🚀 Game Developer’s Journey: Learning Through Experience 🎮
My First Experiment with game monetization design:
Despite having prior experience with game app revenue, I made a mistake in my monetization strategy. I thought I could boost earnings by tweaking graphics and adding some new features while running ads. But the truth is, success in this field isn’t straightforward. If you’re developing games and wondering how to make money, my experience might be useful. It could prevent you from repeating the same mistake I made.
Past is past but still It kicks you at present:
I began making games in 2012. My first game, ‘Tough And Funny Mario,’ did well on Google Play without me spending any money on ads. I made about 70,000 rupees from it, but it got taken down for breaking the rules.
Later, I made more games like ‘Chess Master’ and ‘AP Political Run,’ but they didn’t do as well as I hoped. I didn’t give up, though. I kept working on new games.
Now, I’m working on ‘Ludo Family‘, which has great graphics and allows multiplayer. I hope this one does even better!
Learning the hard way: When determination meets reality. 🎮💡:
I first launched my game with blurry graphics and some bugs. Later, I improved the graphics and fixed most of the bugs. I also set aside 5000 rupees per month for advertising.
Now, I’m waiting to see what happens. I thought my plan was smart, but sometimes we don’t realize our mistakes until we see the outcome.
I can’t understand how stupid I am until I see the result:
I have a game called ‘Ludo Family‘ on Google Play with 10,000+ downloads and 200 active users, earning 0.5$ to 1$ daily from ads.
I thought spending 5000 rupees monthly on ads would boost downloads and active users, increasing daily revenue to at least 2$. I expected to recover my investment in two months or make a monthly profit.
However, after the first month, downloads dropped, and uninstalls increased, causing active users to decline. Revenue never exceeded 1.5$ per day.
The great failure teaches great lessons(Importance of Product Quality):
What I realized is, no matter how much you plan and market, having a great product is the real deal. If your product meets what people want, you’re on the right track. Without that, all the marketing in the world won’t make a difference.
You might get people to try your product with marketing, but it won’t stick around on their phones unless it’s genuinely good.
Real Learning Through Application:
I’ve realized that to succeed, my game needs to match the quality of others on the market. I also understand the importance of learning about game marketing and the business side of mobile gaming.
I know it’s challenging for one person to handle everything, but if I want to run a company, I believe I should have knowledge in every department. So, I’ve been learning about 2D graphics, using tools like Spine, and taking mobile game marketing courses.
I’m documenting my journey and learnings here, hoping it benefits both me and you