How I sold the rights to my Android app
Good day!
In this post, I would like to share my experience in developing an application and not an obvious way to monetize.
The story began a year ago. Having got sick on New Year's holidays, I decided not to waste time in vain, but to begin studying the Android platform. At that time I knew little about her, and in Java I was not strong. I decided to start the study by writing a small game.
UPD: Can anyone comment on the price? Is it a lot or a little, how much do you think it could cost?
Then in a week the first version of the game Letter Tower Defense was born. I inserted an advertisement into it and waited. Time passed, and the game was gaining popularity weakly and I didn’t have any income from advertising. I tried to use various advertising providers: QuattroWireless, AdMob, Smaato, but the income was calculated in dollars per month.
At the same time, I released several updates that correct errors, but this did not change the situation. The main problem is that the game did not use NDK, and I did not understand the life cycle of the program. Because of this, the game crashed when minimized or an incoming call.
At that moment, when I understood the reasons for the main problems, the game got about 5,000 downloads, the idea turned out to be interesting and people played. But most complained that the game crashes, that there is no music, that there are few levels.
From my own experience, I realized how important it is to impress. The game should be primarily beautiful, and only then interesting. I put design and music into the concept of a beautiful one, and the absence of brakes, and most importantly - do not fly out.
In April of last year, when I understood all this, they wrote to me from China, with a proposal to localize the game and distribution assistance in China. I then decided to refuse and first rewrite the game, and then distribute it. But as often happens, there was no time for this and I forgot about the game. I changed my job, time became even less, and the game was already perceived as an unsuccessful attempt. And users, however, downloaded it and played. And by 2011, she had collected more than 25,000 downloads. This is also a little, but as it turned out enough to pay for the development.
And at the end of the New Year holidays, the Korean company Ubinuri wrote to me. They proposed to localize the game in Korean and even distribute it in Korea, as They do not have a market. Moreover, they offered to pay 200 evergreens for my localization work. But I didn't want to mess with this game at all. I already forgot the source codes and poorly oriented, and time did not appear.
And I decided to try to sell them the distribution rights in Korea. In response, I heard that they are interested in buying, but only in their entirety and around the world. Without hesitation, I agreed. I don’t feel like messing around, and I’ll get some money for it. We corresponded for a long time and agreed on an amount of $ 3,000. I still can’t understand how adequate the price is. But anyway, we signed an agreement and today I saw money in my bank account.
Probably, in this story some kind of intrigue is lacking, but there is nowhere to take it from. I just shared the experience of selling the rights to the game, if the negotiation or payment process is interesting, I will gladly add it.
UPD:
Once the first comment with a request to describe the transfer of rights and negotiations, I will tell you more.
After they expressed a desire to buy program rights worldwide and asked for a price. I thought about money for a long time and tried to estimate how much such a game can cost (which, I recall, has many architectural problems). Having never come up with evaluation criteria, I suggested that they write their proposals, citing a lack of experience. They gladly offered $ 2,000 and sent a sample agreement. Gaining courage, I asked for $ 3,000, deciding that I did not risk anything.
After thinking a couple of days, they agreed to this amount.
The transfer of rights was to sign an agreement. I sent them a signed scan, he sent it in reply, but with his signature. The main points of the agreement (I quoted the text in English below) were that:
1. I give them the source codes and the right to change them, publish the application and anything else.
2. I remove the application from all sites (including markets) where I published the application.
3. I will no longer redistribute the application in the future.
4. they pay me $ 3000.
Each of the parties has 7 days from the date of signing to complete its part. I was afraid that they might deceive me (here it is the Russian mentality), therefore, after signing, I immediately removed the application from the sites, but did not send the source codes and waited for the money. Money was transferred by SWIFT to Unicredit Bank, where I specially opened a foreign currency account. On the last day of the seven, they wrote that they sent the money. The next morning I saw them in the Internet bank and immediately sent the sources.
