Page 1 of 1 [ 6 posts ] 

Highly_Autistic
Toucan
Toucan

Joined: 22 Aug 2018
Age: 26
Gender: Male
Posts: 289

06 Feb 2024, 5:34 pm

I mean, not a brick and mortar business but a digital one.

Like, app development, mobile game company etc. I was into game development and made some games, it was not profitable and not worth the time spent. So, i doubt i should persist on that.

Is it worth doing anything like this in 2024?

I have always wanted to work for myself or build something from scratch instead of working for someone. But, i know it's hard doing it alone and without much of a capital in the beginning. I dont like dealing with people also. That may be a downside.

On the other hand i would do whatever it takes, work till midnight etc. I just want to know if its worth



Aspinator
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 23 Feb 2008
Gender: Male
Posts: 964
Location: AspinatorLand

06 Feb 2024, 5:57 pm

I too have pondered this and I feel it is worth it. I have checked the cost of making my business a LLC (it is a $100 initially plus a $50 a year to maintain it) checked into a federal tax ID # and a state tax ID #. I am thinking of starting a call service where I would call daily (for shut-ins). If I don't get a response I would notify the local police department to do a wellness check ( I am still waiting to see if there would be a charge for this) I also need to gauge if there would be an interest in this type of service. I wish you the best in starting yours.



goldfish21
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 17 Feb 2013
Age: 41
Gender: Male
Posts: 22,612
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

17 Feb 2024, 2:14 pm

Highly_Autistic wrote:
I mean, not a brick and mortar business but a digital one.

Like, app development, mobile game company etc. I was into game development and made some games, it was not profitable and not worth the time spent. So, i doubt i should persist on that.

Is it worth doing anything like this in 2024?

I have always wanted to work for myself or build something from scratch instead of working for someone. But, i know it's hard doing it alone and without much of a capital in the beginning. I dont like dealing with people also. That may be a downside.

On the other hand i would do whatever it takes, work till midnight etc. I just want to know if its worth

People/companies are still making mobile games. I don't play any video games tbh, but I see them advertised so they are still being made and there are people that use them. There are also people that use various games that are linked to rewards points or dollars - from what I gather, they play the game and earn points that they can cash in for money or goods/services. Something like that. I guess it's paid for by in game ads generating revenue ?? I dunno I've never played one. No idea if things like that are more popular to play these days. Probably much more complicated to develop + administer, though, requiring a team of people.

Then there are games with in-app purchases for upgrades and skins and weapons and potions and and and.. designed to get people hooked on the simple game play, but then impulsive impatient people who don't want to play it for hundreds of hours to achieve the highest status level will simply pay to skip ahead. Something like that. Games like these, as I understand it, are targeted towards kids and designed to be very addictive. Is it ethical? I dunno.. but for the ones that become hits it seems they're very profitable so there's some subset of the population willing to charge the credit card linked to their iTunes account for in app digital purchases inside mobile games.

Regardless of the type of mobile game, (arcade, race, battle, puzzle, other? rewards, multiplayer, in app upgrades etc) the thing is creating something people WANT to play and then get hooked on playing. I have no idea how to determine exactly what people would like. But someone must do product research on this.. focus groups.. let people try demos and give feedback.. track how long they play for, track how many times they open and use the app for how long how frequently, track how many times they invite others to try it or play multiplayer with them etc etc. There's got to be method of collecting data from game players to determine the style/theme/look/feel/colour/sound/gameplay etc that people gravitate towards so that you can focus your development efforts on the most marketable game you could develop vs. the one You yourself are passionate about.. because it matters most what the masses will adopt and play, not what you prefer. THAT is the thing to work on figuring out before you consider pouring your time and energy into developing a new game, IMO.


_________________
No :heart: for supporting trump. Because doing so is deplorable.


goldfish21
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 17 Feb 2013
Age: 41
Gender: Male
Posts: 22,612
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

17 Feb 2024, 2:19 pm

Aspinator wrote:
I too have pondered this and I feel it is worth it. I have checked the cost of making my business a LLC (it is a $100 initially plus a $50 a year to maintain it) checked into a federal tax ID # and a state tax ID #. I am thinking of starting a call service where I would call daily (for shut-ins). If I don't get a response I would notify the local police department to do a wellness check ( I am still waiting to see if there would be a charge for this) I also need to gauge if there would be an interest in this type of service. I wish you the best in starting yours.

This is the sort of plan that would see you fined/shut down/in some hot water for wasting police resources and tying up police phone lines for reporting that someone.. did not answer their phone when you called.

Think this through. There are 98374498797263971263918631987 reasons that someone might not answer their telephone when it rings. Maybe they're not home, maybe their battery died, maybe they're in the shower or gardening or watching a movie or reading a book or simply don't feel like answering the phone etc. Calling police to request a wellness check because someone didn't answer a phone call is.. Extreme, unnecessary, and would potentially tie up police resources that may be needed to field a call about an Actual emergency or police matter.


_________________
No :heart: for supporting trump. Because doing so is deplorable.


insanetwocubes
Butterfly
Butterfly

Joined: 27 Feb 2024
Gender: Non-binary
Posts: 11

29 Feb 2024, 7:00 am

I think starting a business is still worth it in 2024. You're not wrong that starting from scratch and doing everything online is very difficult. A big part of online business is marketing. To make it easier on you, I would choose a platform that does a lot of marketing work for you. Anything with a good algorithm will do like Youtube, Google ads, Pintrest etc.

If you don't have capital, you better have a lot of time. Time is money and vice versa in this case.

I found a big key aspect many people don't mention about online businesses is the consistency aspect. Advertising yourself regularly on top of the work you do for your product can make or break your business.

It's a lot of work but all the work you put into it is a skill that you can improve over time and practice. Given enough time and work, it's difficult to truly fail so it's a pretty sound investment if it's something you find enjoyable. You can only fail if you run out of time or if you stop.

~Emillie



DuckHairback
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 27 Jan 2021
Age: 44
Gender: Male
Posts: 3,290
Location: Dorset

29 Feb 2024, 7:35 am

Everyone I know who has started their own business is much better off financially than those who work for others.

But they also seen more stressed. Particularly those who have to employ others.

I think if you can start a business that's just you, doing something people need, that's the best way to financial stability.

It's what I'd do if I had any gumption.


_________________
Bwark!