Support NeoGAF

[Tom_Cody]

You're ignoring the ROI side of things. These are incredibly cheap and this revenue stream is continuous.

Well yeah, but I'm still more just trying to figure out the magnitude of the revenue compared to the console space. It's sort of abstract to compare $/day to copies sold. Even then I guess the comparison is imperfect since these aren't 'sold' and the primary intention of their design is to allow idiots to flush money down the toilet. Maybe it would make more sense to compare these titles to scratch-off lottery tickets...

Serious question, is gambling possible within apps?

The revenue itself might not be that impressive but Supercell made $480 million of pure profit last year with 100 employees.

Christ. That is massively successful by any measure.

 

[Slayven]

...that's a reskinned Puzzle & Dragons!

downloading.

Nah the game play is more fun, don't look the story characters in the eyes. they will steal your soul.

 

[Usobuko]

I feel bad for Backyard Monsters guys, They created the formula, Supercell just reskinned it and they're they ones making all the money.

I remember the era of f2p flash games on the Internet way before the facebook bloom so I really don't know who is a re-skinned of who. If they are truly the original, well, that kinda sucks.

 

[The Incredible Muffin]

Love this game,

I have been playing it every day for 2 - 6 minutes when I take a S***

Paying for it is not worth it though, just grind your way through it. Accumulate your gems through removing trees bushes etc.

 

[Slayer-33]

The f2p cash machine is fucking nuts

 

[wsippel]

I wonder if he ever reads articles like this and does the math on just how much of a dinosaur his company has become.

Probably not.

Oh, I'm sure he reads those articles and does the math, which is exactly why they won't enter the fray.

 

[element]

your data is old. Before they were bought they were reporting $2.4 million a day from their games, which they just have two, Clash of Clans and Hay Day.

They sold 51% to GungHo and SoftBank for $1.53B, putting a company value at $3b. Which is insane for a company that doesn't have 100 employees.

Friends of mine would joke that if we had a company with that limited of employees we would take a quarter of the year and every employee would get a day. All the money that day would be their bonus.

 

[Cynn]

I've played the game for a while and have invited friends into a clan. None of us have ever spent money on the game although I've been tempted to spend $5 just to reward them for a fun time.

 

[Fornaximus]

I see commercials for this game constantly. Like every break on every channel kinda constantly. Like Halo 3 during September 2007 kinda ad blitz.

 

[PrimaNocta]

1 of my friends does not play console or PC games but loves this game. I've never played it and have no urge too.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

And people wonder why publishers chase this model. As shitty and insidious as Dungeon Keeper is, if EA can have 1% of that type of revenue it would probably be a success for them.

 

[Barack Lesnar]

Oh, I'm sure he reads those articles and does the math, which is exactly why they won't enter the fray.

Because the future is clearly in dedicated handheld gaming devices, right? The writing is on the wall m8.

 

[VanillaCakeIsBurning]

I wonder if governments will eventually step in and regulate this kind of thing like you see with casinos.

 

[RE_Player]

The bubble will eventually burst for these mobile f2p games but I'm not exactly sure when.

 

[SeanR1221]

And 30% goes to Apple?

Jesus.

 

[Enkidu]

I don't know if these figures are outdated or if perhaps they are averaged over a larger period of time, but according to an FT article the current daily revenues are $5.15m for the entire company and over $3m for Clash of Clans.

 

[Zing]

Once I got to town center level 7, the game was too boring due to people who exploit the system. They intentionally lose battles to lower their rank. So, I have to spend thousands of gold skipping attack targets because they are literally quadruple my power despite having the same rank. I estimated that I would have to play for two more months to reach that point.

They game sucks balls if you are playing legitimately.

 

[wsippel]

Because the future is clearly in dedicated handheld gaming devices, right? The writing is on the wall m8.

Maybe not, but that doesn't mean smartphone gaming is.

 

[FlyinJ]

Once I got to town center level 7, the game was too boring due to people who exploit the system. They intentionally lose battles to lower their rank. So, I have to spend thousands of gold skipping attack targets because they are literally quadruple my power despite having the same rank. I estimated that I would have to play for two more months to reach that point.

They game sucks balls if you are playing legitimately.

They game sucks balls period.

Seriously, anyone who plays this "game", whether they put a cent into or not, are making the game industry a worse place.

