Why Views and Wishlists Don’t Always Mean Sales (and What Actually Does)

#analytics #gamedev #marketing

Across digital platforms, game performance metrics like views, wishlists, and purchases reveal how audiences move from curiosity to commitment. High wishlist counts don’t always translate to strong sales, and millions of mobile installs often result in minimal revenue. This breakdown explores how these funnels differ across PC, mobile, and console ecosystems — and what developers can do to improve conversion and retention at every stage.

The Steam Rollercoaster: Launch Week vs. Lifetime

On PC, particularly on Steam, the typical player journey follows the path Views → Wishlists → Purchases. It appears linear, but in reality, each step loses a significant portion of potential buyers — and the dynamics shift between launch week and a game’s lifetime.

Launch Week

Funnel Stage	Range	Typical %	What It Means (Short)
View → Wishlist (V2W)	Low	2.5–3.5%	New page, low engagement
	Average	10–18%	Typical for most mid-level titles
	High	18–22%	Strong genre or community interest
	Viral	Up to 50%	Driven by influencers or targeted campaigns
Wishlist → Purchase (W2P)	Low	<1.9%	Inflated wishlists, weak conversion
	Average	8–12%	Common during early launch
	High	15–25%	High engagement and effective marketing
View → Sale (V2S)	Low	0.25–0.5%	Typical early-stage traction
	High	2–2.5%	Exceptional launch performance

Lifetime

Funnel Stage	Range	Typical %	What It Means (Short)
View → Wishlist (V2W)	Low	2–5%	Casual browsing behavior
	Average	10–18%	Steady interest over time
	High	18–22%	Dedicated fanbase
	Viral	Up to 50%	Event- or campaign-driven spikes
Wishlist → Purchase (W2P)	Low	<1.9%	Minimal conversion from interest
	Average	10–12%	Typical long-term conversion rate
	High	20–25%+	Deep community engagement
View → Sale (V2S)	Low	0.25–0.5%	Common for most PC games
	High	2–2.5%	Long-term top-tier results

If 10,000 people visit a game’s Steam page during launch week, roughly 1,000 might wishlist it — and 100–200 might actually buy. That’s not player indifference; it reflects deferred purchasing behavior. Many players wait for sales or discounts, which Steam actively promotes via wishlist notifications.

This delay explains why wishlists can be misleading. A large number looks encouraging, but if the wishlist-to-purchase rate (W2P) is below 2%, the value is often overstated.

Mobile: The Opposite Problem

On mobile platforms, wishlists don’t exist — downloads are the key metric. But while installs are easy to achieve, monetization is notoriously difficult.

Platform	Conversion (Views → Install)	Install → First Purchase	Takeaway
iOS App Store	25–33%	1–2%	High install rates, low monetization
Google Play	26–27%	1–2%	Similar trend, slightly higher reach

Many mobile games reach millions of downloads but earn revenue from only a small fraction of players. The ecosystem rewards volume, not immediate value. Developers often rely on the small group of paying users — the “whales” — to sustain profits.

Here, retention becomes the primary goal. A 30-day retention rate above 10% is considered healthy. Anything below that means players are leaving faster than new ones arrive — a clear sign of a leaky funnel.

Console Stores: Smaller Audience, Higher Intent

On PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo eShop, the audience behaves differently. Console users typically open the store intending to make a purchase.

Store Type	View → Purchase Rate	Why It’s Higher
PlayStation / Xbox eShop	3–3.5%	Focused audience, higher intent
PC (Steam, avg.)	0.25–2.5%	Broader traffic, lower buyer intent

A 3% conversion rate may sound modest, but in ecommerce terms, it’s excellent. Console ecosystems filter out much of the “noise” that exists on PC platforms, leading to faster and more deliberate purchases.

What Actually Moves the Needle

Across all platforms, several consistent truths emerge:

Quality of traffic outweighs quantity. Reaching the right audience matters more than broad exposure.
Targeted marketing converts best. Influencers, demos, and optimized store pages outperform general paid ads.
Sales timing is critical. Discounts and event-based promotions still drive significant revenue.
Retention determines success. Whether measured by long-term engagement or replay rate, sustained interest directly supports profitability.

The Real Takeaway

There’s no universal benchmark for success. A 2% View-to-Sale rate on Steam can yield strong returns at a premium price point, while a 1% monetization rate on mobile can generate millions with enough users.

The essential skill is identifying where your funnel is leaking — and addressing it systematically. Weak visuals? Update your store page. Flat wishlists? Launch a demo or targeted campaign. Stagnant sales? Experiment with pricing or promotions.

Every game’s funnel is different, but the principle is consistent: a smaller, motivated audience that buys is far more valuable than a large one that doesn’t.

More to read here: