success of slightly less casual games

[oddvark]

Hey, we all know that the bejeweled's and the collapses do well, but what about the other "slightly less" casual games out there? In particular, games like Airstrike 3D, Alien Shooter etc? Or what about "higher end" indie games like Lore?

Im curious how they do, and whats there approach towards marketing? How do they reach their audiences, if they do at all :(

[Reactor]

I would have considered both Airstrike 3D and Alien Shooter to be perfect for casual gamers, but I know what you're getting at. For us personally, we'll be securing a publisher deal once we have finished the additions to our first game. We'll take marketing from there, but I believe most of it will be handled by the publisher who has the funds to see it happen.

[oddvark]

Well, yours would be one of the "higher end" indie game attempts, judging from the screenshots, (I'm dl'ing the program now). But it seems like an ambitious love drivin project. How's it doing so far?

[Yarlen]

Just make sure you get paid by your publisher....

[Jack Norton]

I didn't download Cellblock Squadron but from screenshots looks impressive. I would definitely try to sell it for some months before going exclusive with a publisher... (if is exclusive).

[Nexic]

What you will notice about Alien Shooter and Airstrike is that the offer something different from everyone else. Although Aristrike is a standard scrolling shooter, it has far superior graphics to most other games. Alien Shooter has pretty unique gameplay and great graphics.

Making a game that has a fair CR is one thing, but making something that clearly stand out above the competition is another, much harder one.

[Itsme]

In particular, games like Airstrike 3D, Alien Shooter etc?

Im curious how they do, and whats there approach towards marketing? How do they reach their audiences, if they do at all :(

Both of these games are done by the Russians and both are successful financially (I know because I've done some work for Dmitry Zaharov of Divo Games, who is the author of Airstrike 3D). Does this answer your question?

[oddvark]

Ah yes it does. Thanks.

[svero]

I guess it depends what living costs are like in Russia where the author's are. What does it mean to say they're successful financially? Relative to what? I guess I personally don't really care how much they made one way or another, but the answer is rather vague.

[Itsme]

I guess it depends what living costs are like in Russia where the author's are. What does it mean to say they're successful financially? Relative to what? I guess I personally don't really care how much they made one way or another, but the answer is rather vague.

Well, I don't want to talk FOR them. They'll give you a financial report if they are inclined to.
Here is what I can say about Airstrike 3D.
Pretty soon after the first version was released, they've signed two separate CD publishing deals - one with Rondomedia.de (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) and one with a Russian publisher (Akella, I believe). I know the amount of both of deals - it's fine by any standards. From what I understand, about a year or so after Airstrike 3D was released, Divogames (the studio) was bought out by somebody else.
I am sure that more deals have followed. I've also seen a big tower ads for the sequel of the game (AirStrike II) in gaming magazines.

I've never been all that close to folks who created Alien Shooter, but since I sell it here is what is very cool about the game - when I add up sales of the two sequels (the Expreriment and Fight For Life) - they exceed (my) sales of Alien Shooter. And that, my friend, is a recipie for making good money. I think the only other game with similar sales pattern that I know of is Brave Dwarves. Plus, the game (Alien Shooter) has been in the RegNow top 100 sellers forever. I missed the date of the release, but it feels like it has to be almost two years ago by now and the game keeps selling and selling.
I don't see the low cost of living in Russia as a success factor for either one of the two games. They just cater to different audience, the niche is not that crowded and the quality is above the average indie game (by a couple of notches). I don't know of any CD publishing deals by Alien Shooter, but I would not be surprised if they signed a few, since I know how easy it was to find CD publishers for the first AirStrike.

[tentons]

...about a year or so after Airstrike 3D was released, Divogames (the studio) was bought out by somebody else.
That's really interesting. How often do indie studios get bought out?

[Reactor]

How's it doing so far?

Not too great, but then we haven't done a lot of advertising. We're about to release some fixes and additions to the game, so we decided to lay off the advertising until they were done. We had a feeling that the demo we released didn't show off the game as well as we would have liked (meaning the conversion rate was quite low), so... getting a new demo out will hopefully improve sales.

We're still in talks with the publisher about just how much exclusivity they want. Mostly they're interested in putting it in stores, but we'll see.

Interesting about Divogames getting bought out...

[Jack Norton]

I've never been all that close to folks who created Alien Shooter, but since I sell it here is what is very cool about the game - when I add up sales of the two sequels (the Expreriment and Fight For Life) - they exceed (my) sales of Alien Shooter.
Sell it here=which site you talk about?

[Itsme]

Sell it here=which site you talk about?

Well, I obviously don't sell it here, it's a typo. I missed a comma, it should have read
..., here is what's cool ....

[Itsme]

That's really interesting. How often do indie studios get bought out?

On a regular basis. In fact, it can get really funky. For instance, DivoGames recently released a game called AstroAvenger and I know for a fact that it was created by another person - so I assume they took a role of a publisher (although I am not 100% positive). On the other hand I've heard of many Russian companies (like Oxxomedia - Beetje Ju, Diamond Drop, Revenge of the Chicken) that have turned down outside financing offers. You see, money is not a factor of success when it comes to games (not only indies). There have been a number of high budget flops.