The Guardian has a great app, and it’s completely free for Apple iPhone and Android users alike. Once you download the app you can set notifications on the type of stories you would like to follow. There are no in-app purchases, just the latest news and engaging opinion pieces.
But then there’s that folder that temptingly whispers during moments of sweet procrastination: the games folder where you keep one or two free apps couldn’t hurt to pass the time now and again. In that folder you might find a puzzle, and maybe that game where you launch angry birds at green pigs hiding within unsound structures. It all appears innocent enough at first glance.
It’s been a long day at the office. You open your phone. The Guardian is right there – you know it’s the grown-up choice…. and yet, that games folder whispers your name.
The birds win this time. But oh dear – there aren’t enough lives to beat those damn pigs. You’ve tried, we all know you’ve tried. Angry Birds has just the suggestion for you. For a minimal fee you can purchase the game’s own gem currency, and with enough gems you can pay for more lives: the in-app purchase.
Many free apps support this type of optional purchase. They’re called freemium games and they are some of the most popular games on the market. In-app purchasing is entirely optional but that’s where addiction comes in.
Candy Crush was founded by friends building a small tech startup called King back in 2005. The game caught on because it was addictive. King’s game was so effective they’ve become a multibillion-dollar enterprise. Other companies soon saw the benefit of this type of consumption and have made their own equivalent. Some have been more successful than others. That’s because the basic principal still has to hold true; it’s all about great gameplay – that’s how they hook you even when you feel guilty for not reading those grown-up news stories.
In 2013, global game sales through Apple’s iTunes store and Androids Playstore exceeded £7 billion. By the first quarter this year, Newzoo forecasts freemium games revenue to reach figures over £59 billion, accounting for 1.55 billion (yes that billion with a b) gamers.
How much time do you spend playing freemium games? Have you made any of your own in-app purchases and where they worth the money? I recommend, as with everything in life, moderation and a healthy level of self-restraint; those Guardian pieces are worth a read, and they cost nothing.
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