Possible Middle Ground Solution

scitunesscitunes Member, Sous Chef Posts: 4,047
edited November -1 in Working with GS (Mac)
I am a big believer in trying to reach consensus. In a community of this size and variety that is a tall task. But here's an idea that maybe could at least get people thinking of ways to reach some middle ground.

GS may be thinking that rev share is the only way to stay solvent (which may be true, IDK). They may also be thinking that acting as the publisher is the only way to get their percentage from sales. But a thought struck me. When I agreed to a rev share agreement with FreeAppADay.com I setup an account with appfigures and added FreeAppADay to my account which gave them access to my sales figures for the one app they were promoting but nothing else. I signed an agreement with them based on the data from appfigures.

Could this be a possible solution? Could GS get their percentage this way while allowing us to keep our iTunes connect accounts?

Obviously the size of GS's take will also be an issue for people.

On a side note, I have also found that when dealing with superiors at work (not that GS is our boss... yet...) it is much better to go to the boss with a possible solution to a problem rather than just a complaint about a problem.

Anywho, just something to chew on...

Comments

  • ChaserChaser Member Posts: 1,453
    That would be the only type of way they could do that unless they have something worked out with apple. However their testing app and GS saying we don't need dev accounts with apple would tell me this is not true.
    Why do we as users keep waisting our breath on a company that DOESN'T care?
    DO IT GS!
    PROVE ME WRONG!
    I said I wouldn't comment on this nonsense situation but GS you screwed us and yourselves
  • scitunesscitunes Member, Sous Chef Posts: 4,047
    Chaser said:
    That would be the only type of way they could do that unless they have something worked out with apple. However their testing app and GS saying we don't need dev accounts with apple would tell me this is not true.
    Why do we as users keep waisting our breath on a company that DOESN'T care?
    DO IT GS!
    PROVE ME WRONG!
    I said I wouldn't comment on this nonsense situation but GS you screwed us and yourselves

    I realize their "communication" up to this point has not indicated this. That's why I thought it would be worthwhile to suggest a new way forward that seeks out middle ground.

    I certainly have no intention of stifling anyone's voice but I was hoping this thread could be about brainstorming solutions. That's the reason I started it as a new thread.

    We all know what the problems are.

    Does anyone else see any new possible solutions that allows GS to flourish while allowing pro devs to keep their games on their itunes accounts?
  • tenrdrmertenrdrmer Member, Sous Chef, Senior Sous-Chef Posts: 9,934
    I could see that as a possible option but still if they are taking more than 10% then you will end up paying others more for your hard work then you are keeping. I would rather have a subscription option with a small rev share and have my name on the game than rev share and no credit.
  • tenrdrmertenrdrmer Member, Sous Chef, Senior Sous-Chef Posts: 9,934
    They could also break down a pro subscription to a monthly fee based off like $500/year and offer that along side their own publishing service. at least there it gives people the option to do one or the other. I could see enough of the people who just what to make games as a hobby still going with the publishing but at the same time allow the professionals a way to maintain their own name in the business.
  • scitunesscitunes Member, Sous Chef Posts: 4,047
    My first choice would be to have a pro option with no rev share at all. But I'm not sure they are willing to go that route.

    I was thinking that they could have rev share agreement on a sliding scale. On days when you are over a certain amount (or by month) you pay a smaller percent.

    Or there could be a cap. So they take, say 30%, but only up to $3000 for the year. Once you reach the cap the % drops to 0.

    As far as making the appfigures work, they could simply block you from uploading if you do not make your payment. Seems like it could work.
  • tenrdrmertenrdrmer Member, Sous Chef, Senior Sous-Chef Posts: 9,934
    I like the idea of the cap too. I'd say they wont go for that though since they seem to wanna have their cake and eat it too. lol. But i definitely would be a lot more willing to do rev sharing if there was one.
  • scitunesscitunes Member, Sous Chef Posts: 4,047
    If they were totally against a cap I would still give it serious thought if they had a tiered approach with the best selling games giving up a smaller percentage.

    The real deal breaker is not having your own iTunes connect account.
  • MagoNicolasMagoNicolas Member, PRO Posts: 2,090
    scitunes said:
    I am a big believer in trying to reach consensus. In a community of this size and variety that is a tall task. But here's an idea that maybe could at least get people thinking of ways to reach some middle ground.

