I tried finding accurate numbers on total sales for the game but wasn't able to find anything online. So, my numbers are botchy, you could scale it down or up to fit.
If Milestone (Or any major developer) wanted to make some $$$$$ with less effort which they obviously do as they are releasing a game title every year.. They should rethink their model, at least that is my opinion and this is how I would do it -
At the current rate let's work off the numbers that Milestone sells 250,000 copies per year (Could be way off, I don't know, again you can scale this down and it still works) Note; everything will be in AUD
250,000 sold at $60ea = $12.5m Gross
On average you should be looking at a 20-30% net so let's say it's 20% after everything = $2.5m net
Let's say that is roughly what they are making based on the current business model.
My suggested business model is; Create One title of motocross game "This Moto Game Is Reflex 2.0 crossed with Sim and Milestone Every One Is Reasonably Happy Physics Engine"
Your initial sale of the title again hypothetically let's say the exact same you net $2.5m
Now, instead of going off and recreating individual titles which coincidentally separates your player base let's keep this one title over the next 2 year period.
Over the next 2 years you continue to support this game and let's be fair and say the core player base is 50% of the initial purchases leaving you a player base of 125,000
in this 2 year period you release the following content for each season (on top of what came with the game)
- Update Teams/Pro Riders $Free
- New Year Bike Models $5ea
- New Year Gear $2 per brand
- Supercross Tracks $3ea
- National Tracks $5ea
- Speacial Events $10ea
- Pay To Race Take A % of winnings (Didn't calculate)
- Enduro $5ea
Now out of the 50% that still hypothetically play let's say 50% of them make these purchases (62,500)
- New Bike models; on avg maybe people buy 3 of them so - 62,500x15= $937,500
- New Gear; avg $15 spend 62,500x15= $937,500
- Supercross Tracks; 3x17= $51 51x62,500= $3,187,500
- National Tracks; 5x12= $60 60x62,500= $3,750,000
- Special Events; 20% of 62,500 = 12,500 40x12,500= $500,0000
- Enduro; 50% of purchases of special events = $250,000
Gross- $9,562,500
Let's not forget over this year your game is still selling, let's say it is selling at 15% of what it was on launch so 1 year you sell another 37,500 copies at a marked down price of 10% off so 54x37,500 = Gross$2,025,000
Total Gross = $11,587,500
Now there net this time would be far greater in theory as the development of the game title would be far less as it's just adding content so you would expect at least a 30% net = $3,476,250 Basically increasing profits by 28%
This doesn't even factor in combining the MXGP... If they were able to get sponsors to work together and bridge the gap in the two sports they would only increase their sales and numbers. After all, we all share the same passion and that's motocross.
They have the potential to create an incredible community by combining everything and pulling everyone together, not only would it benefit the game I think it could have the potential to impact the industry.
Also, side note; this business model would allow you to release the current years tracks in real time with the events, you could then run your own series as a developer that goes hand-in-hand with the current series, again bridging the gap between fans and the sport.
There are many other benefits to this model and granted some of the numbers could be way off it's still interesting to think about and I wonder if the board room has ever thought about such a thing.. As bridging the gap between all aspects of the sport would be incredible and create a much better community (imo) Also, you would have a far larger active player base.
Food for thought at least, I could be way off who knows
It's interesting to think about none the less.
