Mac game approved on App Store... now what?

[SLotman]

I just had a very basic puzzle game accepted on the App Store - and another game of mine is in review right now.

So my question is: what should I do now to improve sales?

I know I should get some reviews, but I don't know which sites are good or should I try - looking on google wasn't of much help: the only sites I found only reviewed 'big' games (stuff like "Lego Harry Potter", "Braid"...), only reviewed iPhone apps or didn't have a 'contact us' link

So, any tips you more experienced Mac guys could throw on my way, I'll appreciate a lot!

One a last note: I'm on a shoestring budget (which is: no budget at all ) - so, hiring someone or paying for reviews is completely out of the question...

[Scharlo]

Just forget about it and move to iOS. One of my Mac games is currently #8 in US store and is selling less than 100/day.

[Jack Norton]

Yes, macappstore is really lame, I don't plan to have any new games there. It's worse than iOS, quite a record. Thank Apple for destroying the desktop mac market

[SLotman]

I think it all depends... if I sell 100 copies a month of those games (which at least for the first one approved won't happen), I will be really happy! My primary goal on publishing those two games is just to recoup some of the money I invested...

Unfortunately, I can't go to iOS - since iPhones are really expensive here in Brazil - and the budget I had, I used to buy the Mac and pay the App Store fee :P

[jcottier]

...since iPhones are really expensive here in Brazil

Second hand Ipod will do the job too.

JC

[SLotman]

So... no one has any tips besides 'forget it'?

In the meanwhile I did found a mac review site (which reviewed very different sorts of games, from AAA to very simple ones like mine), but they said they were already 'full' of games to review, and wanted money just to 'list' my game on their site

[Jack Norton]

edit: nevermind thought you were talking about iOS

[Grey Alien]

My Mac App Store sales are crap too due to the poor discovery mechanism for new games.

[iGame Omaha]

So... no one has any tips besides 'forget it'?

In the meanwhile I did found a mac review site (which reviewed very different sorts of games, from AAA to very simple ones like mine), but they said they were already 'full' of games to review, and wanted money just to 'list' my game on their site

I review games for both the Mac and iOS (iGame Radio). However, I do have a waiting list of games to review and would need something pretty original or unique to get into that list. Unfortunately, there are a lot of puzzle games out there and yours doesn't seem to have anything different in gameplay or elsewise. So I just don't have room now.

I will, however, give you some advice about getting game reviews. First, I had to do some searching on your website to find your game. The link from the main site is from the words "Windows, Mac, and Linux" which told me in a quick perusal that the link was to something about Windows, Mac, or Linux. So I didn't see a need to click on it. You should have a big splash about the game on the front page, too, rather than the little post you have so that anyone getting to your page will see this game as the first thing. Also, that makes it much easier for search engines to categorize the game info for easy searching.

The description of the game isn't really intriguing or interesting. You concentrate more on how awesome Rio de Janeiro is, rather than the game. If you can't think of anything awesome to say about the game, that might tell you something too.

It's not easy to go through the images zoomed in, either. If you click on an image to zoom in, you have to exit that screen to go to the next image. Make it easier by installing a plug-in that allows people to flick through the screens without having to click exit first.

Never, EVER pay a game reviewer for anything having to do with game reviews. Any reviewer that requires money to review your game or list it on their site is not legitimate. That requirement creates a relationship whereby the reviewer, or the game developer/publisher, can influence the game review because of the financial relationship that now exists. So the review is no longer independent. However, you could ask every one of your family and friends to play the game and post a review on the Mac App Store. But getting independent reviews is the best way for you to get feedback about how to improve the game or do it differently when you develop the next game.

Good luck!

[SLotman]

First and foremost, thank you so much for taking the time to write such a detailed response! Now, let me answer it

I review games for both the Mac and iOS (iGame Radio). However, I do have a waiting list of games to review and would need something pretty original or unique to get into that list. Unfortunately, there are a lot of puzzle games out there and yours doesn't seem to have anything different in gameplay or elsewise. So I just don't have room now.

I appreciate your effort having just looked at it. I know both of the games (Puzzle Trip:Rio and Fruzzle) aren't revolutionary - they're just simple games indeed, but they don't come any short in the fun aspect, specially considering their low price tag...

I will, however, give you some advice about getting game reviews. First, I had to do some searching on your website to find your game. The link from the main site is from the words "Windows, Mac, and Linux" which told me in a quick perusal that the link was to something about Windows, Mac, or Linux. So I didn't see a need to click on it. You should have a big splash about the game on the front page, too, rather than the little post you have so that anyone getting to your page will see this game as the first thing. Also, that makes it much easier for search engines to categorize the game info for easy searching.

Didn't you see the big rotating banner just on top of it? Sure, it doesn't show Puzzle Trip:Rio instantly - It starts with Virtual Marbles (my best selling game so far), then shows Fruzzle (which is available for Mac also) - and rotates to others until it gets to Puzzle Trip:Rio...

