Survive in iPhone App Store --A Chinese Indie Story Wesley Bao Coconut Island Studio

 Independent game studio  Founded 18 months ago  Gamer & dreamer Background

Facts  Shipped on:  Total downloads: 7 million  Peak downloads: 290,000/day  Ranked No.1 on top overall free apps

Facts  Ranked top 10 in US, UK and DE  Paid version  Ranked No.1 in UK, DE, HK  Free version

Agenda DevelopmentMarketing The hit formula

Development  Innovation

SShipped on: FFeatured on “Hot New Games” TTotal revenue: $3,000 Band Band Jump

Copy Doesn’t Work  Shipped on:  Featured on “Hot New Games”  Total revenue: $3,000

Copy doesn’t work  Simply copied Doodle Jump  App Store is full of ideas  Clones have no future  Fabulous artwork won’t save you

Innovation To The Rescue

 On App Store “Featured”  Original gameplay  Unique art style  Top 10 on U.S. chart  In less than 48 hrs Innovation To The Rescue

The Importance of Innovation  Apple wants innovation  Users want innovation

Development  Innovation  Polishing

Polishing  Demo version  Programmer arts

Polishing  First version, metal style

Polishing  First version, metal style  Disposed completely

Polishing  Preview version for press

Polishing  Preview version for press  Retro style  18 levels

Polishing  1.0 Release  30 Levels

Result  Sales - 3 days after release

Inflection Point  Sales - 14 days after release  The reason

Development  Innovation  Polishing  Feedback-driven development

Voices From Customers  Average rating = 2.5  Take care of 1 star rating  Steep learning curve “I was enjoying this app for about 6 minutes, then it jumped to a ridiculous hard level...”

Feedback-driven development  Update  Casual mode -- for light users  Reverse mode -- for hardcores  Levels ×3

Result  Average rating from 2.5 to 4

Development  Innovation  Polishing  Feedback-driven development

Marketing  Free version

BeforeAfter Free Version  Promotion for paid version

Free Version  Promotion for paid version  Incoming from ads  Stable revenue

Free Version  Promotion for paid version  Incoming from ads  Large amount of users

Large Amount Of Users  User is the most important resource in the market Bulletin way too long Title needs refactoring

Marketing  Free version  Ad Campaign

Ad Campaign  Invest mobile ad  Ad for free version  Burst campaign

Burst Campaign  Buying clicks or downloads  In a large amount  In a short period

Burst Campaign  Target  No.1 top overall free app  Boost paid version to top 10  Ad source  House ads  House ads exchange  Purchase

Campaign for FB  4 days  180k clicks

Result  Ranked No.1 in UK, DE, HK  Free version  Ranked top 10 in UK, DE,HK  Paid version

Marketing  Free version  Ad campaign  User community

User Community  Social methods  Facebook  Twitter  Youtube   Export from game

User community  Closer to users  Community events  Accumulate users for new games

Development Marketing  Innovation  PolishingFeedback-driven  Free version  Ad campaignUser community Summary

= × The hit formula (Innovation × Polishing - Average) Marketing Sales Production ||

Takeaway  Tips for Chinese developers  Embrace western culture  Long term strategy

Thank You   twitter.com/Coconut_Island twitter.com/Coconut_Island