Even though my thoughts on this aren't fully developed yet, I have been thinking about some of these points too, and you bringing this up might be a good opportunity for me to share my thoughts.
So, I've been doing some market research about AI H-games in the last few days. While my first game has been fairly well received for what it is, there were several points I simply wasn’t aware of when starting this project. I’ve looked at several other creators in the space—large, small, good, and bad—and compared their games and Patreon support, along with estimating the labor their games take to develop.
Market Research Insights
- Niche Focus: I started by looking into games in niches similar to mine—survival, sandbox, RPG Maker games with a submissive player character (e.g., "Harshville," "Survival in Draconia," "Femtopia"). These games often feature expansive maps with various tasks or jobs for earning money to survive, mixing several fetishes in a sandbox environment.
Pros:
- Rich content variety.
- Potential for immersive storytelling.
- High replayability.
- Deep appeal to niche audiences who appreciate the blend of fetishes.
- Cons:
- High development complexity.
- Increased risk of bugs.
- Potentially lower scene quality due to quantity.
- Mixed fetishes can alienate some players.
- Scenes might be hard to find.
- Complex game loops might confuse players.
- Many players prefer quick, straightforward experiences.
- Linear H-Games: More linear H-games developed with RPG Maker and AI art tend to be easier and faster to develop, allowing for better scene quality and focused storytelling. These games, often centered around a single fetish, are easier to market and can quickly build a dedicated audience.
For example, games released around the same time as my initial version have generated significant Patreon support (~$500/month) with similar engagement levels. These engagement levels include similar numbers of downloads, comments, and views on their game threads. This suggests that focusing on a well-defined niche with high-quality scenes and sound effects can outperform broader sandbox games.
- Development Efficiency: The development time for sandbox games with multiple quests and scenes is significantly higher compared to linear games. In hindsight, the 500+ hours I’ve invested in my current project could have produced several more polished, linear games.
- Team Dynamics: Successful large-scale sandbox H-games are often the result of collaborative efforts by larger teams. As a solo developer, attempting to compete in this space without adequate resources can lead to suboptimal results.
Future Directions
Given these insights, my approach of starting with a large, sandbox H-game mixing multiple fetishes was overly ambitious. Moving forward, I plan to focus on creating shorter, more linear games that are easier to develop, market, and monetize. This will not only streamline the development process but also help build a more consistent and engaged player base.
Conclusion
After my upcoming exam season I will continue working on this project in my spare time, but balancing it with new, more feasible projects is essential for sustainability and growth.
I hope these insights are helpful to you and others in the community. If anyone has any inputs or thoughts on this, please let me know.
Best regards
*yes this was written with chatgpt