[casual_games] Club Penguin's Conversion Rate

[Erin Hoffman]

Aaron, thanks very much for sharing those figures -- it's terrific data.

I'm working on a new project that won't launch until the end of this
year, but recently came off of working on GoPets, and I know they are
still using TrialPay over there. I'll see if I can get some statistics
from them to share -- both TrialPay and PayByCash (Ultimate Game Card)
were accounting for a sharp increase in revenue. We'd also identified
Wallie in Europe and that card had just been launched last I talked to
them. No data yet as far as I know on its statistics, but the Wallie
folk themselves I can highly recommend -- very cordial and aggressive
with marketing assistance. But I do know that with TrialPay when it
was active about a year ago we were turning free users into
revenue-generators three times higher than what we were getting for
paid subscriptions, so I can echo your support for it.

I'm fascinated, too, that you're doing something with text-based. The
first work I did in the online space was on a text-based MMO, and that
kind of development still has my writing heart, it just didn't pay the
bills well enough at the time... but it's very interesting that the
new payment models are applying to that demographic. I guess when
you're talking about a Netflix trial subscription or similar it makes
sense...

--Erin

On Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 4:07 PM, Aaron Murray <aaron at tandemgames.com> wrote:

> I suppose I should note that TrialPay adds another 9.9% to the sales, and

> ads represent another 8%. So total rev per *paying* player would be

> somewhere near $34. Ads account for approx 6 cents per player over 3 months

> (including free players).

> We're all in this together so I don't feel bad about sharing this info if it

> helps you out.

> If you guys haven't checked out TrialPay - I recommend it. Not too hard to

> set up and it gives players another way to give you money.

> -Aaron

>

> On Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 6:02 PM, Aaron Murray <aaron at tandemgames.com> wrote:

>>

>> I suppose I can toss in our figures here as well...why not...though they

>> aren't for a casual download.

>> We have a text-based MMORPG (Domain of Heroes) for people to play while

>> they are at work.

>> The conversion rate this month is about 4.8%

>> Average 3 month spend per paying player is about $31.13  (it has only been

>> live since the end of Oct, so we don't have a full year's figures)

>> The business model is F2P with microtrans.

>> --

>> Aaron Murray

>> Technical Director, Founder

>> Tandem Games

>> www.TandemGames.com

>> www.DomainOfHeroes.com

>> "Fun for All. All for Fun."

>>

>>

>>

>> On Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 5:55 PM, Erin Hoffman <erin.n.hoffman at gmail.com>

>> wrote:

>>>

>>> Hi all,

>>>

>>> I don't think Club Penguin is traditionally identified as a "casual

>>> game", but I know there are a few marketers on the list who might have

>>> access or thoughts on these statistics.

>>>

>>> The customary conversion rate for casual games is 1% -- 1 in 100 free

>>> downloads will convert to a purchase. This tends to also apply where

>>> casual games intersect the F2P MMO market. Club Penguin, however,

>>> converts at a rate of 5.8% -- they maintain around 700,000 paying

>>> users out of 12 million account holders, and these subscribers also

>>> "over-spend" on Club Penguin goods, averaging between $50-70 per year

>>> on Club Penguin purchases.

>>>

>>> Is there any research or existing thought on why Club Penguin converts

>>> at such a large rate? I realize it's so far considered an aberration

>>> (a 'hit'), but what all could be contributing to its unnaturally large

>>> conversion rate? Is it strictly a matter of demographics?

>>>

>>> Thanks very much,

>>> Erin

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>>

>>

>>

>

>

>

> --

> Aaron Murray

> Technical Director, Founder

> Tandem Games

> www.TandemGames.com

> www.DomainOfHeroes.com

> "Fun for All. All for Fun."

>

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