The two sets of sales results illustrate the difference in appeal between apps and games on the iPhone. The top 5 Red Laser app ships about 6,000 units per day and has taken 3 months to reach $1 Million in sales. While the top selling Taplous makes almost $1 million a month from its in-app revenue model. (i.e. The basic game is available for 99 cents, with extra music packs at six songs for $2.99, or two songs for 99 cents. (See TUAW Interview: Andrew Lacy of Tapulous on Tap Tap Revenge 3).
This result provides us with some feedback on just how successful a games developer may be if they choose to employ a Freemium or In App sales model.
Two other posts of topical value are the TUAW’s post on app piracy rates and the one in which VentureBeat asks the question Mobile games: Have we learned anything at all?
Research has repeatedly shown that recommendations are one of the best ways to drive adoption (as is free trial). That’s hard to do on only one platform… You need to be thinking cross platform development
This is of course the key difference between a “Tap Tap Revenge” and a “Rock Band”. Both are among the iPhone’s top selling games. In fact MacWorld reported in April this year that Tap Tap Revenge is iPhone’s most popular app. However Tap Tap Revenge is an iPhone exclusive while Rock Band is a cross platform global mega hit (See Rock Band Surpasses $1 Billion Dollars in Sales) that is available on the major games consoles.
I guess the question is can the top iPhone developers take full advantage of their high profile ”iBrand” and migrate their top selling iPhone games across to the mainstream PC and console platforms or will they remain niche players in the much (at least for now) smaller iPhone space?
For now I suspect most will be choosing to remain niche players. Hoping to replicate their iPhone successes with more iPhone successes. After all better the devil you know than the devil you don’t so long as you can stay clear of that long tail.
Finally, if we needed any further proof of just how hot the iPhone platform is at the moment then the news that there is a shortage of iPhone developers in the US should provide all the evidence we need. (See Shortage Of iPhone Developers Exposes The Flaw Behind The “Output Gap”)
I guess it’s time to download that iPhone SDK you’ve always wanted for christmas 
Before you do though make sure you check out Jeremy Alessi’s Guide To iPhone Game Development In 2009 .
“The minimum price of entry for a completely green Mac developer is $1,144.54 at current exchange rates.”
Other Posts on iPhone Apps and Game Development
- The lifecycle of a best selling iPhone game
- So just how much money can you make developing iPhone Games?
- Finding your way to the top of the App Store
- Watch out! iPhones have long tails too.
- The long tail of online game development
- Even the games developers are discovering that online… Analog Dollars equals Digital Pennies
Posted on December 22, 2009
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