More likely to purchase a game from an independent developer?

[306Designs]

I've had this conversation with a few people. Lots of time we buy games so fast without realizing that we are giving money to corporate companies who make millions of dollars every year. Would you be more likely to help support a game if you knew that it was completely designed and built by one single person that's, say, looking to help pay for their University tuition?

Buster's Flight -> http://forum.tipb.com/iphone-apps-games-forum/214155-busters-flight-independent-game-getting-great-reviews.html

is one game that was built entirely by a single person for the iPhone. I know that if I saw a game built by one single person looking to support themselves, I would be more likely to try it out.

Thoughts?

 

[Singlestick]

I've had this conversation with a few people. Lots of time we buy games so fast without realizing that we are giving money to corporate companies who make millions of dollars every year. Would you be more likely to help support a game if you knew that it was completely designed and built by one single person that's, say, looking to help pay for their University tuition?

Buster's Flight

is one game that was built entirely by a single person for the iPhone. I know that if I saw a game built by one single person looking to support themselves, I would be more likely to try it out.

Thoughts?

I think that most people are just interested in engaging game play, not the background of the developers. The single person has to compete with teams of people and corporations.

And of course, the dream of some lone game developers is to design a game that is so hot that it is purchased by a big corporation. Funny how that works.

 

[OMI Development]

I would love if people think like that, but i also think its the game that sells not the background.

 

[306Designs]

Actually moreso, I beleive its the advertising and marketing that sells even more than the game itself.

 

[MiracleMan]

There are a lot of factors involved. Clearly an engaging game is key. But you can have the most fun game in the world and unless people know about it, its useless, so Marketing is important too.

This is where I'm struggling with my game [URL="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/omniblaster/id434030469?mt=8&ls=1&at=10l3Vy]OmniBlaster[/URL]. I was really proud about what I put out but once I exhausted my social network friends, the game has dropped to a trickle. 633 twitter followers and over 700 facebook friends and less than 10 have bothered to retweet/cross post for me. Review sites have been nothing but frustrating.

Luckily one of my new testers panned the game, pointing out a lot of things that needed fixed. I'm about ready to release 1.1 which looks and plays a lot better. I'm hoping the reviewers will see how much improved the game is and maybe I'll get a review or two this time around.

So yea, Marketing is king!

 

[Andytroy]

Marketing is the King, but it needs a lot of work ;-)