As the title reads - since the freemium model seems like the only viable for mobile games right now, which route do you tend to go as solo devs/small studios? Do you incorporate all the IAPs and ads you were planning to right away at launch or do you launch the game without them and wait with adding them until it gets some traction, so as not to scare away the initial userbase? Or maybe you incorporate _some_ ads right away (like the less obtrusive ones - static banners at the bottom, for example) while waiting with interstitials/videos for longer?
Also, did you find like some things are a big no-no or that they simply don't work like you'd like them to? Like, do you still use forced interstitials every X restarts, for example, or did you move away from this? What are your good practices you try to keep in mind?
Which methods proved more viable to make ends meet for you?
What is the best method of incorporating ads/IAPs into your mobile game as an indie dev in 2020?
Ads are a business matter, not a game design matter. Accordingly, this topic has been moved to the Business/Law forum.
These are all business decisions, and games take a huge variety of choices on them.
While it isn't the only viable model you claim, it is certainly a popular model.
The scenario of starting out ad free and then adding ads happens as projects grow and realize the revenue potential, but it tends to be unpopular. The scenario of starting with a few ads and then increasing them over time is less unpopular; people will complain about the increase if they notice it, but they knew from the beginning there were ads. Decisions around what ads to use, and when/where to show them, are unique to each game.
I see. So what would be a good process of choosing the right ad system if you're just a solo dev and don't really have the manpower to spend hours upon hours on developing skinner box-like monetization systems? I'm not even sure my game, being a simple puzzle one, is going to get any traction to I find it hard justify to do some elaborate lootboxing or gem-based systems with ingame lotteries and whatnot if I may end up spending more time on that than the actual game and then have a hundred downloads :(
OK, so business decisions are hard! Simplify the question. Given that the game has X odds of making money and setting it up with Y monetization method is too hard, just don't go with Y. Draw up a decision grid about your various ad system options (if ads is really the best way to go). Consider the pros and cons of each ad system. Work effort is an important consideration. So is maintenance, and user support, and who runs the site/platform where people will get your game. A decision grid would be “a good process of choosing the right ad system," which is what you asked.
