GameSalad Developer Survey 2021
adent42
Key Master, Head Chef, Executive Chef, Member, PRO Posts: 3,223
We're hoping to make the survey an annual thing, so please help us help you and fill it out!
https://forms.gle/ZatQCMPnJgQvxLTTA
Some results from last year's survey.
People
30.8% of respondents work in the video game industry professionally.
30.8% also build games on a contract basis for other people (I wonder if it's the same group?)
Games
72.2% use Apple Leaderboards.
61.1% use Google Play Leaderboards.
40% use network behaviors to update game data.
28% use network behaviors for multiplayer games.
16% use network behaviors to track IAPs.
Publishing
88% publish to Apple
80% publish to Google
44% publish to Amazon
20% on itch.io
and 8% claim to sell game floppy disk (I'm pretty sure 100% of them were joking).
Monetization
52% use ads
52% sell their games up-front
44% sell consumables
40% use ad unlocks
While most people didn't make a whole lot, a few made it over the $1000 mark, with some making over $10k during the 3 month period of the last survey.
The two most popular marketing channels were Facebook and Youtube
A little over 40% of respondents spent more than $500 on marketing.
Swallows
73% of respondents submitted an answer to the question: "What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?"
Only 4 people had the "correct" clarification response: "African or European?"
Though one did answer "more than a laden one" which is likely correct.
Though a few posted an answer found here (with one direct post of the link): http://style.org/unladenswallow/
Comments
Done!
Done^^
Complete! :D
Done!
The NFT question was interesting. I'm not certain how they could even be used in this context.
I had to fudge the released/will release questions as I rarely release things for myself (though this year will see my first big game release in a long time!).
@Armelline for that release question I think it's more about what you plan to do, I'm not holding anyone too it :p
The NFT question is partly to see if anyone is even thinking about it.
The one idea I've heard is around in-game collectibles. Basically you could track IAPs without a server with an NFT (or in the case of GameSalad, at least without a database).
If the NFT has digital art attached, you could give the purchase some small value past the life of the game. Or maybe it's an asset that has value across multiple games.
Interesting! I was thinking about NFTs after reading an article about an artwork that sold for something like $40m but I'd definitely not considered the possibilities within games!
Submitted. Nice to see the "Whats the one feature you would like to add to gamesalad" Hopefully you will be adding something new! The good old days!
Filled out! What happened to Appformative in the end? Tried to ping Hopscotch on multiple channels in 2019 but he never replied. Sad because I was using an app that used his networking behaviour quite heavily.
Would definitely integrate NFT if possible. Would open up many, many channels.
I'm curious about the Appformative comments, why are leaderboards so important, since the two platforms have their own. Is it cross platform capabilities?
@adent42 That is my reason. Especially if you distribute your app in stores that the phones might not have Google integration.
NFTs in games:
https://www.techinasia.com/mark-cuban-libertus-capital-join-vietnamese-gaming-startup-sky-mavis-75m-series-a-round?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=news_article&fbclid=IwAR2hNIioN-Ps4h4zskLnwfbl_Ab3T6xD7KsVWRpdsuRq2f9qh2Oxam8R3xk
"While most people didn't make a whole lot, a few made it over the $1000 mark, with some making over $10k during the 3 month period of the last survey"
For me it is hard to believe that today it is possible in 3 months to earn 10K just with games made and published in the stores without any kind of promotion.
I see absolutely stupid games in the top chart published or supported by the publishers who can afford advertising campaigns above 10k dollars a month; if you take a look at the stores, you only notice just Hyper Casual games.
I admit I've being trying an adventure with a couple of publishers to find another way to monetize my games but even when there was an interest, at the end they only accept games created with Unity and therefore it makes no sense to insist on this path.
I have to say that 10 years ago it was easier and there was more money and room for everyone like me.
What I earn today just allows me to leave game development as a pastime and not as a main business.
Greetings and good development to all!