Game developers are increasingly employing the direct-to-consumer (D2C) model in their games, claim analysts from FastSpring and Omdia. Experts arrived at this conclusion after surveying 110 executives from various studios.
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Note: absolutely all studios participating in the survey are involved in mobile games, but their portfolios are not limited to just those. Many are also developing browser, console, and PC titles.
59% of developers told analysts that they already run their own web shops where gamers can make purchases directly from them. Among those who haven't launched such a platform, 91% plan to do so in the foreseeable future. Moreover, they do not intend to wait long – 67% admitted they want to achieve this within about a year.
Interestingly, the majority of respondents cited the desire to enhance brand recognition and audience loyalty, rather than saving on store commissions, as the primary motive for shifting to direct sales. This was the response of 66% of developers. The second most common reason was the ability to gain full access to customer data and analytics (58%). Only thereafter do reasons like better control over pricing and discounts (54%) and increased profitability (52%) follow.
At the same time, half of the developers fear damaging their relationships with Apple and Google due to direct sales.
Despite potential risks, the strategy is yielding results. According to developers using direct sales, web shops currently account for 10 to 29% of their revenue. About a third of studios generate more than 20% of their revenue this way. Additionally, it is noted that with each passing year, the share of income from direct sales is increasing for most.