Are In-App Purchases ruining the iOS experience?

Discussion in 'General Game Discussion and Questions' started by Strange Famous, Nov 3, 2014.

  1. Strange Famous

    Strange Famous Active Member

    Oct 30, 2014
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    #1 Strange Famous, Nov 3, 2014
    Last edited: Nov 3, 2014
    I'll start out by saying that I am an iOS game developer, so I know full well that developers struggle to make money on the app store when everyone wants apps for free.

    I liked the idea of releasing a "demo" version with IAP for unlocking the full game, I think that was fair for everyone.

    However, the tides have turned and gone are the days of unlocking the full game for a modest fee. We are now in the days of the consumable IAP model, where so many greedy game developers have turned their games into never ending money sinks. They make their games extremely grindy and offer IAP to shorten the grind, and you can easily spend $100 on IAP in a game if you are dumb enough to let them nickel and dime you.

    It really makes me sick to see that every game nowadays offers in app purchases, and the vast majority of these games sell "coins, etc." that are consumable. It's to the point where it's nearly impossible to find a good game in certain genres (fishing for example), that doesn't use this model.

    I for one think that Apple needs to ban consumable in-app purchases... what do you guys think?
     
  2. curtisrshideler

    curtisrshideler Well-Known Member
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    Jul 30, 2011
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    I'm over 30 years-old, so I grew up buying a game and then playing it when and where I wanted. No online connection or IAPs. So that's what I want in iOS gaming as well. That being said, I do download F2P games if they have a huge intellectual property attached, but I do not buy IAP. If a game I want needs to be unlocked with an IAP, I'll probably buy that, but I'd still rather pay upfront. But I'm becoming the minority evidently. I just don't like this temporary age. I want games to last.
     
  3. Hambo12

    Hambo12 Well-Known Member

    Jul 23, 2012
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    Im 18 and yes it's truly terrible. I don't even have a job im still started college and its sucks with all these iap. I have to ask my mom for money and it feels horrible spending so much on premium currency just for something in a GAME. take gamevils game Kritika for examples, I like it but all the good stuff are locked with premium currency the cheapest is 5$ for a few diamonds but the stuff cost like 500 diamonds + :(
     
  4. coolpepper43

    coolpepper43 👮 Spam Police 🚓

    Aug 31, 2012
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    When I used to see coins in video games it made very excited and happy. Now I'm terrified to see them in games because it's usually means consumable iap. Frankly, it's pretty sad. :(
     
  5. Hambo12

    Hambo12 Well-Known Member

    Jul 23, 2012
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    What do you mean coins? Im scared to see a PLUS sign next to the coins :(
     
  6. Exact-Psience

    Exact-Psience Well-Known Member

    Jan 12, 2012
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    A PLUS sign next to anything is more accurate.
     
  7. Nobunaga

    Nobunaga Well-Known Member

    Jun 2, 2012
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    http://www.pocketgamer.biz/stateside/60246/want-more-women-in-games-then-start-embracing-f2p/

    Kids play a lot of f2p stuff as well. It's cheaper for parents, supposing they limit spending in IAP.
    I'm the first one to skip a "free" game. I'm not really into getting upset about the market though. If it works, do it.
    As many free games fail as paid ones. Free ones that make it big, seem to make it bigger. If companies want to play the odds, power to 'em. If people want f2p, same thing.
    Pretty sure the market's big enough to support more than one payment model, and it's only getting bigger.
     
  8. psj3809

    psj3809 Moderator

    Jan 13, 2011
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    I think we're in the minority. Yes devs have to eat, I think the people who wait for price drops or grab promo code after promo code are the ones who have helped fuel freemium. If devs make good money on games I don't think we'll see that many games with IAPs

    But you see it every week. A games 99c or 1.99 and still people want 78 reviews from people who have the game or want to wait for a price drop before spending a huge amount of money like a dollar

    But it's a huge market. There's tons of freemium but also tons of paid games out there. As the person above said the markets big enough for both.
     
