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[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

Another post about this: http://jeff-vogel.blogspot.com/2009/04/indie-games-should-cost-more-pt-2.html

[Derek]

Either way, it's a vocal minority who complains about prices. 

This is oh so true.  It's easier if, when you read those comments, you imagine those people as being tiny, lobotomized chipmunks with bulging eyes and flecks of foam in the corners of their mouths.  Seriously, it helps.

I agree with Jeff that 99 cent iPhone games are pretty damn lowball.  I don't think this is going to last.  And actually, it may be a good market to price your game higher, to stand out from the crowd.

[jeb]

Steam wanted us to sell Harvest for no more than $10, so when the game was released there we lowered the price for the game on our own website as well. Since then, we have doubled our average sales per week... and though our revenue has decreased (the e-commerce services have become more expensive, relatively speaking), it feels better.

[Craig Stern]

What was Harvest priced at before?

[Rudolf Kremers]

Steam wanted us to sell Harvest for no more than $10, so when the game was released there we lowered the price for the game on our own website as well. Since then, we have doubled our average sales per week... and though our revenue has decreased (the e-commerce services have become more expensive, relatively speaking), it feels better.

That is great news of course, but a more telling comparison would be to see the difference between $10 and $20 on Steam. As it stands all you know is that Steam boosted your sales. :-)

EDIT: Or do you mean your sales on your own website have doubled?

[jeb]

Oh, I meant the sales on *our* site, yeah. But getting on Steam has also generated more attention to the game, which also affects sales.

Craig: We started out at $25, then $20 when it got up on Reflexive, and now $10.

[Rudolf Kremers]

Ok understood. (And good :-D  )

Btw I do think that there is no perfect price for every indie game, it entirely depends on the game and the circumstances.

[Craig Stern]

Oh, I meant the sales on *our* site, yeah. But getting on Steam has also generated more attention to the game, which also affects sales.

Craig: We started out at $25, then $20 when it got up on Reflexive, and now $10.

So your price when from $25 to $10, and sales doubled? Or were they already at $20 by that point? Were sales comparable at the $25 and $20 price points?

[jeb]

Oh, I meant the sales on *our* site, yeah. But getting on Steam has also generated more attention to the game, which also affects sales.

Craig: We started out at $25, then $20 when it got up on Reflexive, and now $10.

So your price when from $25 to $10, and sales doubled? Or were they already at $20 by that point? Were sales comparable at the $25 and $20 price points?

It's hard to tell since the sale figures aren't linear. Obviously we made the most money during the first month after the release, and during the first week at Steam. I'm just saying that, on average, we are now selling double number of copies from our own website and non-Steam portals. That's after the price went from $20 to $10. In reality that means we earn less money* (the e-commerce service costs are greater, relatively).

* In reality we earn more money now because of the financial crisis. The USD used to be 6-7 SEK, now it's 8-9. That's like +20% income for us without lifting a finger