Making a Game Free Can Lead to Big Profits

By Ed Hardy, TabletPCReview Editor | | 1804 Reads

It sounds counter-intuitive, but free games can generate more profits than for-pay ones.

Last week, Infinity Blade went from being $1 to free. Downloads went way up, and so did revenue. Wait, how can a free app bring in money? Its maker, Chair Entertainment, includes in-app purchases for items that make the game a bit easier. Players bought enough of these to push the game up to #60 on the list Top Grossing Apps on iTunes, well above its ranking when the game cost $1.

Sales of the sequel also went up, even though it's anything but free -- it costs $7.

Of course, there's an extra factor in the equation -- not every free game with in-app purchases is successful. But Infinity Blade had an extra advantage: Apple spotlighted it as its App of the Week.

Infinity Blade is still free on the iTunes App Store, for those who would like to download this game.

Source: WSJ

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