Walker Software Weblog

I’ve almost made enough off one of my games to cover the web-site and listing fees, but not yet enough to cover the time spent on make the game. In the industry, people say %1 of people who download your game will register. My conversion rate is somewhere around 0.5% to 1% (if those download counts on the listing sites are right). People who register never bother to write a review of the game, The only people who do want to complain. I’ll chose to listen to the silent ~1% who voted with there hard earned money and I’ll continue making games and improving the one I have out.

I never really expected more than 10 people to register in the first year. More than ten registered in the first two months. I think I’m doing alright.

Update: April 18

The listing site that requires payment did a review of game, they gave it a 3/5. I wonder if the review would have been better if I’d sprung for the “premium” package. I guess I shouldn’t complain too much, it is the best written review I’ve had yet and I’ve had enough downloads to be listed as “popular” on their website (at time of writing). Incidentally, the second best written review I’ve had is basically “That other guy was wrong, no virus here.”

I write shareware and I’m rather new at it. You see, I’m written commercial offerings for over 10 years, but I’ve never had to do everything else — marketing, sales, dealing the resellers, etc. And I’ve learned a few lessons lately.

(Continued)

The Eyetoy: Antigrav is pretty addictive and is good at getting my large rear-end out of a chair.