products (or company) cannot survive the competition. Polishing the game trial is a good start :) I really like your article :)

I think every game developer, especially indie, should learn a little bit about finance, business, and marketing. Otherwise, the game will stand no chance against those big companies.

I don’t believe in ‘good product speaks for itself’. The team has to do more efforts to increase the sales, because in the end, sales matters. Okami and Psychonauts proof that without enough sales, their good products (or company) cannot survive the competition. Polishing the game trial is a good start :)

]]> By: Butc http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/comment-page-1/#comment-159748 Butc Fri, 25 Jan 2008 08:05:53 +0000 http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/#comment-159748 Timeshift has horrible graphic, not matter how good the gameplay is Timeshift has horrible graphic, not matter how good the gameplay is

]]> By: Never Fan http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/comment-page-1/#comment-159502 Never Fan Thu, 24 Jan 2008 21:23:38 +0000 http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/#comment-159502 I challenge this article. Look at an example game like Timeshift. It had a singleplayer demo that was amoung the best released. They showed cool tech, cool features, and time control. It ended with a "cliffhanger" where the mech owns you instead of you it. And that game didn't sell really well. Do you have anything to say about that game's demo as an example? I challenge this article. Look at an example game like Timeshift. It had a singleplayer demo that was amoung the best released. They showed cool tech, cool features, and time control. It ended with a “cliffhanger” where the mech owns you instead of you it. And that game didn’t sell really well. Do you have anything to say about that game’s demo as an example?

]]> By: unndunn http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/comment-page-1/#comment-158838 unndunn Tue, 22 Jan 2008 18:13:48 +0000 http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/#comment-158838 The demo should also be as accessible as the full game, specifically with regard to controller layouts and such. And long demos (I'm looking at you, KUF: COD) should let you save the game. One more thing... if you're going to put a complicated controller mapping slate on the loading screen, LEAVE IT ON THE SCREEN until the player dismisses it! Xbox 360 demos are loaded off the hard drive so they have short loading times. There's nothing worse than trying to memorize a complicated controller map in the 3-5 seconds it takes to load the demo before the screen disappears. The demo should also be as accessible as the full game, specifically with regard to controller layouts and such. And long demos (I’m looking at you, KUF: COD) should let you save the game.

One more thing… if you’re going to put a complicated controller mapping slate on the loading screen, LEAVE IT ON THE SCREEN until the player dismisses it! Xbox 360 demos are loaded off the hard drive so they have short loading times. There’s nothing worse than trying to memorize a complicated controller map in the 3-5 seconds it takes to load the demo before the screen disappears.

]]> By: NinjaGirl01 http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/comment-page-1/#comment-157457 NinjaGirl01 Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:56:30 +0000 http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/#comment-157457 That was a great article. Thanks for the tips; I'll be sure to pass them along to my devs here at NinjaBee! That was a great article. Thanks for the tips; I’ll be sure to pass them along to my devs here at NinjaBee!

]]> By: Mystakill http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/comment-page-1/#comment-157418 Mystakill Fri, 18 Jan 2008 20:32:13 +0000 http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/#comment-157418 A number of the retro titles didn't get the "too short" memo. I seem to recall being cutoff after a single level on several of those. Also, the remainder of this is somewhat irrelevant if you can no longer play your purchased XBLA games due to the ongoing DRM issue. I've seriously curtailed my XBLA purchases due to this single issue, and your developers probably don't even realize that their sales are down because of it either. A number of the retro titles didn’t get the “too short” memo. I seem to recall being cutoff after a single level on several of those.

Also, the remainder of this is somewhat irrelevant if you can no longer play your purchased XBLA games due to the ongoing DRM issue. I’ve seriously curtailed my XBLA purchases due to this single issue, and your developers probably don’t even realize that their sales are down because of it either.

]]> By: rogueX http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/comment-page-1/#comment-157276 rogueX Fri, 18 Jan 2008 03:24:56 +0000 http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/#comment-157276 I often find myself looking at what's in the online store of my console and there's a lot in there that I have no idea what it is. A logo and some text will not sell the game to me. But I get every starter pack I can find, and so far there's only one of those I haven't paid to upgrade to the full game. Developers need to have more faith in their games. I'm a lot more likely to "press this button to unlock all levels" than to buy a completely unknown game. Sure, a trailer can work (Bionic Commando, when the original music started playing...), but please: Make sure you show me how great your game is, and make it easy for me to buy it. I often find myself looking at what’s in the online store of my console and there’s a lot in there that I have no idea what it is. A logo and some text will not sell the game to me. But I get every starter pack I can find, and so far there’s only one of those I haven’t paid to upgrade to the full game.

Developers need to have more faith in their games. I’m a lot more likely to “press this button to unlock all levels” than to buy a completely unknown game. Sure, a trailer can work (Bionic Commando, when the original music started playing…), but please: Make sure you show me how great your game is, and make it easy for me to buy it.

]]> By: AustinHoudini http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/comment-page-1/#comment-157202 AustinHoudini Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:18:59 +0000 http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/#comment-157202 I'll tell you what gets me everytime on XBox360... tell me during the demo that if I had bought the game I would have earned an Achievement. I’ll tell you what gets me everytime on XBox360… tell me during the demo that if I had bought the game I would have earned an Achievement.

]]> By: Daniel http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/comment-page-1/#comment-157198 Daniel Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:00:04 +0000 http://www.edery.org/2008/01/how-to-increase-trial-improve-conversion-rate-and-sell-more-games/#comment-157198 Well, the XBLA emphasis kind of targets the "small games" niche. But demos and online gaming portals are not necessarily targetted at this niche. In fact, the only gaming portal with this restriction I know of is XBLA. FWIW, my last 20 games, be they small or blockbusters, where bought online. I haven't bought a single game at retail, aside from games for a certain console, in the past two years. Well, the XBLA emphasis kind of targets the “small games” niche. But demos and online gaming portals are not necessarily targetted at this niche. In fact, the only gaming portal with this restriction I know of is XBLA.

FWIW, my last 20 games, be they small or blockbusters, where bought online. I haven’t bought a single game at retail, aside from games for a certain console, in the past two years.

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