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Ask HN: Where do I find metrics about the social gaming industry?
I've been doing some research into the business of social gaming and have collected some "data" from Google but since the industry is both relatively new and mostly private, it's hard to find actual, believable numbers. Are there any numbers you guys believe when it comes to ARPUs, CTRs, market sizes, etc? Are the numbers on the Inside Network blogs to be believed[1]? If you've got first-hand experience and think they're bull, by what delta?
More than that, in the last few days of research in the industry, it seems that the industry is heavily slanted towards games about resource optimization, since that tends to yield more money in the form of virtual loot than offer walls, etc. Do any of you think virtual loot will work in other forms of gameplay? It seems that more and more of the loot being sold has a primary purpose (to speed up/change gameplay) rather than something to display for vanity purposes.
Thanks; can't wait to hear what you all think.
[1] http://www.insidenetwork.com