Unfortunately, I am not very legally literate and do not know how such a document is valid in Russia. Moreover, I have only a document scan in my hands. But in this case, I consider myself safe, because I sell, not buy.
Thank you I want to say to the bank, which helped to figure out what and how. Open the necessary account, they printed out to me all the details that are needed and explained what is needed.
And here is the text of an example agreement that they sent initially.Advise which blog to transfer.
In this post, I would like to share my experience in developing an application and not an obvious way to monetize.
The story began a year ago. Having got sick on New Year's holidays, I decided not to waste time in vain, but to begin studying the Android platform. At that time I knew little about her, and in Java I was not strong. I decided to start the study by writing a small game.
UPD: Can anyone comment on the price? Is it a lot or a little, how much do you think it could cost?
Then in a week the first version of the game Letter Tower Defense was born. I inserted an advertisement into it and waited. Time passed, and the game was gaining popularity weakly and I didn’t have any income from advertising. I tried to use various advertising providers: QuattroWireless, AdMob, Smaato, but the income was calculated in dollars per month.
At the same time, I released several updates that correct errors, but this did not change the situation. The main problem is that the game did not use NDK, and I did not understand the life cycle of the program. Because of this, the game crashed when minimized or an incoming call.
At that moment, when I understood the reasons for the main problems, the game got about 5,000 downloads, the idea turned out to be interesting and people played. But most complained that the game crashes, that there is no music, that there are few levels.
From my own experience, I realized how important it is to impress. The game should be primarily beautiful, and only then interesting. I put design and music into the concept of a beautiful one, and the absence of brakes, and most importantly - do not fly out.
In April of last year, when I understood all this, they wrote to me from China, with a proposal to localize the game and distribution assistance in China. I then decided to refuse and first rewrite the game, and then distribute it. But as often happens, there was no time for this and I forgot about the game. I changed my job, time became even less, and the game was already perceived as an unsuccessful attempt. And users, however, downloaded it and played. And by 2011, she had collected more than 25,000 downloads. This is also a little, but as it turned out enough to pay for the development.
And at the end of the New Year holidays, the Korean company Ubinuri wrote to me. They proposed to localize the game in Korean and even distribute it in Korea, as They do not have a market. Moreover, they offered to pay 200 evergreens for my localization work. But I didn't want to mess with this game at all. I already forgot the source codes and poorly oriented, and time did not appear.
And I decided to try to sell them the distribution rights in Korea. In response, I heard that they are interested in buying, but only in their entirety and around the world. Without hesitation, I agreed. I don’t feel like messing around, and I’ll get some money for it. We corresponded for a long time and agreed on an amount of $ 3,000. I still can’t understand how adequate the price is. But anyway, we signed an agreement and today I saw money in my bank account.
Probably, in this story some kind of intrigue is lacking, but there is nowhere to take it from. I just shared the experience of selling the rights to the game, if the negotiation or payment process is interesting, I will gladly add it.
UPD:
Once the first comment with a request to describe the transfer of rights and negotiations, I will tell you more.
After they expressed a desire to buy program rights worldwide and asked for a price. I thought about money for a long time and tried to estimate how much such a game can cost (which, I recall, has many architectural problems). Having never come up with evaluation criteria, I suggested that they write their proposals, citing a lack of experience. They gladly offered $ 2,000 and sent a sample agreement. Gaining courage, I asked for $ 3,000, deciding that I did not risk anything.
After thinking a couple of days, they agreed to this amount.
The transfer of rights was to sign an agreement. I sent them a signed scan, he sent it in reply, but with his signature. The main points of the agreement (I quoted the text in English below) were that:
1. I give them the source codes and the right to change them, publish the application and anything else.
2. I remove the application from all sites (including markets) where I published the application.
3. I will no longer redistribute the application in the future.
4. they pay me $ 3000.
