Pinbot didn’t sell well—this is a fact. Personally, I never deluded myself into thinking I’d become a millionaire with a game like mine, a breakout-style game that, although I believe it brought some freshness to the genre, remains rooted in mechanics from another time, more suited to nostalgic players than to newcomers. In any case, with the vast number of players logging into various online stores every day, I thought I could at least sell a modest 200 or 300 copies, but I didn’t even come close. I have my reasons for this: a lack of visibility, or, if you prefer, the marketing that’s necessary to gain it. I know full well I’m not a good salesperson, it’s never been a secret. If I could, I would have hired a professional, but the fees in this field are four-figure amounts, and I personally can’t afford that. Many of my “colleagues” believe they can run DIY marketing campaigns, but data suggests these aren’t effective, as most indie developers never release a second game, and most indie games end up selling fewer than a hundred copies, even when priced as low as $5.
Personally, I don’t make software for money, because I know much easier, safer, and more effective ways to make it. This is pure passion, nothing more. But it’s also true that when people are willing to pay for something you’ve created, that’s when you know they’re truly enthusiastic about it. I hoped for word of mouth, for individual excitement, and for the minimal exposure offered by online stores, but clearly, this trust was misplaced.
There was an entire universe to unfold around this game: I was working on a system to create a leaderboard that would surpass the limitations of the various stores, a universal one for all players, using the database of my website. I was even considering a potential port to Godot 4.x, which would improve performance thanks to the Vulkan engine…
Of course, given such dismal results, it’s clear that the Pinbot project is effectively over: version 1.2.3 will be the final one, regardless of what happens. There will be no upgrades or any kind of evolution. It will remain available as long as it doesn’t cause me any issues, unless it’s removed from the stores.
Finally, I’d like to publicly thank listsalad, a Steam user I don’t know personally, but who has always supported this project with enthusiasm.
November 7, 2024