Every download and player is a mark of success for this cynical non-game bullshit that is currently ruining the industry.

Every player added makes the whales feel like they need to spend more money to wave their e-dick around and show off, thus making these scammers more money, thus making legitimate publishers pour money into their own scam non-games and put this kind of shit into real games.

Don't play these games. Play ANYTHING else.

 

[soul]

And 30% goes to Apple?

Jesus.

Do they? I think they gain a percentage out of a products price, which in this case, free. Do they also gain profit out of in-game transactions? If true, they are the real true winners here, getting millions upon millions of dollars out of other people's success.

 

[wsippel]

Do they? I think they gain a percentage out of a products price, which in this case, free. Do they also gain profit out of in-game transactions? If true, they are the real true winners here, getting millions upon millions of dollars out of other people's success.

Sure, they get 30% of everything. It's basically free money with zero risk for Apple.

 

[Tom_Cody]

Do they? I think they gain a percentage out of a products price, which in this case, free. Do they also gain profit out of in-game transactions? If true, they are the real true winners here, getting millions upon millions of dollars out of other people's success.

Yes. Here's a good article about this.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/1470121-apple-app-store-now-makes-over-1-billion-in-profits-per-year

 

[danmaku]

Well, if we are going that route, alcohol is kinda restricted, isn't it?

The problem many see with the kind of schemes F2P games usually have is that many of them are targeted at children in a big way. It can certainly contribute to fomenting addictive behavior, which is actually scary coming at such an early age.

I have no problems if adults decide to sped their money that way, but it can't be entirely healthy for kids. Or maybe I'm wrong.

Even many adults are defenseless against this type of psychological manipulation. It's so powerful that even if you know where the hooks are, they still work, to a certain extent. Sure, not many GAF users will be sucked in by CoC, but just take a look at WoW threads. Different game, different business model, same hooks.

 

[BrianAltano]

I used to give people shit for spending $10 here and there on power gems and Simpson's Tapped Out donuts and then I realized I spend thousands of dollars a year on video games and end up not even finishing most of them. So everyone is stupid, really.

 

[outunderthestars]

I have no desire to ever support that style of business model. I have seen people addicted to them, and they come off the same way that gambling addicts do. One day soon I hope these styles of games fall under more regulation.

 

[Majukun]

all i know is that i'm sick and tired of commercials about this game in every damn app or game on android

 

[SmokyDave]

Nah the game play is more fun, don't look the story characters in the eyes. they will steal your soul.

Ah, fuck. Now I'm playing it.

Is it worth re-rolling if I got a 3* summon at the end of the tutorial?

 

[Sulik2]

I am really beginning to think we need some government regulation on F2P stuff. Exploiting addictive tendencies in people to rack in cash just feels like a dirty business that needs a regulatory body looking at predatory behavior.

 

[ec0ec0]

Supercell say they will be removing Clash of Clans because it was designed to be played in a few minutes when you are relaxed but it has become an addictive product.

They say they can call Class of Clans a success of theirs but it also ruined their simple lives. Now they hate it.

They will continue making games but hope that they can avoid this kind of life ruining success in the future.

100% what i was thinking when reading the tittle

 

[Annubis]

I have seen people addicted to them, and they come off the same way that gambling addicts do.

Same here.
It is addiction and these people need help.
As I said in the Jim Sterling Pay 2 Wait thread, these companies are about as moral as the tobacco industry.

 

[Scarecrow]

News like this makes it real tempting to learn ios development.

 

[CambriaRising]

The sooner the insidious mobile bubble pops, the better.

 

[SpoonyBard]

Sure, they get 30% of everything. It's basically free money with zero risk for Apple.

But they won't specify how much of the money comes from in game ads and/or Android version.

 

[Warm Machine]

Same here.
It is addiction and these people need help.
As I said in the Jim Sterling Pay 2 Wait thread, these companies are about as moral as the tobacco industry.

There are people addicted to WoW or CoD. Yeah it doesn't have the same financial implication but the addiction remains in regular gaming.

In so far as EA wanting in, they already are with Tapped Out which makes equivalent money to CoC. It makes more money than most of EAs games but there is probably a license fee they are paying out which is why it makes sense for them to try to get something they wholly own up there and making this kind of money.

