Fremium games

jaybo1973 · Feb 19, 2014

Hi all

I have been an android user for quite a few years now. I do not like the way apps and games are going these days. It's this current trend of fermium games. It used to be either an add supported taster of a game or the full version that you bought. No hidden costs. I happily pay for a decent app but there is no way I would keep buying in game content. I understand it is to cut down on piracy but surely paying for the game within the game stops piracy to?

dibblebill · Feb 19, 2014

I understand why they did it, but I really HATE that I paid for several games (as much as $5-10), and have to either cheat or buy my way to win at the game.

Shocky · Feb 20, 2014

Join the club, i'll happily pay up-to

mikedt · Feb 21, 2014

Maybe this trend started in countries like where I am(China).
1) Because paid games are not available here, and in many other countries.
2) Because of the sheer amount of game piracy.

Which means the commercial game studios either have to do freemium or ads in order to make their $$$. So they might be finding freemium to be much more lucrative than ads.

You can easily get APKs, but you still need to pay for in-game content in order to win, unlock levels, buy items, etc.

Another thing many people might balk at the idea of paying say $10-$15 for a game upfront, but then have no problem with the idea of in-game micropayments. Even though it might cost them much more in the long term, especially if they get addicted, e.g. Farmville. Of course Zynga has made billions from freemium, maybe much more than if they'd charged for their games upfront.

Something else, many game devs are in countries like China, where AFAIK you can't register as a paid app developer with Play. Because Google doesn't operate their paid services, like Wallet. So have to do freemium using whatever payment system or ads.

jaybo1973 · Feb 22, 2014

Yes I fully understand why but didn't know the situation in China. In countries such as the UK. To stop piracy, devs should make it that you buy the game from inside the add or demo version. Is fermium as big on iPhone?

GrenW · Feb 24, 2014

What pees me off is not the concept but the amounts. Normally an Android game will come in at less than

Shocky · Feb 24, 2014

GrenW said:
What pees me off is not the concept but the amounts. Normally an Android game will come in at less than

mikedt · Feb 24, 2014

Shocky said:
It's true, in freemium games you can only go so far and in order to progress or move up the leaderboard you have to pay large amounts of money.

I've played a few freemium games and you would be shocked how much people spend on them, your not just talking several times the normal cost, I've chatted to other players and your talking hundreds of pounds/dollars.

The problem is once they buy something in game they're invested so the chance they will pay again is increased. It's a disgusting way of taking advantage of people and it needs to stop.

Think that's only likely to happen with the app industry doing it(unlikely), or government legislation. I mentioned Farmville previously, some people have apparently spent $1,000s on it and that's not even running on your own device, until quite recently. It's on Facebook.

We have the situation where paid apps are not available in many countries, usually emerging markets. Also in China especially, most people just don't like to pay upfront for apps and games, same with movies and music as well. But then there's the showing face thing we have here, where people will spend money to show that they're better than anyone else, even in online games that have networked achievement and league tables. Many games, often freemium, do come from China as well as India, where devs may not be able to register with Google as a paid app developer, so they have to monetise by other means.

BTW everyone around here seems to be hooked on this one at the moment...Dabaa(mongol game).
http://www.zuga-tech.com/ (Mongolian)
They're often posting their achievements and scores to Weibo and Weixin.

mikedt · Feb 24, 2014

jaybo1973 said:
Yes I fully understand why but didn't know the situation in China. In countries such as the UK. To stop piracy, devs should make it that you buy the game from inside the add or demo version. Is fermium as big on iPhone?

Where I am I think it is. Paid iOS apps are available here, unlike Android, but everyone I know who's got an iPhone or iPad has never registered a credit card with iTunes, apps and games are the only thing you can buy from the iTunes Store in China, there's no music or movies. In-app purchases like freemium are usually billed to the user's pre-paid carrier account, like China Mobile.

dibblebill · Feb 24, 2014

In my experience, yes, Fremium is just as big on my little iPhone 3GS.

Many games, you're right, aren't an issue of $5 or $10, it's $50+ for a handful of cars, or bonuses that will last you only an hour.

vikasadeshara · Feb 24, 2014

How to hack teen Patti Indian poker
Pls. Help me. I want chip in poker

dibblebill · Feb 24, 2014

And I want $50,000.

Is it an online-only game? If not, look up any number of Android memory editors, all requiring a root.

mikedt · Feb 24, 2014

That's an online poker game and you need to purchase chips to play it. Sorry can't really assist with fraud.

jaybo1973 · Feb 24, 2014

vikasadeshara said:
How to hack teen Patti Indian poker
Pls. Help me. I want chip in poker

Not the correct thread for it

akutasame94 · Feb 24, 2014

Well I want to pay for game, would even pay up to 20$ bucks for Final Fantasy games and such. Basically the games I know are good. But there are two problems. New developers even if create something good can't really put a price tag that is out of this world. So they resort to fremium. Also, countries such as mine cannot purchase through Google Play, so if developers don't provide me with alternative I am screwed and can only pirate the game or ask my buddy to buy it for me in USA, which on the other hand often proves to be a mistake as game won't work in Serbia. My bro bought the Room in USA, came here and it wouldn't work. Also it was on Blade 3 so it wouldn't work anyway, developer issued a refund, but still. When I downloaded the version from internet it worked on my phone, also Blade 3, developer did not want to provide me alternative method so I don't damage my phone (obviously it needs a way stronger phone by his words)...

I really think it's about time everyone was allowed to buy/sell over google play...

Also, for paid apps, demo should always be available (tho I encourage add supported apps for us who are unable to pay). DrasticDS has demo, I tried it out, it worked, I contacted developer and bought it over paypal and developer sends me apk files as they come out. Also FPse creator gifted me signed apk because he didn't have any other means for me to pay him and there was no demo/trial...

dibblebill · Feb 24, 2014

Amazon has that "Test Drive" functionality, even.

Shocky · Feb 25, 2014

Anyone playing Dungeon Keeper? I'm at the point now where the upgrades are taking over 5 days to complete.

It's ridiculous, do they really expect users to return every 30 minutes for 2-3 days to beat their minions?

At this rate i'll have a game to play in around 2 months.

Chex Remix · Mar 21, 2014

My stance on IAP's, I don't mind them unless you need them to actually enjoy the game.

Unless they're used to unlock the full game (like Cordy), they should be treated like DLC or an added bonus. It's also kind of silly to have $20 and $50 IAP's for certain games, sure you have the odd user who will actually spend that much but at that rate I'd rather just buy something real.

samqthegame · Mar 22, 2014

It always just feels like cheating. If you can beat a freemium game without have to pay any money then I'm fine with it. It's just for inpatient people who can't complete it on their own.

El Presidente · Mar 23, 2014

Chex Remix said:
It's also kind of silly to have $20 and $50 IAP's for certain games, sure you have the odd user who will actually spend that much but at that rate I'd rather just buy something real.

I was reading the reviews of FIFA 2014 and someone whinged because the

jaybo1973 · Mar 23, 2014

Yes, it is ridiculous. As long as people are stupid enough to pay it, they will keep making them like that

samqthegame · Mar 23, 2014

Well they aren't just paying for them, they're going broke for them. Clash of the Titans is making 5 million dollars a day apparently.

Fremium games

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