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    • Gameloft change tack with In-App-Purchases

    Written By: Nigel Wood
    March 2, 2011

    After listening to feedback from players, Gameloft games will now offer two purchase options…

    We received word from Gameloft today that a full version of Starfront: Collision has hit the AppStore at full price, without the the need to unlock the full game in-app. According to my source the reason for this change is that they have taken into account feedback from many players, who did not feel comfortable with the new free model with in-app purchases. And so they have decided to also bring the full version purchase model that many players are used to purchasing. So, people will now have the choice to take advantage of the purchasing experience that best suits them.

    Sacred Odyssey, as the first game to use this in-app model, will also be released as a full version. The trial versions of Starfront and Sacred Odyssey will now be titled FREE, and will allow in-app purchases. All new game releases going forward will follow these two options for purchase.

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    • Glenn

      “…who did not feel comfortable with the new free model with in-app purchases.”

      Yet they never say *why* these users felt uncomfortable? Is there a fear that the purchaser might lose the rights to something if they remove the game from their device?

    • JacobRonin

      I attribute this to lack of knowledge. I still have friends that only purchase Apps/Games on their computer because they believe that they will be charged twice if purchased on the iPhone then re-downloaded on their computer. Slidetoplay had a great discussion about this in their latest podcast.

    • Cku

      The reason is really a logical one. With the in app purchase, you need to be able to access the Apple server in order for the app to recognize that you had purchased that app.

      Now how that could be a bad thing, here’s an example…

      I have purchased apps in the past, by larger design companies, and after a longer period of time went by, the original app that I purchased was no longer available within the app store. Now (the example) if I still have the original app, but the full game was unlocked within an in app purchase, and the app itself is no longer available on the apple servers, there is no way for the app to function properly, to recognize that I had already bought it. If I had deleted it off my device before the app was removed. And upon re-installation it is always a default installation (like the game had never been played).

    • Shaun

      Even gameloft’re using IAP , piracy won’t stop

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