[casual_games] Sales, Exposure and Profitability

[Gorm Lai]

Hi,

 

I have been doing some serious calculations that I would like to run through
you guys.

 

First, having worked in casual games before (for set top boxes), I did an
estimate that a good polished casual game can be completed in 4 to 5 man
month, including programmer and artist hours.

At a low starting income of around $4000 dollars a month, expenses totals to
approx $20.000.

 

Selling a game at $20, with 30% going to the developer this means an income
of 6$ pr. sold unit. Thus, selling _just_ 3500 units will give a surplus. At
this realization, my eyes gleamed with a golden tint!

 

However, assuming a conversion rate of just 1 to 2%, selling 3500 units will
require 175,000 to 350,000 downloads.

This seems like larger numbers. If portals take on new games each day, it
must be close to impossible to gather the necessary exposure required to get
the required amount of downloads, not just talking about getting on the
portal in the first place..

 

What do you guys say? Are my assumptions correct?

Thanks for your time.

 

Cheers,

Gorm

--------------

IGDA Denmark Chapter Committee Member

Core Engine Programmer @ Deadline Games

 

 

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