iPhone Game Earning $10K Per Month Via Ad Revenue
iPhone app developer MobilityWare just let us in on some pretty impressive revenue stats for its game Word Warp. On average, Word Warp brings in just over $10,000 a month.
That isn’t revenue from sales of the app, however, but via advertising, at an eCPM rate of $1.91 since September 2008. iPhone owners have the option of buying the game for 99 cents, or downloading a free version that feeds interstitial ads in between matches, sent via iPhone ad network Greystripe. In a phone call yesterday, MobilityWare marketing director Dave Yonamine told me that less than 20 percent of total Word Warp owners opt for the paid version; instead, they overwhelmingly go for the free, ad-driven version, downloading it roughly 1.5 million times.
“We’re going to give consumers that choice,” Yonamine told me, “and whatever they go with is fine with us.” By offering that choice, the company gets another healthy revenue stream besides app purchases, on a game, which by Yonamine’s estimation, cost mid-five figures to develop.
The advertising income also helps the company fund updates and enhancements to the game, which in turn helps keeps Word Warp relatively popular. More than a year after being in the Store, Yonamine said, the app still gets thousands of downloads a day. As he put it, “I find it humorous that people say the ad-support model is flawed.”
The Official Comic-Con iPhone App Is Here
July 21, 2009 by tcgames · Leave a Comment
iPhone owners who are headed to San Diego this week should download the official Comic-Con iPhone app. It basically provides all the information you would normally find in the official Comic-Con International program book, including maps of the halls and exhibit floor, program schedules, and a news feed without having to lug around that heavy program. Plus the programing line-up and exhibitor listing is easily searchable, and the maps are multi-touch zoomable (of course).
I’m sure this will come in handy during the five-day convention. Its not perfect. The maps don’t switch to landscape mode, and the exhibitor and panel search could be improved if they actually integrated with the maps (showing you where to go). But my hats go off to Comic-Con for putting the extra money into a possibly very useful tool. Best part is it’s FREE.
And I’m sure in future years the app will only get better. Social integration would be awesome, allowing you and your friends to create and share customizable schedules. Fantastic Fest and SXSW have some great social features like this on their website.
Sega Brings ‘Streets Of Rage’ To The iPhone
Sega today announced intentions to bring Streets of Rage to the iPhone. When’s it coming out you ask? How’s about right now! That’s right, folks. Because of Apple’s policy on speaking about iPhone apps/games before release, Sega simultaneously announced the game’s existence with its release.
Unfortunately, our friends at Touch Arcade were none too impressed with Sega’s port, saying the game suffers from tremendous slow down and renders the game “unplayable on the 3GS.” Oh no! We’re too busy spending our time with Drop7 to play anything else on the iPhone, so how about you tell us, Joystiq Biomass[TM]. Anyone drop the $4.99 for Streets of Rage today and encounter any problems?
The Einstein Sound Master Photon Ball iPod Dock – Wow!
July 1, 2009 by tcgames · Leave a Comment
If you’re on the lookout for a dock, this one definitely has a little bit of that mad scientist appeal that would definitely keep life interesting. The colors within the ball on it will actually move about along with the beat of the music. Which would give a cool lighting effect while you’re listening to your favorite songs. While you’re becoming entranced with the shining bright lights, your iPod gets to sit on the dock and charge up.
Not only can it charge and be played through the dock, but you can also hook it up to your computer to have it synced with your computer. The dock also has a clock on it, which has an alarm that allows for you to wake up to the music directly from your iPod. If you’ve had enough of your iPod, you can switch modes and listen to the AM/FM radio instead.
It actually claims that it will work with any iPod, that can hook up to a dock, so yours should work with this. You can purchase it for $34.99.
An iPod Touch Birthday Cake…Yes!
If you’re going to have a chocolate cake with raspberry Swiss meringue buttercream filling, you might as well have one shaped like an iPod Touch. The cake was made for somebody’s 16th birthday party by out-of-control baker April Julian. (props to Make)
Mili Pro Projector Turns Your iPhone Into 40 inch TV
June 29, 2009 by tcgames · Leave a Comment
Any iPhone can play video, but that little 3.5 inch screen just isn’t going to cut it if more than a couple of people want to watch your latest magnum opus. By plugging your iPhone into this Mili Pro LED projector, you can create a picture as big as 70 inches across. Although as with most of these tiny projectors, the limited light output means 30-40 inches is probably a better size if you want a reasonably bright picture.
The clamshell design folds open to reveal a built in dock for an iPhone or iPod Touch, or you can use its VGA and AV ports to connect external sources such as a DVD player or computer. There’s even a tiny pair of built in speakers to give you some audio. Resolution is 640×480, so don’t expect this to magically become some kind of spectacular home theater in your pocket.
The Mili Pro should sell for a little under $300 when it arrives in September.
‘Doom Resurrection’ Announced For The iPhone
With id founder John Carmack fully embracing the iPhone, the traditional PC developer has partnered with Escalation Studios to produce Doom Resurrection, a new iPhone title that makes use of assets from id’s Doom 3.
Dubbed a “next-gen” iPhone game by VentureBeat, the 3D shooter (seen left) borrows its weapons and enemies from Doom 3, but makes use of the iPhone’s accelerometers for tilt-based aiming.
Carmack claims that the game was developed over a period of six months, and now runs at 30 frames-per-second on the latest version of the iPod Touch. Resurrection is expected to be released next week.
…
‘Terminator Salvation’ Game Heading To The iPhone
May 14, 2009 by tcgames · Leave a Comment
We’ve spent a little time discussing the new Terminator Salvation video game, which comes out a couple days before the movie, or next Tuesday, if you prefer. But it’s not the only gaming option out there that gives you a chance to cripple Skynet once and for all.
If you’ve got an iPhone, which I think now has apps for administering flu shots and the morning after pill, you can get your hands on the Gameloft Terminator Salvation game, and based on the video, it’s a pretty good $6 investment. You play John Connor or Marcus Wright in a third-person shooter game that has nine levels and several missions. I have no idea who the controls would work for something like this, but I’m sure it would take a little getting used to.
Here’s what the new Terminator game will look like on your iPhone….
Myst Released For The iPhone
This is one of those things that sounds totally awesome for about ten seconds. Check out this announcement for your own ten second thrill:
Introducing Myst for the iPhone™ and iPod touch®. The complete worlds of Myst, in all its original elegance, in the palm of your hand. Remember how the surrealistic island became your world? The note, the garden, the books, the pages, the brothers, the choices? Now Myst can become your world no matter where in the world you are.
Okay, now that the concept is out there, consider the prospect of actually replaying Myst. The note, the garden, the books, the pages, the brothers. Yeah, all that. Again. And the choices? My choice would be to play something because it holds up and not out of nostalgia. But, yeah, it’s on the iPhone, which is actually one of the main advantages of most iPhone games.
Hulu App May Be Coming To The iPhone – Maybe
iPhone users may soon have access to the wide variety of TV programs available on Hulu. This website is reportedly working on an app that will let users access its content on Apple’s smartphone.
For those who are unfamiliar with it, Hulu is an online service that offers a wide selection of hit TV shows and some movies for free. It streams video in the Adobe Flash format, which the iPhone currently doesn’t support.
However, an app that will bring Hulu support to this device will be released the next few months, according to Silicon Valley Insider, who cites “a plugged-in industry executive” as the source.
