On the initial results of Cut the Rope: Time Travel

The third installment of Cut the Rope topped the charts for paid apps in the App Store in several countries, including the USA and Russia, reports Vedomosti.

Cut the Rope: Time Travel was released last Thursday and immediately topped the paid apps chart in the US App Store for iPhone. Its tablet version also found success, debuting at third place in the chart and holding that position since its release.

As for the game's performance on Google Play, the situation isn't as rosy. According to data from App Annie, the game ranks 40th in the US top free apps. The tablet version is in the 59th spot in the chart for paid apps.

Considering that ZeptoLab decided not to change the game's monetization model (a paid version + optional IAP on the App Store), the game's revenue success is impressive: Cut the Rope: Time Travel for iOS is in the top 40 grossing apps in the US market.

On Google Play, where the smartphone version is available for free and the high-resolution version is priced at $1 instead of $3, the situation is not great. The project doesn't even rank in the top 100 grossing apps in the US.

Nevertheless, ZeptoLab CEO Mikhail Lyalin, as reported by Vedomosti, is satisfied with the sales. His team spent $1 million developing the third part of Cut the Rope. He did not specify whether this amount includes marketing expenses.

Again, according to Vedomosti, which in turn refers to The Wall Street Journal, today's leading mobile companies invest up to $5 million in advertising their games. Four years ago, they got by with $500,000.