Seasonal Games: My experiencie with Valentine's Day

I developed a one day game (which I'm going to write as a tutorial in future entries) for testing how effective it is to create seasonal games. Here it goes my experience:

Game Development

I developed a Ragdoll Avalanche Clone. Where you have to dodge hearts and have a time limitation of two minutes to succeed. No music, no sound. I finished it in one day.

Game Distribution

Mochiads

I submitted it on 2/4. But they approved it for distribution on 2/10.

Flash Game Distribution

I submitted it on 2/9. I forgot to check it for distribution, I did it on Friday 2/12. Big mistake...
They approved it just February 15th. Yes, one day after Valentine's.

Massive email submission

I sent emails to a list of about 90 portals based on this early post.

Kongregate

According to my Mochibot's log, the best moment for submitting games is on Friday's from 10AM to 2PM. So, I decided to submit my game on Friday 2/12 at 10 o' clock =P.

Newgrounds

Same as Kong.

Nonoba

Same as Kong and Newgrounds

Monetization

Until Friday 19th:

Mochiads:	$6.78
Kongregate:	$0.34
Newgrounds:	$0.01
Total:	$7.13

So, after a week in the wild, I earned $7.13.
Well, as you can see, the money earned wasn't the most important thing on this process. I learned a few lessons which I want to share with you...

Lessons Learned on...

...game development

For next seasonal game, I will work more than one day, let's say a week for the entire development. I will probably hire an artist and put some music on the game. The advantage of creating a seasonal game is that it can be skinned for another important day or easily turned into a classic game.

...game distribution

Due to the simplicity of the game- again, I made it in ONE DAY-, I didn't take the risk of submitting it to the major sites, where the most of the visitis/ad impressions come. Submitting it to the top game portals would have increased my visits.

...monetization

I shoud have released the game about a month or fifteen days before Valentine's. I think it would have performed better.

Curious Facts

Looking at my Mochibot's statistics, I noticed that the game was being served on Kongregate before I submitted it. The guy leave exactly the same game and submitted it with another name. Thanks God I am using Mochiads Version Control: I added a Copyright notice on it, and a few seconds later, the game was showing a "Developed by Nicolás Cavallo..." legend. I talked to the guy, he told me that he didn't know the game was mine. He was collaborating with another kong user who probably stole my game. Uff...

Well, that's all right now. I see you on Easter for more Seasonal Game experiencies.