App Store Statistics, Super Monkey Ball Making A Ton Of Money

[Edward Kirk]

<div id="inlinead" class="inlinead"><IFRAME src="http://adserver1.backbeatmedia.com/servlet/ajrotator/13894/222/viewHTML?pool=13886&type=3158&pos=20&zone=5000" width="300" height="250" align="middle" frameborder=0 marginwidth=0 marginheight=0 scrolling=no><script language="JavaScript" src="http://adserver1.backbeatmedia.com/servlet/ajrotator/13894/222/viewJScript?pool=13886&type=3158&pos=20&zone=5000"></script></IFRAME></div><div class="nodecontent"><img src="http://www.iphonealley.com/images/storyimages/appstore.jpg" align="right"/>

At the time the App Store was launched, Pinch Media took the time to calculate some statistics about the apps being offered. At the launch, they counted 552 applications. Of those, 417 are paid apps, and 135 are free. Of those that are paid, the most common prices were $0.99 for 85 apps, $9.99 for 82 apps, and $4.99 for 62 apps. They've compiled a bar graph of the prices, which you can see after the break. <!--break-->

<center><em>click to view</em>
<a href="http://www.iphonealley.com/images/storyimages/july08/pricegraph.jpg" rel="lightbox"><img src="http://www.iphonealley.com/images/storyimages/july08/pricegraph.jpg" width="300"/></a></center>

Possibly most interestingly of all, however, is the discovery that the download stats for the apps in the store are displayed on the applications' home pages, showing how many times it's been downloaded. Super Monkey Ball, one of the apps that was highly publicized, was last known to have been downloaded 12553 times. Since they also show the prices of the device, we can calculate that SEGA has made at least <s>$27,462</s> $87,871 just today, after Apple took their 30% cut. At this rate, the App Store is looking like it will be quite a success.

[via <a href="http://www.macrumors.com/2008/07/10/itunes-app-store-screenshots-pricing-revenues-and-more/" target="_blank">MacRumors</a>, <a href="http://www.pinchmedia.com/iphone-application-price-distribution/" target="_blank">Pinch Media</a>]</div>

[dark_coupon]

Didn't you say in another article that Super Monkey Ball was $10? If its been downloaded 12553 times, its made $125,530, 30% of which is $37,659 which means SEGA has made $87,871.

[madscientest]

Didn't you say in another article that Super Monkey Ball was $10? If its been downloaded 12553 times, its made $125,530, 30% of which is $37,659 which means SEGA has made $87,871.

I will not buy any apps from the app store and will take it off the iphone first chance i get

Do you really think it cost sega 87k to make this game? note even close. so they are obviously overcharging for apps just to make a penny and squeeze out my dry pockets in this already dry economy. kinda like the gas companies if you ask me.

[Snoop1990]

I am just waiting for the first cracks to become available for the iphone :D

Really the iphone is no phone anymore it is a computer, some kind of minimized mac :D

[*Tomer]

Didn't you say in another article that Super Monkey Ball was $10? If its been downloaded 12553 times, its made $125,530, 30% of which is $37,659 which means SEGA has made $87,871.

Aim was downloaded 12553 times..

[Snoop1990]

Aim was downloaded 12553 times..

Thanks for correction ;)

[garbamm]

I will not buy any apps from the app store and will take it off the iphone first chance i get

Do you really think it cost sega 87k to make this game? note even close. so they are obviously overcharging for apps just to make a penny and squeeze out my dry pockets in this already dry economy. kinda like the gas companies if you ask me.

Its called capitalism.....who is not out to make a profit?

[*Budd]

I will not buy any apps from the app store and will take it off the iphone first chance i get

Do you really think it cost sega 87k to make this game? note even close. so they are obviously overcharging for apps just to make a penny and squeeze out my dry pockets in this already dry economy. kinda like the gas companies if you ask me.

You don't have to buy it, unlike gasoline that you need to have to get to work, etc. Just don't buy it and you can send your statement to the developer with your wallet.

[dark_coupon]

Aim was downloaded 12553 times..

Super Monkey Ball, one of the apps that was highly publicized, was last known to have been downloaded 12553 times. Since they also show the prices of the device, we can calculate that SEGA has made at least $27,462 just today, after Apple took their 30% cut. At this rate, the App Store is looking like it will be quite a success.

Just going off what the article said.

[dark_coupon]

I will not buy any apps from the app store and will take it off the iphone first chance i get

Do you really think it cost sega 87k to make this game? note even close. so they are obviously overcharging for apps just to make a penny and squeeze out my dry pockets in this already dry economy. kinda like the gas companies if you ask me.

It costs more to make a game than you think. Consider programers' and designers' salaries, facilities, equipment, time, etc... Not to mention the fact that they are actually a company who are out to make money. Not everything is free. Get used to it.

By the way, this would be a good thing for the economy if companies are making money.

