Yes the rant is ridiculous because we are talking about $1 games, but on the other hand I can't go around stealing a dollar fom every one I meet, so there is that... Tired of games I buy disappearing fom the AppStore and reappearing with a slightly different name under a new publisher. Tired of sites like this one acting like its cool because they offered the new one free for 24 hours instead of calling them out on that kind of b.s. Tired of games I paid for going freemium and offering me trinkets in exchange. Tired of gamers applauding developers who do this crap. Tired of developers who act like its ok to treat their customers like this because after all, their product deserves to make the money they feel it should make, and if their paying customers don't get what they paid for then oh well. Tired of always giving in when this bottle of Henny wins. Seriously though I know it's only a dollar, which is why they won't mind if I pirate the games after all they are only losing a dollar right? No I don't pirate games, because it is unethical, but that begs the question is what they are doing ethical?
I'll nibble the alcohol infused bait for a moment.. So if a one dollar game goes freemium, and the devs compensate the original buyers with IAP trinkets and currency (said trinkets which would cost probably a dollar or more to the new freemium users) is unethical and essentially stealing? They're giving you your dollar back, no?
If you bought a Coke for a dollar and they took the coke away and gave you a dollars worth of sand, did you get what you paid for, would you have bought the coke if you knew it was really just going to be sand? What do they call it when someone takes something you paid for away or sells you something under false pretenses? Struggling to come up with a polite name for it other than theft to be honest. You see just like in the above case trinkets do not equal getting your dollar back, I don't want trinkets I didn't buy trinkets, I bought the coke not the dollars worth of sand... And the only argument you will hear around here is, it's only a dollar...and my rebuttal is good let everyone pirate games then, they are only a dollar...must be ok to do whatever you want as long we are only talking about a dollar.
Ha and I didn't realize this place was turning into one of those kind of forums. Used to be people would generally respect each other in replies, matter of fact they kind of prided themselves on it. Oh well times change...nice rebuttal though. Amazing the people will defend being treated like that as customers. I guess the type of gamer who loves these freemium games and love the IAP are a different breed then myself.
I'm glad I get to be in a silly little quarrel with a pathetic person like you. We can keep these stupid snide comments going all day.
Hilarious analogy...but I'll work with it. I find going freemium a little more honest if you ask me. Games that switch from paid to freemium tend to be IAP or grind heavy games. I'd rather have that than pay 3 dollars for a game that pushes IAP down my gullet the minute I launch it. (Square Enix is doing a fantastic job at that with their latest releases.) The other reason for freemium seems to be the casual, window shopping nature of the user and the relatively short attention span. They're more likely to try out a free game than a paid game...and if they like it they will invest their time and money into it. If not they'll move on to the next free game. It's the nature of the beast. The App Store is incredibly saturated and staying on top is a constant battle.
Nah I'm done, I'm going to bed, have work early in the a.m. I'm sure you can stay up arguing all night and still function until recess, but you'll have to find someone else to do it with, good luck! That's to connector btw, not you. Nite.
The problem is when the dev/publisher changes the entire model of the game by way of an update. I've said it a thousand times, but there is a simple way to keep the customer on your side...release a seperate binary for the new, freemium version. A good example is Bio Crisis. Search for it and you should still find the paid version and a FTP version. No one who waits to long to install the game post purchase is screwed, and you have another way to monetize your game. Games randomly disappearing from the appstore; being bought by another company and having the name changed/app ID changed, etc...that's absolutely the worst thing that currently goes on in the appstore. Maybe if you're 25 or younger you don't consider software purchases to = ownership; most of us older than that do. Many disagreements on this site, IMO, reflect the changing views of media ownership.
I see your point. If a dev changes well balanced (IAPwise) game from paid to freemium, and throws in a few more extra currencies to collect, I have a problem with that. But a game that's grindy from the get go that switches from paid to freemium, I consider that a fair compromise between user and dev. I've definitely been a part of cases where I get a game, only to see it months later up in the App Store with a different name and by a different publisher. I've always thought that was a last resort for a dev to try and keep his game afloat.
Who me??? Hehe, your partner looks to be in timeout for some reason, so you can rest well tonight I suppose. In the meantime, guess I will have to suffice. I'm with Greyskull though, don't like freemium converts and apps getting pulled from the store permantely, and ads getting added after. We did pay for the apps, we should get some protection from this kind of stuff. But looks like Apple doesn't care, so if developers want to keep doing it, then be prepared for more of this happening in the future for all of us.
No, its like buying a coke, and then having someone give other people free cokes, but at the same time they give you a sleeve for your coke, but everyone else has to buy the sleeve. you still have what you bought, you have something you didn't buy. you're upset because you don't like the fact that other people got what you got at a better deal, capitalism dude/ -every time you buy something at a store, you realize that item could potentially go on sale at later date, you know it probably will. The appstore is no different.
You're making sense and some good points. The Vigilant Consumers of Touch Arcade (VCTA) come down pretty hard on that sort of behaviour. Prepare to be misunderstood, misquoted, and made fun of. Cheers.
I just want to add one thing...why do so many here seem to put to believe it doesn't matter if you throw away money as long as it isn't too much at one time? You do realize that 1 dollar multiplies by the number of times spent, correct? And for god sake, have some respect for your money and stand up as a consumer. If you ever end up as broke as I have been in the past, when I couldn't afford a bottle of water, you'll wish you had a buck. Besides, I don't drink soda. Or eat fast food.
I think some people think it makes them sound more mature and more...selfless somehow, to take the side of someone who is plainly screwing them, or at least couldn't give a damn about them one way or the other. The human nature is full of dark impulses and inexplicable mysteries.
I think only the elite members of the inner circle are privy to that sort of information. Obviously I wouldn't know.
No, I don't mind it if a game I bought goes free, it's when it goes free and changes the gameplay and/or adds or takes something away from the game that didn't exist before( ads, timers, currency, etc...). So I guess a better analogy would be buying a coke and after the first sip having it replaced with new coke and a talking sleeve that constantly shouted ,"BUY NEW COKE IT'S AWESOME!". Or instead of a coke I can drink whenever I want, I get the same coke in a sippy cup, and a McDonald's toy. And now I get to either take small sips once an hour or pay to take the lid off for a minute so I can drink a big gulp. Bit after that big gulp the sippy lid goes back on until I can afford to pay for the lid to come off for another minute.
