Experiment: monetizing a Flash game - Part 9
Posted by Emanuele Feronato on 05/3/08 in Flash, Game design, Monetize
Multipart tutorial: available parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
This is a big update of the experiment, because lots of interesting things happened since the last one.
Let’s start:
Goals and targets
Obviously every experiment has its goals. I have two different types of goals: hourly income and games played.
The hourly income is necessary to earn a decent amount of money from the games, while the more games played, the more my brand spreading through the web.
The dollar did not get weaker during the last months, so the minimum goal is to earn $46 per hour of development/promotion, while the awesome goal is set to $123/hour.
As for the games played, I feel happy if a game joins the so-called million plays club and very very happy if joins the five millions plays club.
At the moment my games cannot aim to a more exclusive club…
Old games
First, I am showing you what’s going on with my old games
Circle Chain
Hours spent developing: 3
Hours spent promoting: 1
Hourly income: $78
Christmas Couples
Hours spent developing: 6
Hours spent promoting: 1
Hourly income: $164
Proud member of the five millions plays club
Tileball
Hours spent developing: 6
Hours spent promoting: 1
Hourly income: $5
GuessNext
Hours spent developing: 4
Hours spent promoting: 0
Hourly income: $55
Glomb
Hours spent developing: 3
Hours spent promoting: 1
Hourly income: $155
Proud member of the millions plays club
Now, time to talk about…
BallBalance
BallBalance was my first sponsored game.
Thanks to Chris at Flash Game License I got two sponsorships: one with Kongregate and one with Addicting Games
The game rocked on NewGrounds, getting the frontpage and having really good reviews


Anyway, outside NG, a lot of people found the game boring. I have to keep this in mind when making the sequel
Having the frontpage on NG helped me a lot to virally distribute the game, that is already member of the million plays club and on its way to join the five millions plays club.
As said, I found the first sponsor, Kongregate, thanks to Flash Game License. But what makes FGL special is that it’s not over once your game has been published.
If your main sponsor allows you to sell branded sitelocked versions of your game to other portals (usually after some amount of time), you can use FGL services to find a second sponsor, then a third one and so on.
That’s how I got in touch with Addicting Games. Justin at AG was a very kind and professional person, and really helped me filling all forms and documents needed to have my game hosted on AG

I spent 18 hours coding BallBalance, and I still have to promote it because of the huge distribution NG frontpage gave to the game. I spent another hour customizing it for AG, for a total of 19 hours at $132/hour
Recommended moneymakers
So how can you get the best monetization from your game?
First, sign up to MochiAds. The service is getting better and better and now introduced a service for portal owners that I will discuss in another post, and a detailed analytics report that allow you to know in which domains or coutries your ads are being displayed.
Another service you can’t miss is Flash Game License. This site introduced new features since my first review and now finding a sponsor is even easier because of the newsletter that FGL sends daily to portal owners with all new game submission, showing your game to more than 200 sponsors.
Moreover, there is a forum where all developers can share their ideas about coding, collaborations, game feedback, and so on.
If you are completely new to Flash games sponsorship, you must also take a look at Flash Game Sponsorship, where you can find useful informations about sponsorship evolution, case histories, suggestions and guidelines.
What’s next?
Soon the experiment will cover my new game, Bees n’ Flowers, the game born from my Perfectionism tutorial and self sponsored by my game portal, Triqui.
The question I am trying to answer is: why do portals pays for having their logos in your games?
Multipart tutorial: available parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
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Sunil Patel | May 3, 2008 | Reply
Gratz on the success of Ball Balance. I can’t wait for bees and flowers, or the answer to your next question. I still find it hard to believe that one game can earn a portal thousands of dollars (although its obviously true…)!
chuck | May 3, 2008 | Reply
I think that it’s funny that ball balance bombed on addicting games and you still made like $400 of that sight alone
styxtwo | May 3, 2008 | Reply
to bad tileball didn’t make to much. i feel it was the one game that deserved the most views. to bad its not up to me xD
Xodus | May 3, 2008 | Reply
I actually saw ball balance on addicting games at my friend’s house and i couldn’t belive it.
Good job.
Darryl | May 4, 2008 | Reply
First of I have to say Mr Feronato … you’re a true legend; if I make money off of this I’ll send you a beer or 20 ;). Secondly, companies want their logo/link to their site on games simply so they can gain traffic to their site … and once you get a lot of traffic you can start approaching serious (large) companies and sell them ad space on your site. And that’s where the SERIOUS money is … as you know its all about advertising my friend … keep up the good work.
Tom Fulp | May 4, 2008 | Reply
newgrounds now has a ad program.
The ads are less intrusive then mochi ads (they dont force you to sit there for 10 seconds)
They also have a equal if not higher ecpm then mochiads, i suggest you try it out and keep us informed of your progress.
http://www.newgrounds.com/account/flashapi/
sincerly
Tom Fulp of newgrounds.com
Kesh | May 4, 2008 | Reply
how much did u sell your game for to triqui? I would’ve asked for 10,000 no less.
Emanuele Feronato | May 4, 2008 | Reply
I’ll try newgrounds ads soon…
souled | May 5, 2008 | Reply
Is that really Tom from Newgrounds? :O
Will Triqui start sponsoring games now?
Emanuele Feronato | May 5, 2008 | Reply
It seems it’s the real Tom Fulp.
I planned to try NG ads before his comment, as a part of the experiment.
At the moment Triqui won’t sponsor games.
There is no reason, AT THE MOMENT, to play a game on Triqui rather than Kong, NG, Nonoba, and so on.
AT THE MOMENT
Azulth | May 13, 2008 | Reply
Congratulations on making all that money. More than enough for a PS3. ;)
Most games are awesome. Keep up the good work!
Scott Johnson | May 24, 2008 | Reply
First, let me say I’m a huge fan and I’ve been reading your experiment very closely. Interesting stuff! I’ve thought about ‘buying you a beer’ and I find this bullet on your about me page!?!
4. I don’t smoke, don’t drink alchool and don’t take any drug. Anymore.
Well I guess I shouldn’t but you any beers! So instead I’ve played some of your games upping your mochi-ad revenue :p
Gloory | Jun 9, 2008 | Reply
It seems like you should check out these developing contests:
NOnoba.com and or XPOGames.com/contests…
You might take the first, second and other prices….:-)
Gloory
Scott Johnson | Jul 1, 2008 | Reply
I demand more updates! :)