[Capitalist]

I will not buy any apps from the app store and will take it off the iphone first chance i get

Do you really think it cost sega 87k to make this game? note even close. so they are obviously overcharging for apps just to make a penny and squeeze out my dry pockets in this already dry economy. kinda like the gas companies if you ask me.

Spoken like a true communist.

[muchospanish]

Do you really think it cost sega 87k to make this game?
Apple has made a fortune off of all of us, too, but we like their products so, that's life. Don't begrudge others' success. It brings bad energy. Oh, not to mention all the junk we buy that we could probably live without.

I wouldn't however, pay more than $9.99. Some of these apps are priced way too high.

Dan

[muchospanish]

I don't see where the downloads are listed...

Dan

[WatersWest]

Why even frequent a blog like this one if all you're gonna do is bitch and moan?? Go follow some blog of something you ARE interested in ... enough whining already!!

[*Hockeylord104]

I am just waiting for the first cracks to become available for the iphone :D

Really the iphone is no phone anymore it is a computer, some kind of minimized mac :D

Its a Mac Nano

[rawhead]

I will not buy any apps from the app store and will take it off the iphone first chance i get

Do you really think it cost sega 87k to make this game? note even close. so they are obviously overcharging for apps just to make a penny and squeeze out my dry pockets in this already dry economy. kinda like the gas companies if you ask me.

Uhh, yeah, actually I do, considering that one good programmer is gonna cost you upwards of 200k a year; if only one such programmer worked on this software, you could only afford about 5 months, or 125 of his working days with 87K.


I seriously doubt Hudson spent less than 125 programmer-days to develop an app for a whole new platform.

[to*]

Why even frequent a blog like this one if all you're gonna do is bitch and moan?? Go follow some blog of something you ARE interested in ... enough whining already!!

Follow ur own advice.

J/S

[Stephen007]

No video recorder app in the iPhone store. I thought that would surely be in there.

[dark_coupon]

Thanks for trying to correct, but $37,659 is Apple's 30% cut....the line should read "we can calculate that SEGA has made at least $87,871 just today, after Apple took their 30% cut."

Just copy and paste that, seriously.

[NetMage]

Uhh, yeah, actually I do, considering that one good programmer is gonna cost you upwards of 200k a year; if only one such programmer worked on this software, you could only afford about 5 months, or 125 of his working days with 87K.


I seriously doubt Hudson spent less than 125 programmer-days to develop an app for a whole new platform.

I think I'm a pretty good programmer (fair disclosure: I no longer program for a living) and I don't cost that much :)

OTOH, from what Sega said at the original App Store announcement, it shouldn't have taken them 125 programmer-days - the iPhone SDK and development process is so efficient they had it mostly done in two (real) weeks with a couple of programmers!

[*Harfang]

I will not buy any apps from the app store and will take it off the iphone first chance i get

Do you really think it cost sega 87k to make this game? note even close. so they are obviously overcharging for apps just to make a penny and squeeze out my dry pockets in this already dry economy. kinda like the gas companies if you ask me.

Aren't all companies out there to make money. Listen, if $10.00 is to much to pay for a little entertainment, then maybe you should not have forked out the cash to buy such an expensive phone in the first place. Stick with the pay as you go phones!

[*eh?]

Spoken like a true communist.

Most people who throw the word "communist" around have no idea what the word means. Communism was a great idea; it was human greed that killed communism.

[Stephen007]

Communism was a great ideaI disagree but feel like we're getting pretty far afield on a Super Monkey Ball making lots of money story.

In this country Sega has a right to make money... even lots of it (oh the horror).

[Programmer]

I think I'm a pretty good programmer (fair disclosure: I no longer program for a living) and I don't cost that much :)

OTOH, from what Sega said at the original App Store announcement, it shouldn't have taken them 125 programmer-days - the iPhone SDK and development process is so efficient they had it mostly done in two (real) weeks with a couple of programmers!

Don't forget employment tax and medical insurance cost.

A company pays about 2 times your salary after everything is said and done.

[iswenson]

Most people who throw the word "communist" around have no idea what the word means. Communism was a great idea; it was human greed that killed communism.

alright stalin, if you say so. :)
theres nothing wrong with them charging money for their program. downloading super monkey ball for your phone isnt that much different from buying a game for your psp, or xbox or what have you. but you wouldn't expect those games to be free would you? i think its good that they are making money from their apps because that may be incentive for other developers to get involved.

[Unregistered]

I will not buy any apps from the app store and will take it off the iphone first chance i get

Do you really think it cost sega 87k to make this game? note even close. so they are obviously overcharging for apps just to make a penny and squeeze out my dry pockets in this already dry economy. kinda like the gas companies if you ask me.


Can you believe the audacity of these companies... trying to make money!?! How outrageous. Video games would be so much better if they were developed under government grants and distributed for free. Why do you think so many great 1980s video games came out of the Soviet Union?