The perception of how much money games should cost in the iOS App Store, for example, is very different when compared to the Nintendo eShop and other digital outlets. This is probably largely due to the majority of the audience being casual players and/or users who want simple pleasures on their phones instead of in-depth hardcore gaming experiences due to the limited time they have available to devote to gaming on their phone. This perspective might be slowly changing as the once ‘casual player’ is gradually finding their appetite for games growing and their desire to play more games increases. But, that’s a different story…
Nevertheless, the stage has been set and price expectations have been cemented for the near-future. Games on the App Store must – for the most part – be free or inexpensive to purchase if they are to appeal to the masses.
I would like to present to you, yes you, a (hypothetical?) question to ponder and ultimately answer.
Question: How much would you pay for Mutant Mudds iOS?
Please choose one of the following:
Answer #1: Same as the Nintendo eShop price - $8.99.
“I would be happy to pay the same price as the Nintendo eShop version to have Mutant Mudds on my iPhone. It was worth $8.99 on the 3DS, and it is worth $8.99 on my phone. I think there should be a free demo though, which contains a couple of levels, so people can check it out.”
Answer #2: The typical App Store pricing of $1.99 or $0.99.
“I would never pay more than the normal pricing of Apps for Mutant Mudds – no matter what. I like the game and all, but playing it on the iPhone is not the same as a 3DS due to no 3D and no physical buttons. I still think there should be a free demo though, which contains a couple of levels, so people can check it out.”
Answer #3: Freemium with In-App purchases for convenience.
“I’ve never heard of this game, and there’s no way I’m paying anything for it before I can check it out. A demo of a few levels isn’t enough. I want to get it for free. If I like it I might be interested in paying small amounts – like $0.99 or $1.99 – for In-App purchases that unlock later levels sooner and/or power-ups sooner, but these should be optional because I also want to be able to play the whole game for free if I am good/patient enough.”
Answer #4: Other (please specify in the comments below).
