A look back at 2016

Thought I would do a bit of a rundown of my year on stencyl, its been an interesting one. First of all, thanks to the usual suspects, Folmer, George, the stencyl devs and the community.

Some numbers, iOS Downloads in 2016 were 4 million 10 thousand,

downloads for each app;
Dunkers- 2.30mill
Epic Flail- 639k
Battle Golf- 439k
Wrassling- 290k
Wheelie Legend- 59.7k
wheelie 2- 42.2k
Golf is Hard- 28.4k

Pretty crazy numbers, a big jump from 2015 which was 1.7 million. Dunkers and Epic Flail were the only 2 apps released this year.

I actually had a pretty frustrating year early on. I went through a real burn out at the end of 2015, I started and abandoned a lot of projects. I eventually released Epic Flail early 2016 but I wasn't happy with the finished product. The lack of inspiration continued for the first part of 2016 where I started and abandoned a couple more projects. Finally around April I prototyped Dunkers and Folmer and I decided it had good potential. It was nice to finally break out of the slump. My wife had a baby in May which was awesome but also made the game building a bit tricky. However the launch in July was awesome and redeemed the year.

Flash sales,
During 2016 flash went quite well, miniclip.com got in touch and have sponsored Wrassling, Battle Golf, and Dunkers. 2player.com Sponsored Dunkers and Temple of Boom. I'm also preparing Dunkers for a new sponsor that got in touch last week.

Based on the momentum from Dunkers I'm looking forward to having a busier and better year in 2017.



 

Games sales revenue in 2016: $91 billion.
Only mobile: $41 billion.

And +/- 1% of developers stay with +/- 99% of all.
And +/- 99% of developers stay with +/- 1% of all.

To be part of the first group:

- Focus on just one style, category, niche, audience.
- Making only one game for year (or for more than one year).
- Do not make games alone.

What else separates these two groups of developers?

- Making only one game for year (or for more than one year).

Colburt just said that Dunkers was made in 2 months and not even full-time during it.

Colburt just said that Dunkers was made in 2 months and not even full-time during it.

Makes sense. Because, if the game and developer is bad, all time of the world is not able to improve it.

Flappy Bird was created in less than 3 days.

But, exceptions are not rules, nor larger probabilities.

That's pretty annoying, colburt

Kidding. Great numbers actually.

- Making only one game for year (or for more than one year).

Colburt just said that Dunkers was made in 2 months and not even full-time during it.

I don't believe in this "Making only one game for year" either. May be not everyone would be able to do that. If you spend so much of time alone, you may lose interest and the final product could be worse. If there is a team working together, that could be a different story.

Also, the market is fast changing and we could see a lot of smaller games every week on Apple feature. If that's the case, concentrating on one big game may not be the right choice. If that one game misses an opportunity, you lose a year's work.

I hope no one who are working on a game for more than 3 - 4 months would be discouraged by my words. You know, I haven't achieved anything yet with all these logic

But, exceptions are not rules, nor larger probabilities.

So true. Something that everyone who wants to be a game developer should understand.

Also, the market is fast changing and we could see a lot of smaller games every week on Apple feature. If that's the case, concentrating on one big game may not be the right choice. If that one game misses an opportunity, you lose a year's work.

I think you do not lose. Something is only lost if you try one thing and then change to another. So you return to Stage zero.

I think it's best to choose a single way, niche, audience, etc.

If you have not yet found this single way, then is best to make several games and test.

Once you've found, better get lifes, power-ups, continues, and bet All Win on it, until it's The end or Game over.

But it's just another strategy.

- Do not make games alone.

What else separates these two groups of developers?

There are plenty of stencyl devs making games alone, some doing better than me.

Congrats, Colburt187! I hope to one day get as lucky as you, v happy for you and your luck, your luck is a true inspiration.

There are plenty of stencyl devs making games alone, some doing better than me.

Yes. Because they make games just for Hobby. If make money okay, if not, okay.

Now, is not better to do just for hobby.
Nor is better to do only for money.
Neither is better both the cases.
And is not better to have ambition.
Nor is better not to have ambition.
Neither is better to pretend that have no ambition.

What is better is something that everyone decides alone.

So have all one merry Christmas.
Happy Holidays.
Bye.

This is an inspiring video in my opinion: http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1023432/The-No-Hit-Wonder-11. The main thing to take away is that there is no "magic formula". Colburt and company have done great with their development. It is well deserved, but that doesn't mean it will work for everyone.

Grats guys. I hope you have a wonderful and successful 2017!

Congrats, Colburt187! I hope to one day get as lucky as you, v happy for you and your luck, your luck is a true inspiration.

:O