Data & Research

App Store Analysis: Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies gnaws at Top Grossing

Console brand + Nazi zombies = $9.99 cash in

App Store Analysis: Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies gnaws at Top Grossing
Demonstrating how quickly games can race up the App Store charts, as well as the fact gamers will pay for valued content, this week's otherwise rather boring chart activity has been quickened by the arrival of the Vivendi-published and Ideaworks3D developed Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies.

Based on a single level - Night of the Undead - from the Call of Duty: World at War console map pack 1, the game has you - and your co-op chums - fighting Nazi zombies.

More significant perhaps considering its position at #47 in the US Paid and #12 in the US Top Grossing is its $9.99 price tag.

With the exception of EA Mobile, there have been few console licences bought to iPhone. Even Gameloft has tended to stick with its mobile brands rather than looking through Ubisoft's console IP library. The success of Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies should get companies rethinking their plans.

Indeed, Ubisoft is releasing the iPhone version of Assassin's Creed II this week.

Not related to brands, but it's also worth taking the opportunity to point out that ngmoco's freemium shooter Eliminate continues to perform.

It's dropped slightly to #5 in the US Free Top 100, but people are continuing to pay for extra power cells as the game remains strong in the Top Grossing chart: #7 at time of writing.

Making the most of 99c

In terms of the US Paid Top 100, things are much the same as last week.

99c games such as Disney's Jelly Car 2, Freeverse's Skee-Ball and Elena Kim's Coast Defense are highly placed, with only PopCap's Bejeweled 2 ($2.99) breaking the cheap game domination of the top 10.

And these games sell at such volumes that Jelly Car 2 is #4 in the US Top Grossing chart. Skee-Ball is #16 and Coast Defense #17.

Still, the difference between the average price of games on the two charts is large.

The average price of the Paid Top 100 is $2.90, while it's $4.82 for the Top Grossing chart.

More significant is the difference when it comes to the positions 1-10.



It's the cheapest section of the entire Paid Top 100, while (almost) the most expensive for the Top Grossing. (The cost of the 91-100 positions is due to the number of $10+ purchases of points for some of the iPhone MMOGs such as Epic Pet Wars and iMobster.)

Three bucks is the magic number

There's a similar disconnect in terms of the distribution of game prices, with everything shifted expensive in term of the Top Grossing chart.

For example, two thirds of the Paid games are priced at $2.99 or less, while it's less than 50 percent for Top Grossing games.



The good news though is developers only need to push back their game price to $2.99 to have the opportunity to get the best of both worlds.

The big beasts

But when it comes to those companies really making a success of the App Store, EA Mobile and Gameloft continue in their own rarified world.

Some of Gameloft's cheaper titles have dropped out the Paid Top 100 but where it matter - Top Grossing - it's still strong.

Glu Mobile has also maintained its position from last week, with four games - including Super KO Boxing 2 and World Series of Poker Hold 'em Legend - both at $4.99 - providing a decent $3.99 average price.



Tapulous is boosted with the re-entry of its Lady Gaga Revenge game, while PopCap's Top Grossing status also remains intact thanks to its cast iron casual gaming brands such as Peggle and Bejeweled 2.

The arrival of Triniti Interactive into the charts - thanks to the positions of iPuppy World, iSniper 3D and All-In-1 Gamebox - is more of a surprise however.

Still, it does demonstrate the depth of the App Store ecosystem and how companies can operate successfully even at the high volume, low margin end of the business.

Contributing Editor

A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon is Contributing Editor at PG.biz which means he acts like a slightly confused uncle who's forgotten where he's left his glasses. As well as letters and cameras, he likes imaginary numbers and legumes.