The description of the game isn't really intriguing or interesting. You concentrate more on how awesome Rio de Janeiro is, rather than the game. If you can't think of anything awesome to say about the game, that might tell you something too.

Well - the game is a jigsaw/sliding puzzle game, so there isn't much about it to tell (I don't know much to tell about any jigsaw game, heh).

But there is a reason I speak so much about the city: first because the whole game revolves around it (from the pictures, to the music, to it's general feeling), second I wanted Google to relate the game with the movies, the big events and the city... which seems to be working so far
It's almost as if I'm "selling the city" together with the game, and that is the whole spirit of the game

It's not easy to go through the images zoomed in, either. If you click on an image to zoom in, you have to exit that screen to go to the next image. Make it easier by installing a plug-in that allows people to flick through the screens without having to click exit first.

Yeah, that's on my to-do list, indeed. You don't need to click exit - just clicking outside the image will close it, but I know having a "prev/next" button will help a lot.

Never, EVER pay a game reviewer for anything having to do with game reviews. Any reviewer that requires money to review your game or list it on their site is not legitimate. That requirement creates a relationship whereby the reviewer, or the game developer/publisher, can influence the game review because of the financial relationship that now exists. So the review is no longer independent.

I don't intend to

However, you could ask every one of your family and friends to play the game and post a review on the Mac App Store. But getting independent reviews is the best way for you to get feedback about how to improve the game or do it differently when you develop the next game.

I do get friends/family to play my games... unfortunately, none of them got Macs, just Windows-PCs :/

Good luck!

Thanks!

[iGame Omaha]

I appreciate your effort having just looked at it. I know both of the games (Puzzle Trip:Rio and Fruzzle) aren't revolutionary - they're just simple games indeed, but they don't come any short in the fun aspect, specially considering their low price tag...

Well, understand that just because it doesn't have something special or original doesn't mean it isn't fun or that people won't find it fun. It just means that for smaller sites like mine that have a serious time crunch for reviewing games, we will probably be less likely to review it just because it is fun. There are a ton of fun games, and I'd never do anything else in life if I just reviewed fun games. I try to focus on reviewing those game with something more.

Didn't you see the big rotating banner just on top of it? Sure, it doesn't show Puzzle Trip:Rio instantly - It starts with Virtual Marbles (my best selling game so far), then shows Fruzzle (which is available for Mac also) - and rotates to others until it gets to Puzzle Trip:Rio...

My understanding is that Puzzle Trip: Rio is your most recently released game. Though you have the rotating banner, it just is one of many games that is rotated through the banner. I got to the website and did a quick look, and didn't see anything that stood out that said "Puzzle Trip: Rio" in big bold words...probably because the banner hadn't rotated to that part yet. And even so, again, it's just one of many games. You can never be too loud and noisy about your most recently released game! LOL. So don't be afraid to make a larger than normal post about it and draw attention to it on the front page, if you want people to see it first and want to purchase it.

Well - the game is a jigsaw/sliding puzzle game, so there isn't much about it to tell (I don't know much to tell about any jigsaw game, heh).

But there is a reason I speak so much about the city: first because the whole game revolves around it (from the pictures, to the music, to it's general feeling), second I wanted Google to relate the game with the movies, the big events and the city... which seems to be working so far
It's almost as if I'm "selling the city" together with the game, and that is the whole spirit of the game

Well, if it seems to be working for getting sales, then by all means continue using the description. But just remember that for a game reviewer that has a ton of games already to sort through to determine which of the fun ones they will review and which they won't, the more exciting, interesting, different, or whatever the description you give the more likely you are to get a review. If it's "just another jigsaw puzzle" then a reviewer will basically ask you why should they review your jigsaw puzzle game and not the other dozen that were released in the past month. :/

[SLotman]

Just made some changes to the site, as suggested: next/prev links on pictures, PT:Rio showing first on the banner, and increased the size of the first news item

Well, understand that just because it doesn't have something special or original doesn't mean it isn't fun or that people won't find it fun. It just means that for smaller sites like mine that have a serious time crunch for reviewing games, we will probably be less likely to review it just because it is fun. There are a ton of fun games, and I'd never do anything else in life if I just reviewed fun games. I try to focus on reviewing those game with something more.

I understand it - I wasn't even asking (or hoping) for you to review it after reading your first reply. I understand the focus on inovative and better games, specially being on a small team (just like me: I'm the "team" behind Icon Games hehehe) - I was just hoping to find at least one site that would review the 'not-so-inovative-but-still-entertaining-for-a-couple-of-minutes' (LOL) games

Couldn't find one though

Anyway, thanks again for your comments - if I didn't find anywhere to advertise the game, at least I improved my site a little bit

[iGame Omaha]

Just made some changes to the site, as suggested: next/prev links on pictures, PT:Rio showing first on the banner, and increased the size of the first news item

MUCH better!