Tracking mobile

But how about ?

Considering the appstore doesn't really have a system in place that informs their players and customers of 'updates' (unless someone has the app installed and it gets updated that way), how would you expect to get a jump in numbers when people have removed the app already?

Maybe I'm missing something, but last I checked the appstore relies heavily on ratings and downloads. And once the ratings stop flowing in you'll have a hard time getting back on the front page. You've already gotten your "hey we just release, we're new" window - so thats gone aswell.
So unless by some freak accident a bunch of people try the game out when there's new content and the content miraculously is a fantastic improvement (something thats unlikely given 22cans trackrecord of updates...) I don't think its reasonable at all to expect a jump in numbers.


Like I said, to my knowledge the appstore doesn't exactly advertise 'updates' like steam does with SEA... Once you start slipping, its generally a very slippery slope downwards.
The only alternate method is media exposure - which is a card that Peter has kinda blown already by now (the game is pretty much universally recognized as horribly boring my most media sources).

Wouldn't that also mean that they do not consume the media where exposure is shown *at all*, and as such these people are entirely reliant on the appstore's featuring exclusively (aswell as direct word-of-mouth)?
Since I've seen very little exposure on the app that was neutral or positive in nature. Most of it pretty much points out the lack of anything to do.

Though its good to hear that you guys aren't at all worried about the negative perception of your game - since your target audience doesn't look at such media exposure to begin with.
Thats a very healthy business mentality.


Relying on the few people that stick around to make purchases for primary source of exposure. While ignoring the rest of the world and acting line there's nothing wrong.
What was it that Peter said again? Oh right, Godus isn't "free-to-play", the gems are solely meant for investing in your long-term game. Buying off timers isn't "temporary", because these people stick around forever. Stickers are also permanent. So its all an investment!


Not to mention articles such as these: "Peter Molyneux Hates Free To Play"
Well that didn't last long did it? (Oh right... its "invest to play", because you aren't meant to start over so your gems-acquisitions stay with you forever!)

Wow.
George is going to have a lot of work to do when he returns.

Come on people, it's common sense. Most of the mobile players don't look at the PC reviews, why would they? The mobile aspect of the reviews have generally speaking been pretty decent, not especially fantastic, but in no way comparable to the negative reviews of the PC version. Thus if the game improves & they get new mobile reviews or other media exposure, it's not a problem at all because it's probably going to lean towards positive.

If they release a new update and get PC reviews, they are still not gonna be fantastic because the PC version has a long way to go and it needs a lot of updates to be considered a decent PC game.

I don't know if it was the plan all along or if PM gives a shit (probably not I guess?) but that isn't really what Feanix said. The negative media exposure over Godus IS a non-issue as far as the mobile version is concerned, if it's a question of how many players it gets and whether they choose to spend money. And since this thread is about the success of the mobile game I think it's a relevant point to make.

Personally I hate F2P games with microtransactions, and so I am definitely not in the target audience for the mobile. Sadly this means that for the time being I'm also not in the target audience for the PC version, and neither are all the Kickstarter backers and SEA customers, but that isn't where 22Cans' business interests lie right now. The mobile is where the money is, and I gather the mobile version is doing well. If the online backlash doesn't impact on this in a negative way, why should 22Cans change anything? That would be insane.

Whether or not they'll invest in the separate PC version is yet to be seen. I want them to ditch PC Godus at this point, take what they've learned, use the basic premise and make a NEW PC god-game. I think they do know how to do it, they're just in the stranglehold of F2P mechanics that they cannot escape and that will alienate PC gamers forever. For financial reasons I don't suppose any of this is possible without PM, which is a real shame because I don't think he can deliver to this market anymore.

This and they also don't go out of their way to look at mobile game site reviews, I'd add. I got into a conversation with the lead dev of Revolution 60 and someone hopped in pointing out that probably the bigger way of these games gaining popularity is the old school word of mouth, albeit through social media these days, and primarily the app store star reviews themselves. I hadn't really thought about it before then, but it makes a ton of sense. There's also the added benefit of what I've indirectly mentioned on Steam, which is the easier accessibility to mobile games and easier purchasing (assuming you don't save your payment info on digital distros like Steam).

May I add some fuel to the fire? Godus has been in development for 20 (!) months and we have fuck'all to show for it. What is in the game now that is actually worth mentioning that wasn't in the alpha version?

Fish, fountains, fancy trees, and silly flags? A slower way to smite our followers (lol Pit of Doom)?