
Originally Posted by
Kris Attfield
I tried to write a post already, but somehow the website was a little broken and I was logged out right away. Hmmm. I'll try to write the post again in its previous glory:
I agree that OUYA's original ruleset of offering every game as free to try was intriguing and useful to the consumer. It was a nice feature, but now I'll just explain my situation:::
I've already written two games previously for OUYA. Both of them are free-to-try. And even if the price to pay for the paid version of the game is only $1 or $2, most people are unwilling to pay anything.
Before I came to OUYA I wrote books. Any price tag at all, no matter how small, on an ebook would cause over 80-90% of people to not purchase anything. Offer a book for free, and all of the sudden you'll get hundreds of people buying the book. Apply a small price tag, and downloads completely stop.
Considering that bus fare in my city is $3 for a couple hours ride, a $1 or $2 price tag on a video game that you can play over and over again is really - really reasonable. I don't think it's too hard to pay $1 or $2 for something.
Also consider that though I'm wealthy enough to invest lots of money into things like a Vimeo Pro account or even to borrow some money to buy a video capture device, fact is I also have dental work I need done that costs a whole lot more, and I don't really have that money.
So, basically, I've already given so much for free and find most people aren't willing to shell out $1 or $2, though bus fare is $3, I've got important things I need to pay for (like, repaying borrowed money and dental work) and well, $1 or $2 is such a small fee to pay for something I really don't think anyone should have any difficulty -- Unless you don't have a credit card.
And if you don't have a credit card, well, that's just too bad, because I really am trying to pay for things I need and I already know that freebies don't make much money - at all.
Anyway, I've basically given my reasons for why I'm making it pay-up-front and I'm not changing my mind. If you want free to play, then go play Pfhonge, ICBM, or any number of other OUYA games. It really shouldn't be too hard to pay a small price.
Sorry if this seems a little overbearing, but I've had to complain so many times over the years to my psychiatrists about how people just can't pay small fees. Anyway.
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