    GS may be thinking that rev share is the only way to stay solvent (which may be true, IDK). They may also be thinking that acting as the publisher is the only way to get their percentage from sales. But a thought struck me. When I agreed to a rev share agreement with FreeAppADay.com I setup an account with appfigures and added FreeAppADay to my account which gave them access to my sales figures for the one app they were promoting but nothing else. I signed an agreement with them based on the data from appfigures.

    Could this be a possible solution? Could GS get their percentage this way while allowing us to keep our iTunes connect accounts?

    Obviously the size of GS's take will also be an issue for people.

    On a side note, I have also found that when dealing with superiors at work (not that GS is our boss... yet...) it is much better to go to the boss with a possible solution to a problem rather than just a complaint about a problem.

    Anywho, just something to chew on...

    Very Nice solution! will LOVE to have this option! GameSalad Read this post!
  • tenrdrmertenrdrmer Member, Sous Chef, Senior Sous-Chef Posts: 9,934
    scitunes said:
    The real deal breaker is not having your own iTunes connect account.

    Agreed!
  • MagoNicolasMagoNicolas Member, PRO Posts: 2,090
    tenrdrmer said:
    Agreed!

    Agreed, Btw, that a simple statements that resumes one of the biggest problems.
  • BeyondtheTechBeyondtheTech Member Posts: 809
    So, if GS has access to your sales reports, you are obligated to pay them via the same PayPal account? And what about the stiflers who don't pay? How will they go after them?

    What if Pro was a monthly option? What about the jerk who thinks he can build an app all this time for free with the Creator that's free to download, then start the Pro membership, publish freely, then cancel after a month? How will they prevent that?

    Look, all these ideas are nice, but not practical.

    There's just no way that Apple will automatically split for you, you don't want them to publish your app under their name, and monthly options won't work.

    I agree with FMG that Pro should be like $350 annually, and then add to that an alternate Direct for $50 per submission plus tiered revenue sharing.

    As I broke it down in my blog, $5M in direct gross revenue is much better than $1M as a controlled investment.
  • scitunesscitunes Member, Sous Chef Posts: 4,047
    BeyondtheTech said:
    So, if GS has access to your sales reports, you are obligated to pay them via the same PayPal account? And what about the stiflers who don't pay? How will they go after them?

    What if Pro was a monthly option? What about the jerk who thinks he can build an app all this time for free with the Creator that's free to download, then start the Pro membership, publish freely, then cancel after a month? How will they prevent that?

    Look, all these ideas are nice, but not practical.

    There's just no way that Apple will automatically split for you, you don't want them to publish your app under their name, and monthly options won't work.

    I agree with FMG that Pro should be like $350 annually, and then add to that an alternate Direct for $50 per submission plus tiered revenue sharing.

    As I broke it down in my blog, $5M in direct gross revenue is much better than $1M as a controlled investment.

    The point of starting this thread was that the "big angry thread" was 90% negative (for obvious reasons mind you). I just thought it would be worthwhile to think out side of the box a bit and see if it lead to some workable solutions.

    Your idea of $350 per year plus a per app fee sounds great to me. It just seems like GS is bent on rev share. So I was basically taking my only experience with rev share (freeappaday) and putting it out there as a possible model. The concerns you present are totally valid. That doesn't mean that we can't have this discussion.

    Oh, and being nice has nothing to do with it. This is purely selfish! I don't want my games on a GS iTunes account and I don't want to leave GS. I also don't people like you, TSB, FMG, etc to leave.

    So again, just thought it would be good to have a thread that was focused on solutions instead of problems.
  • BeyondtheTechBeyondtheTech Member Posts: 809
    IMO, $99 was too low, $1999 is too high. There was no middle ground, and they totally screwed themselves. Now, it seems that they had a bunch of suits come in with a big briefcase (read: $1M) with a very corporate idea, and no one in the community wants it.

    Make Pro $349 to match Corona's Game Edition.
    Rename Direct to Express, charge $30 per submission, 25% net revenue split.

    If Corona can get 15,000 subscriptions from coders (!), I'm sure GameSalad can get 15,000 in Pro subscriptions at $350 and make $5M in the first year, not including the publishing model. That should be enough to pay the devs and staff and leave a lot left over for expanding and sustaining the company.
  • LedgeLedge Member Posts: 10
    Great idea! I'd hang around if they would do that.
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