IS HANDANGO INSANE?!? (Or am I??)

[fzammetti]

The unfortunate thing with any of these sites is of course the chicken and the egg deal... I'd bet not many developers are going to want to go to a new site, especially exclusively, but to even begin to catch up to Handango that's what you'll need to happen.

My guess is that no site is going to do very well (more specifically, not as well as us now pissed off developers would like and need) unless there are some really big names signed up when the site launches. Get PDAMill on board for instance and you gain instant credibility.

I personally also need to know that some level of publicity is being done for me, since that's the major draw of a Handango (for me anyway, that and handling the transactions naturally). The only way to demonstrate that is to have a track record of having done so, which obviously your not going to have when just starting out.

I guess what I'm trying to say is no matter how much vaseline I now have to apply to my ass to feel OK about these Handango changes, it STILL might be the best option for someone in my position, which I suspected is a large percentage of developers.

[blazingwolf]

I understand. However, if enough of you pissed off developers abandon handango and pocketgear for other sites, like the 1 j. Edwards wants to start perhaps they will take notice(probably wishfull thinking huh).

The developer for tweaks2k has put his app on the site I mentioned and on his own site and seems to be doing ok(might still be on handango but I'm not sure).

I guess the thing that gets me about this is everbody but Handango gets screwed. Developers make less profit unless they raise prices and, I as a consumer, get screwed because I have to pay more. While I like the programs you guys make it will come to a point that I will no longer be able to justify the cost for some of those programs. Ok I'm done ranting.

[rcp]

I can't help but wonder if Handango (and smaller sites) are just temporary. Once mobile software (games) really kicks in, I doubt publishers like EA and major distributors are going to allow Handango to exist. Right now EA sells some products on Handango, but I think that is only temporary. You can sure bet that if the software sales ever approached anything *remotely* near their PC and console sales that they would *never* give anyone 50%. In addition, I think that the eventual merger of phones and PDAs will put the wireless carrier in the driver's seat. You will get your software over the air from your service provider and sites like Handango will not be needed.

All that said... I am pissed as shit at Handango. Just when we cracked the top 10 list for Games, they start talking about taking more damn money.

I wonder if Handango ever heard the story about a goose and golden eggs.

J.Edwards:
I am sure we will put Virtual Pool Mobile on your site when you get it up. Good luck getting it together.

Cheers,
rcp

[j.edwards]

Frank, I understand and agree with what you say. One point I would like to make clear is I'm not offering to increase your sales, or maintain your sales at the current rate if you were to drop handango and only put your apps on my site. That obviously is a long term goal, but initially it will just be another site out there on the Internet. There are many things I can do to help kick start such as getting promotion through existing high traffic sites, but it will be an ongoing effort to continually increase traffic so the site drives sales, and doesn't just process sales resulting from other marketing.

What I'm offering initially is a "cheaper than handango" way to accept orders through a handango-like catalogue of software. The more developers can do to redirect sales to the site, the better it will work out for both developers and the site.

The basic principle I am working on is - If I can provide value to developers by offering exposure and fair fees and provide value to customers through exceptional service and give reasons to be repeat visitors and purchasers, and if developers can repay the favor by directing sales through the site, then everyone wins.

The other side to this is - if us developers don't at some point support a site like the one I'm building (or other ones that may be out there already), we will continue to get screwed. e.g. how long until they put it up to 50%, then 60% ...

[mlepage]

I'm making low enough margins as it is. I didn't need this news.

I feel more like a fool than a "partner".

[redbug]

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[sponge]

[redbug]

[StephC]

[j.edwards]

[refractor]

FWIW, I think that StephC is on the right track. With the resources we can put together, I think that we could reach critical mass (he says, without having released a game himself, yet ). A "for customers, by developers" site would be good for the scene as a whole, I believe.

The problem is, really, that if it's just a kind of link-fest to other sites then there's nothing to draw people to the site, or at least nothing to separate itself from a site like PocketGamer (and would probably compete with them, in actual fact).

The other problem, of course, is that of management - who gets to decide which game is at the top of the page, or how many front-page items each developer gets, etc. Working out that sort of thing will be a fine balancing act.

Anyway, ignoring my innate cynicism, how about we discuss the particular needs for the site, and then we'll know what to aim for?

[StephC]

[j.edwards]

[j.edwards]