Hello.

I am a new game designer and I'm working on finalizing a project in the next few months, so I'm starting to dig into the business side of things to learn more about how I can manage my game. One of the things I was most interested in with itch.io is the Pay-What-You-Want mechanic. Since I'm a non-factor within the industry, and to reach the widest audience, this feature appeals to me greatly. However, I have heard from other game designers that using this method can actually result in a diminished number of "buyers," due to the feeling that free games might be of lower quality or are lacking in some regard. The phrase "nothing good in life is free" comes to mind as a descriptor.

My question, therefore, relates to broad metrics for comparison of projects. Is there a place where I can see something like the percentage of free/PWYW games that are left untouched by customers versus those which have a locked in purchase minimum? Would itch.io be willing to share more data regarding how games and products perform across the platform in order for me to perform some more detailed cost/benefit analysis and determine the greatest method for me to achieve the broadest reach? It would be a huge help as a one-person.