Each of the parties has 7 days from the date of signing to complete its part. I was afraid that they might deceive me (here it is the Russian mentality), therefore, after signing, I immediately removed the application from the sites, but did not send the source codes and waited for the money. Money was transferred by SWIFT to Unicredit Bank, where I specially opened a foreign currency account. On the last day of the seven, they wrote that they sent the money. The next morning I saw them in the Internet bank and immediately sent the sources.
Unfortunately, I am not very legally literate and do not know how such a document is valid in Russia. Moreover, I have only a document scan in my hands. But in this case, I consider myself safe, because I sell, not buy.
Thank you I want to say to the bank, which helped to figure out what and how. Open the necessary account, they printed out to me all the details that are needed and explained what is needed.
And here is the text of an example agreement that they sent initially.
Application Transfer Agreement
This Agreement, made and entered into as of this __th day of January, 2011 by and between Ubinuri, Inc, a corporation existing under the law of Republic of Korea having its principal address at 907 E&C Venture Dream Tower 6, 197-28, Guro-dong, Guro Gu, Seoul, Korea (hereinafter referred to as “Buyer”) and Pr-Rm Games, a corporation duly organized and existing under the law of [ OOOOO ] and having its principal office of business at [ OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ] (hereinafter referred to as “Seller”) .
WITNESSETH:
Whereas, the Seller is the developer and the owner of Intellectual Property Right and Publication Right of the Application set forth in the Exhibit A(hereinafter referred to as “Application”).
WHEREAS, the Buyer is willing to purchase the above Application from the Seller and the Seller is also willing to transfer the ownership of Intellectual Property Right and Copy Right of the Application to the Buyer with the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual premises, covenants and stipulation herein contained, both parties agree as follows:
The Seller developed the Application on its own and the Application is the property of the Seller.
With the conclusion of this Agreement, the Seller shall transfer the title of the Application along with the Intellectual Property Right, Copy Right, Source Code and related technical documents of the Application to the Buyer.
The Seller’s right on the Intellectual Property Right, Copy Right is relinquished with the conclusion of the Agreement and the Seller shall unpublish the Application from every web or mobile market place and site all over the world including Google’s Android Market in seven days from the conclusion of the Agreement.
The Seller shall not publish or distribute any copy of the Application and agrees that the Buyer shall retain exclusive and complete control over the Application.
In return for the all rights and licenses, technical information transferred and provided by the Seller, the Buyer shall pay the Seller Four Hundred and Fifty US Dollars(450 USD) in seven days from the conclusion of the Agreement.
Payment shall be made in US Dollar by electronic transfer to Developer’s bank account. Each party bears the cost of money transfer of its bank.
The Seller represents and warrants to the Buyer that the Seller has all necessary rights to grant the rights provided hereunder, and neither Ubinuri’s exercise of its license nor the Application will infringe or otherwise violate any third party rights including but not limited to copyrights, trademarks, patents, or other intellectual property rights.
The Seller represents and warrants to the Buyer that each Application, as submitted, will be free from code that: (i) might disrupt, disable, harm or otherwise impede the operation of any software, firmware, hardware, wireless communications device, computer system or network; (ii) would enable anyone else to access the Application for any reason; and/or (iii) would enable the misappropriation of private information.
The parties agree that all terms and conditions of this Agreement and the information exchanged in connection herewith shall be deemed confidential information.
This agreement constitutes the entirety of the Agreement between the Buyer and the Seller.
AGREED:
“Seller” “Buyer”
______________________________ ______________________________
By: By
Name: Name: Paul Noh
Title: Title: CEO
Address: Address: 907, E&C Venture Dream Tower 6,
197-28 Guro-dong, Guro-Gu, Seoul,
Korea
Date: ___________________________ Date: _____________________________
Exhibit A
Description of Intellectual Property Right of the Application
Name of the Application
- Letter tower defence
Description
This update fix bug with different resolutions (such as Tatoo's and Droid's resolutions) and critical bug, which lead to force close.
Notice:
1. to build tower touch on the free square.
2. to select tower touch on the builded tower.
3. to update or destroy tower touch on the selected tower.