Reflecting on my own indie game purchasing patterns

I often play free games.
At the same time, I also frequently buy and play indie games.
Indie games are games created by individuals or small teams and are primarily available for purchase on platforms like Steam and DLsite.
The biggest difference between this and a free game is whether or not it's paid content.

Since free games are free of charge, you can easily download and play them if you're interested.
However, indie games are paid games, so they can't be downloaded as easily as free games.
This time, I'd like to reflect on and analyze the reasons why I've purchased indie games in the past.

I enjoyed playing the demo.

Indie games are generally cheaper than console games sold by major manufacturers.
Even so, if you keep buying every piece that catches your eye, you'll never have enough money.
I think everyone wants to buy the most interesting game possible when they're paying for it.
However, it's quite difficult to judge whether a work is interesting or not based solely on the product description page on the sales website.

However, recently,More and more indie games are now offering free demo versions for download.
With this type of game, you can play the demo and choose to buy it if you find it interesting, or not buy it if you don't.

However, I think there are some games that don't become interesting until you've progressed to a certain point.
In the case of such works, even if there is a demo version that allows you to play only the beginning, I feel that people often don't end up purchasing the full game.

The games I played the demo of and ended up buying are:Works that have momentum in the beginning, or works that end at a point that makes you want to know what happens next.I think that was the most common answer.
Other than that,A game where the same game system continues throughout.There were many of those (dungeon RPGs, simulation games).
If the developer is confident they can attract players to a certain extent with the demo version, they might be intentionally designing it this way.

I enjoyed another work by the same author.

Let's say a certain author's free game was extremely fun.
And when that author releases their next work, I often feel confident buying it, even if it's paid content.
I think a major factor is that a certain level of enjoyment is guaranteed by their past works.

If paying money means I can play an even better sequel, I would gladly be willing to contribute.
Even if a creator who has produced several hit free games were to start making only paid games from now on, I would gladly buy them as long as they maintain their quality.
This might be what fan psychology is all about.

I feel that this trend is similar in consumer games as well.
Just as many people think, "Dragon Quest 3 was fun, so I'll buy 4 too!", the reason why hit games often have sequels is largely because a certain level of sales can be expected.
However, this could lead to sequels being made until sales drop, so the final installment of a series doesn't always leave a good impression.

It was simply a work in a genre and with content that I liked.

If a work is in a genre or has content that I like, I might still purchase it even without a trial version.
However, with limited information to base a decision on, it becomes a gamble, which inevitably raises the barrier to purchase.
Sometimes, a game that would be perfectly satisfying as a free game might not deliver the level of satisfaction one expected because they paid for it.
While I believe that enjoyment and price are inherently separate issues, I think the reason for the difference lies in the fact that the level of satisfaction expected from a free game differs from that of a game that costs 10,000 yen.

Ultimately, I often end up buying a game after researching screenshots, game descriptions, and player reviews extensively.
However, if it doesn't meet your expectations, you'll inevitably feel disappointed, especially since you've paid for it.

If it's a free game, it's easy to stop playing it midway through.
However, with paid games, there's a strong feeling that you have to finish them since you've already bought them, and it feels like a waste to stop playing halfway through.
As a result, we sometimes demand more entertainment than necessary, and can even become aggressive.
In such cases, I try to think, "This work wasn't right for me," and try to stay as calm as possible.

Even if there is no trial version,Live commentary videos and detailed introductory articlesI think that having things like that would encourage people to buy it.
It's a rather difficult method to use, but when you do find an interesting game this way, it feels like you've discovered a hidden gem, and it's a truly rewarding feeling.

summary

I've listed three patterns in which I buy indie games.
However, as I continued writing, it began to feel more like "conditions" than patterns.

I feel that the more of the following conditions apply, the more likely it is that a customer will purchase the game: ① they enjoyed another work by the same author, ② they enjoyed playing the demo, or ③ it's simply a game in a genre or with content they like.

Based on experience,The strongest condition is ① I enjoyed another work by the same author.That's it.
Once I play a game by a creator and become a fan, I realize that I'm easily tempted to buy their other works—not because I'm infatuated, but because I'm easily swayed.

The next strongest factor was ② that I enjoyed playing the demo, and finally ③ that it was simply a work in a genre and content I liked., will come.
Item ③ is, in a sense, a prerequisite for everything, but since I might buy it if items ① and ② are met, ③ isn't necessarily essential for me.
If all three elements (①, ②, and ③) are present, then in my opinion, it's a guaranteed masterpiece.

Some people consider free games and indie games to be closely related, while others consider them to be completely different.
Some people might feel that because it's free, they can create whatever they want, or they might feel motivated to create high-quality work because it's paid.

As just a player, I don't really care which it is, as long as it's an enjoyable game.
The bar for finding something interesting changes depending on whether it's free or paid, but I think it's best to explore both without overthinking it.

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