 

[Gustav]

News like this makes it real tempting to learn ios development.

It's like playing the lottery though. Only the top 5 make significant amounts of money and it's surprisingly hard to read the market. It's not enough do deliver, let's say, a certain amount of quality - your game still probably will tank. And when it tanks in iOS terms, it tanks hardcore.

 

[Chaos17]

I feel bad for Backyard Monsters guys, They created the formula, Supercell just reskinned it and they're they ones making all the money.

Feel the power of marketting and yes that's sad.

 

[Kitoro]

Have people not hacked games like this to score unlimited currency to bypass timers? Or are there strict network parameters in place of some sort to prevent that from happening?

 

[Annubis]

There are people addicted to WoW or CoD. Yeah it doesn't have the same financial implication but the addiction remains in regular gaming.

MMO addiction is a known problem.
The issue is that people affected don't realize the issue exist or are afraid to be laughingstocks (i.e. "addicted to flappy bird? pfffff get out")

 

[dorkimoe]

Man, can't believe how much money those games make right now. I wonder if this will be a trend for the future or just a generational thing.

yup. EA is seeing other people making this much hence new PvZ2 update

gooooddddbyeeee "free" 2 play

 

[DR3AM]

good for them, if people like the game and they want to pay for upgrades, let them.

I just hate f2p games where you have to pay to win. coc is one of them.

 

[Slayven]

Ah, fuck. Now I'm playing it.

Is it worth re-rolling if I got a 3* summon at the end of the tutorial?

Yeah because you will be grinding for a while. Dark Monsters are beasts and a half.

 

[jim-jam bongs]

It will always leave my mind in a boggle how some people spend so much on these types of games. The big 3 really need to figure out how to get those whales spending money on their games.

They have figured it out, that's why all Xbone first-party games have IAP up the arsehole.

 

[iceatcs]

That's crazy but better not to hire 3000 people.

 

[Oersted]

It's like playing the lottery though. Only the top 5 make significant amounts of money and it's surprisingly hard to read the market. It's not enough do deliver, let's say, a certain amount of quality - your game still probably will tank. And when it tanks in iOS terms, it tanks hardcore.

The difference is, you don't have to invest such a huge amount of money compared to the AAAAAAAAAAAAAA market, therefore the risk is way less.

 

[Opiate]

I saw one gaming commercial during the Super Bowl, and it was for Clash of Clans.

The times...they are a changin'

Yep. This is the new growth area of gaming. While "traditional" gaming houses continue to consolidate, newer juggernauts like Supercell and Gung Ho continue to rise up.

 

[Iskander]

Things like this aren't video games - they're like slot machines. Insert money, receive stimulus, generate dopamine response, repeat. Obviously I'm not attracted to the mechanics of these "games," and from a psychological perspective I'm almost literally unable to comprehend why anyone would be.

 

[Shiina]

I wonder if he ever reads articles like this and does the math on just how much of a dinosaur his company has become.

Probably not.

Maybe he can find solace in the fact that his company still makes games and not socially engineered scams.

 

[Phades]

Serious question, is gambling possible within apps?

Forms of gambling exist, in a quasi slot machine style mechanics. Any title that involves a fixed or bought resource that produces random result could be construded as gambling. Brave Frontier has it, Castle Clash has it, etc.

Clash of Clans is more straightforward in this regard.

 

[glaringradio]

Ah, fuck. Now I'm playing it.

Is it worth re-rolling if I got a 3* summon at the end of the tutorial?

You can't re-roll. Enjoy.

 

[inky]

Even many adults are defenseless against this type of psychological manipulation. It's so powerful that even if you know where the hooks are, they still work, to a certain extent. Sure, not many GAF users will be sucked in by CoC, but just take a look at WoW threads. Different game, different business model, same hooks.

Yup. I understand that, and I understand that gambling addiction is pretty powerful and many companies don't think twice about it before exploiting people, but at least we can start by realizing that adults might at least be more aware of it.

Many games use these psychological tricks while also targeting children or young people, and there is hardly any restrictions on this under the excuse that it is not strictly gambling when they are not awarding you money in return. At some point someone is going to have to step in, because these companies are bad at controlling themselves when profits are this high, and well, as a gaming enthusiast it is also shameful to look at how game design is going down the crapper.