Chapter 120: Gearing Up

The gang pulled up the metrics on AppSphere first.

Considering the 420K+ wishlists count was a combined metric across both the smartphone and PC storefront, it didn’t come as a surprise then that AppSphere had the higher base of players.

Having accounted for a total of 270K+ wishlists, the download numbers had already reached a total of 60K+ in just over three hours.

That alone, was a clear indicator that the wishlist to player conversion rate, was somewhere around twenty to twenty-five percent, if not more considering the day wasn’t over yet.

At the same time, it also meant they’d accumulated roughly $299K+ in gross revenue, which by the time AppSphere’s publishing cut was removed, meant they’d have a good net profit of about $239K+ to split amongst themselves.

One had to remember, that this was solely on the mobile storefront.

It was also why, though there was a palpable air of excitement in the air as the gang individually checked their phones, it didn’t take long before they’d all pivoted to check the numbers on Portal.

Unsurprisingly, the conversion rate of wishlists to players on the PC gaming storefront was higher.

Given Portal had accounted for about 150K+ in wishlists, 35% of those players had bought the game, accounting for 52K+ in downloads in the same time frame.

Once again, they’d made some serious greens that tallied up to about $259K+ in gross revenue, which when all was said and done--case in point, Portal’s 30% publishing cut--would definitely result in $181K+ in net gains for Crashout Interactive.

That in addition to the prior gains of the mobile storefront, collated to roughly $420K+ in profit for the gang.

Which was once again, a staggering number for a game they’d built in just a week--minus a month of prior research that is.

No sooner had Benjamin done the rough calculations of things in his head, he casually broke into a crip walk dance whilst vibing to his own flows;

It’s Monday, and I’m loaded...

It’s Monday, and I’m loaded...

Clearly, Larry was in the know of the lyrics, hence why he joined and picked up from where his buddy ended;

My next cheque’s coming next month,

My cheque better not be late,

My next cheque’s coming next month,

My cheque better not be late,

Watching them shimmy towards each other across the living room, Clyde opted to give them some backup with a clean beatbox while Aiden, Theo and Casper began hailing them as they chorused;

So I’mma act like I’m rich (Heyyy...!)

Act like I’m rich (Heyyy...!)

Act like I’m rich (Heyyy...!)

A-a-act like I’m rich (Heyyy...!!)

It didn’t take a minute after that. Aiden burst into laughter whilst remarking;

"We’re so, so unserious!"

The rest of the gang had already lost it as well, all five wiping the mistiness from their eyes.

Even then, they looked notably proud of their achievements as they soon resumed checking other things pertaining to the game’s launch.

Theo had gone straight to the concurrent player metrics, which happened to be around 10K+. Even then, it seemed to be rising every minute in the high double digits.

Aiden on the other hand, was currently checking the reviews of the game, a light smile on his features.

-

Spongebob’s Pirate Captain:

Are you ready kids?! Do you want to do some virtual hard drugs?! Then buy this five-dollar virtual cocaine! Trust me, you’ll regret not doing so earlier!

Fish-eyed Japanese Office Worker:

Me at midnight: Oh? New game from the devs of [Crashout: Sin City]? I’mma give it a shot.

Me five hours later: It’s already 7am! I have to got to work but... but... but just one more run!

Bart Simpleton Simpson:

Straight visual pollution. That’s what this game is. It’s honestly an ADHD patient’s wet dream ’cause I genuinely don’t know what’s going on at times! But the feeling of simply moving around as I watch hordes upon hordes of monsters die around me is so, so addicting!

Rasputin’s Revolver:

Bought this game on my phone whilst on the train ride this morning on my commute to work and I intend to purchase it again on my beefy ass PC when I get off the clock. It’s so absurdly addicting and I’ve only spent an hour on it, yet it’s literally all I’ve been thinking of all morning ever since.

Stroking Furiously, Typing Furiously:

I came here for the busty witch and banshee. I stayed because there’s definitely some meth in this game. It’s just that good! Haven’t been this addicted to something since I quit casino gambling... wait a minute! This game’s literally a casino simulator disguised as a roguelite!

That One Gamer Girl:

Crashout Interactive already showing signs of being my favorite new indie dev team. They literally took everything they learnt from [Crashout: Sin City’s] roguelite mode and expanded on it to high heavens! Not a single microtransaction too! I couldn’t be more impressed. I hope they continue to support it with as much love as they have their former game.

-

’That we will.’ Aiden reacted to that review in particular with an assuring nod.

Given they’d outlined several more interesting characters, mechanics, powerups, evolutions and the likes for [Gothic Survivors] over the course of its one-week development, they very much intended to push out free DLC updates in the coming months alongside [Crashout: Sin City].

Casually, Aiden kept scrolling down the page, his smile widening into a grin.

Granted the most recent reviews were overwhelmingly positive, as was the general reception of the game, Aiden still managed to come across a couple negative ones.

But that was par for the course for any creative work that was uploaded onto the internet.

Safe to say though, [Gothic Survivors] was gearing up to be a resounding success.

Looking up to his buddies whom were equally absorbed in the screens of their phone as they went through the game’s metrics and reviews, Aiden’s gaze soon landed on Casper.

Staring at the blonde-haired youth who looked genuinely happy, Aiden then asked, his tone casual;

"Say Casper, I’m guessing you intend to retrieve your funds in the first week of September?"

"Yep," Casper replied without tearing his gaze from the screen of his smartphone.

To that, the coal-haired youth softly bobbed his head in understanding.

His buddy would be turning eighteen very soon, so it made a lot of sense that he wanted to legally be an adult and own his own shit.

That was the only way he could effectively fend off his old man’s grubby hands from his hard-earned money.

But even Aiden couldn’t have expected the next words that would come out of his buddy’s mouth;

"But first, I have to ragebait my old man into disowning me."

This time, the rest of the gang looked up as well, all four evidently just as concerned as Aiden was.

At the same time, Casper tore his gaze away from the phone as he said to his buddy with a casual air, his smile genuine;

"Which is why I really appreciate you holding onto it for me--"

"What’s wrong?" Casper suddenly cut himself off once he realized the reactions he was getting, his head tilted slightly in mild confusion.

"If you’re worried I’m going to do anything crazy, or he’s going to do anything crazy, you can all chill," the blonde-haired youth immediately picked up on the reason for their worry.

"He’s my father, remember? Might be an irredeemable scumbag, but I do know him inside out," he assured them with a slight arch of his brow and a gestured tilt of his head.

"Which means I know just what to say and do to piss him off, and also get what I want," Casper waved off their worry with a relaxed air.

"It’s gonna be messy though," he thoughtfully mused, a finger tapping his chin.

"But, oh well." Casper simply shrugged as he resumed swiping across the screen of his phone.

Seeing that he was indeed genuinely fine and he seemed to have made his peace with it, the rest of the gang looked to each other briefly, then let out quiet, individual sighs of acceptance.

Then Aiden decided to switch topics to return the atmosphere to its prior peppiness;

"Well, in other news, yours truly is finally going to be getting his very own ride."

"About time!" Benjamin responded first, while the rest of the gang began discussing various things pertaining to when he was going to get it and what kind of vehicle he was interested in.

At the same time, it soon dawned on Clyde, Larry, Theo and even Casper that they would all be needing their own personal vehicles very soon.

Before long, their conversations had expanded far beyond Aiden as they all went on the internet and begun scouring it for any economically worthwhile rides that would catch their fancy.

Yet, [Gothic Survivor] sales were steadily racking up by the minute without any signs of stopping, so much that in the coming months, the gang wouldn’t even know what to make of it.