  9. dancj

    dancj Well-Known Member

    Jan 25, 2011
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    No - the people who spend money on IAPs fuel it, and they aren't the ones who wait for price drops.
     
  10. CL1NT_B3ASTW00D

    CL1NT_B3ASTW00D Well-Known Member

    Oct 27, 2014
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    My impression is that good F2P games exist out there (FF, WOTB), and they can coexist with other monetization models, but the market is oversaturated with crappy COC clones and Candy Crush *bleh* clones. When people stop paying huge amounts of money on these cheaply made games with little substance, then the premium market can make a comeback. Until then, the casual market dominates.
     
  11. HonkingAntelope

    HonkingAntelope New Member

    Nov 5, 2014
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    The real problem is the proliferation of consumable IAPs with unbounded spending potential like the infamous $1400 smurfberries. The fact that the term "whale" became an accepted part of industry-speak says volumes about the state of the industry. Right now the app store is pretty much filled with Clash knockoffs, card fighters, and "something something Saga" moneysinks designed to maximize IAP sales - usually at the expense of players who refuse to plunk down $$ on a regular basis. Dungeon Keeper is one of the more egregious examples of the above.

    Unfortunately something was bound to give sooner or later when $0.99 or free became the pricing standard, and any app priced above that mark was doomed. No one can break even with that unless they get 100000+ installs. It doesn't help that King and Supercell are making some major $$$ thanks to the tiny minority of players who don't mind spending thousands of dollars on a game that lets them do that.

    Personally, I see nothing wrong with a game that is free to install with a good chunk of content unlocked to start with. Then you can have reasonably-priced IAPs for players who like the game enough that spending a few bucks for things like new content updates or the ability to use powerups (not consumable, but like the Mighty Eagle from Angry Birds) wouldn't be a big issue. Shareware titles from the 90s did the same concept pretty well where the first quarter of the game was free, but if you wanted to keep playing, you had to buy the full game. The current IAP framework can simplify this process down to a tap and entering your password.
     
  12. thecmancan

    thecmancan Member

    Oct 28, 2012
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    I think this boils down to the expansion of gaming into the casual entertainment part of our lives.

    It used to be if you are bad at Gradius, you just didn't play it. If you didn't like gaming per se and only wanted to kill some time, you spent money on other items to scratch that itch.

    Today, the difference is EVERYONE is playing games on their phone. The IAP market really is there to dumb down the game for grandma's or satisfy the cravings for min maxers. For me and a few folks I know, gaming the IAP within the game is sometimes more fun than the tepid game play frequently associated with F2P cash grab titles.

    I really can't imagine most gamers splurging on IAP simply because it was advertised on them. Let's also give people some credit for controlling their own impulses. Just because McDonalds sell high calorie sodas doesn't mean they are responsible for causing diabetes. The developers can roll in IAP as long as it's not too intrusive.

    Where do we draw the line on IAP intrusion? That's really not up to any one gamer to decide. More likely or not, the market will probably dictate where the line is drawn.
     
  13. Mene

    Mene <b>ACCOUNT CLOSED</b>: <em>Officially</em> Quit iO

    Mar 18, 2012
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    I totally agree 100%

    When I got my first iPod touch there was no iap and games came in two versions 'paid' and 'light' (okay,yank spelling 'lite') you downloaded the light version to test the game and see if you liked it. If you hated it, no loss, if you liked it you bought the full game and you enjoyed it. To me that was ideal!!

    Iap and some devs greed (ahem.. King etc etc) has all but ruined the App Store as now all the good games are swamped by freemium garbage. I used to spend £20-30 a month on the App Store, in the last 4 months I've barely spent £4 and I'm now switching my gaming over to a handheld dedicated games system MAINLY to avoid freemium crap and greedy devs. I suspect I'm not the only person to abandon the AppStore and go elsewhere but that said, no doubt there are thousands of dumb people who are happy to play this trash as they really have no idea of what a good game truly is.
     

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