Now, with a slate of releases - both games and apps - announced for the end of 2010 and into 2011, it keen to prove the App Store publishing model remains one with plenty of potential.
We caught up with COO, director of publishing, Dino Decespedes to find out more.
Pocket Gamer: It's taken Appular time to fill out its slate as a publisher, so what's the process been like?
Dino Decespedes: The process has been incredibly exciting. The partnerships built over the past six months have easily been the best part of the entire initiative.
Brainstorming, problem solving and coming together on projects with some of the most talented developers around has been amazing. We're confident that the hard work put in by everyone involved will show when these titles hit the store.
What do you think are the key attributes a publisher brings to developers?
In Appular's case, first and foremost, we bring an unparalleled level of market experience and expertise. We understand the market. We understand the user. And we know how to turn an idea or concept into something that will have success in the space.
We recognise that it takes a particular skill set to design and build a great app, and in many cases, a completely different skill set to communicate the finer details of an app and get it sold to the end user. We bring that specialised skill to the table.
How do you choose the games you publish?
We like to think that we choose each other. Instead of choosing the right games or apps, the focus is on choosing the right development partner.
We are aligning ourselves with developers that are committed to their projects, are open to new ideas, and interested in and committed to long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships.
What sort of input can you have on games that are still in development?
We have provided all types of input including art, functionality, pricing, and game mechanic feedback. Our most valuable contribution, however, is user experience input. We approach every title from the perspective of an individual who is using his device for the very first time. We ask ourselves what their experience is like.
In most cases, developers come to us for this type of input. Developers are confident in their product or concept but are still looking for a new experienced set of eyes to look their project over and provide some unique feedback.
What's your take on moving away from publishing on iOS to other mobile devices?
It very much depends on the app store situation. The Apple App Store is king because it's the leading mobile software buying experience. Screenshots, rankings, testimonials, scale, and simplicity all make iTunes the leader.
We obviously follow all of the Android, Windows Phone 7, Palm and Nokia news, but until a store that can attract a critical mass of shoppers arises, we're on the sidelines.
What's your take on paid versus freemium?
Paid and freemium are two entirely different models. I don't necessarily think one is versus the other. I liken freemium to a casino experience. It's mindless, it's simple, it's rewarding, it's addicting, but it isn't a game, as we've come to think of games. It's a slot machine.
In my opinion, paid gaming will continue to evolve one way, and freemium will evolve another way.
Freemium will always be about monetising - not necessarily about turning - freemium experiences into more traditional gaming experiences. I don't believe the two models need to converge. Freemium innovation won't come from making freemium look more like paid. It will come from figuring out how to better monetise obsessive behavior.
What can you say about how you structure your deals?
We structure our deals very fairly. Each deal is on a case-by-case basis and highly dependent upon our level of investment and the nature of our partnership.
The biggest guarantee we can offer a developer is that of commitment. We are bringing strategy, PR support, social media support, and advertising budgets to the table and investing our own time and effort to fully back these titles coming out of the gate. We are providing full marketing support, both pre-launch and post-launch, for only a share in the revenue.
There are no upfront costs to our development partners, only a joint commitment by both parties to produce the best possible title.
Aside from toppling Angry Birds from the top of the charts...! bringing the best apps to consumers and staying at the forefront in terms of understanding this marketplace is what's next for Appular.
We feel there are only a handful of companies out there with the data, experience and understanding that we have in this office. It's our single biggest advantage and one that we are committed to sharing with our partners and their projects for the sake of a better mobile gaming experience.
Thanks to Dino for his time.
You can keep up to date with Appular via its website.
