Home Gaming People spent $5.1 Million on lunchboxes in Fallout Shelter in just two weeks

People spent $5.1 Million on lunchboxes in Fallout Shelter in just two weeks

1 min read
16

Vaulttec

Fallout Shelter, the post-apocalyptic Tiny Towers-esque mobile game that Bethesda dropped on an unsuspecting public like a nuclear bomb, has done rather well. We told you that for a while at least, it displaced even the mighty Candy Crush at the top of the highest-grossing charts on Apple’s store.

How well though? According to data junkies Superdata, the game’s earned Bethesda a rather sizeable collection of bottlecaps; $5.1 Million worth.

“Fallout Shelter delivers a critical hit, earning $5.1M in its first two weeks,” says SuperData Research. “In a stroke of marketing brilliance, Bethesda managed to win E3 early by delivering a superb press conference and launching a top-grossing mobile game in its wake. Originally developed as a marketing tool for the release of its upcoming Fallout 4, the mobile game is a hit in its own right, passing King’s Candy Crush Saga on the iOS top-grossing charts.”

The game is free to play, but offers monetisation by way of purchasable lunch boxes to make things simpler. They’re wholly unnecessary, but certainly give players a bit of a leg up should they need one. It’s a perfect example of how mobile, free-to-play games should be done; let players pay for stuff if they wish, but don’t make it in any way necessary.

“More significant than the publisher’s success is the notion that core gaming fans proved to be willing customers for a free-to-play mobile game. By emphasizing unobtrusive monetization and offline playability, Bethesda managed to earn the respect of a consumer group that is otherwise highly critical of free-to-play monetization,” SuperData rightly says. “The game’s success further underscores the value of a strong franchise in the otherwise crowded mobile games market.”

The game is currently out for Apple devices, with an Android release expected next month. I can’t really play it right now, because it brings my rather old iPad 2 to its knees.

Last Updated: July 17, 2015

16 Comments

  1. Admiral Chief in Skellige

    July 17, 2015 at 09:32

    I should make an upvote simulator game, I’d retire by the end of the year just with one certain individual’s upvotes…

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      July 17, 2015 at 09:37

      I get an internet penny for everyone I give.

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief in Skellige

        July 17, 2015 at 09:38

        *every one

        😛

        So, you’d be able to afford my PS4 now? Then I’ll play GTA with you or something

        Reply

  2. HairyEwok

    July 17, 2015 at 09:37

  3. Hammersteyn

    July 17, 2015 at 09:38

    They’re wholly unnecessary, yet people spend millions on MT. This is not good for gaming…

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief in Skellige

      July 17, 2015 at 09:39

      Agreed

      Reply

    • The Sten

      July 17, 2015 at 09:59

      Not good for the economy in general

      Reply

  4. Dutch Matrix

    July 17, 2015 at 10:00

    Am I the only one that wants to punch that Fallout mannetjie in the face?

    Reply

  5. VampyreSquirrel

    July 17, 2015 at 10:04

    I wonder how much of that was by kids abusing their parents’ credit cards…

    Reply

  6. Reidroc

    July 17, 2015 at 10:58

    My favourite collectors edition. I still use the lunchbox at home and the bobble head stands next to my ps4.

    Reply

  7. Sageville

    July 17, 2015 at 11:38

    I cannot comment until next month sometime.

    Reply

  8. Naudran

    July 17, 2015 at 11:57

    This is absolutely worrying.

    I played the game for a bit (didn’t buy any lunchboxes) and got bored with it in a few days.
    If a AAA gaming company can make a mobile game for probably a lot less than a normal AAA title would cost making AND make a crapload of money… what is going to stop them from just becoming a mobile-games software company.

    As Hammersteyn said, this can NOT be good for gaming overall.

    Reply

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