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Just let me buy the f-ing game!
I've been in my sick boy bed for the last 10 days so I've been looking for ways to keep myself entertained. Now I do love gaming and my favourite platform and the most convenient is my iPhone. One because it's just there, and two, iOS games are great just to pick up, play and put down when the mood takes you.
I only have one problem. Bloody in-app purchases! Now I remember a time when you could just buy games or at least get a trial and then unlock the full version if you fancied. But nowadays developers treat us like lab rats dropping us treats to keep us addicted with the ultimate goal of making us put our hands in our pockets. But that's the point! We are happy to send you some funds your way for a great app and just pay and play. But no, what you want to do is to give us the game for free and if we want to do anything useful you either have to shell out or wait and age for something to happen.
For example, last night I downloaded an app called 'Raid HQ', it's a nice enough little game. You have a bunch of soldiers and you go around shooting the crap out of enemies and their bases. Fair enough.
Like many games it starts off with a little bit of a tutorial so you can get to grips with it and allows you to see how the game progresses and it was actually quite fun. It told me how to build up my team and how to defend my own base. After a few levels I was hooked and like many apps they make the first few levels stupidly easy to you keep with it. But once this was all over in comes a full screen ad to buy gold to get extra options, and surprise, surprise they levels then become markedly more difficult and can only be enjoyed with aforementioned paid upgrade.
There was only one thing to do at that point. Delete it. I knew that this would not be the last time they would try and tap me for cash.
Now what if I could buy this game for a couple of quid and actually be allowed to use my skill to progress through the stages? Surely that is the way to go. Now not all games are like this and there are some that I have purchased outright and I have enjoyed them greatly, I don't even mind games that make their money from ads in between rounds as they still allow you to at least play the game. But these in-app purchases are driving me insane and especially if you look at how much some of these upgrades can most you, you could end up spending the same amount as a console game.
So come on developers. You're all talented people and you're all putting out some pretty good stuff. Now I know you need to make a living, we all do and I am happy to assist you with this and would happy hand over some coinage for a game that I can actually play but please do not try to hamper or trick me into a sale because I'm not going to bite.
This has to stop!
So do in-app purchases drive you mad? If so please hit us in the comments below and if there is an app that you have found pretty egregious please let us know.
Author
Paul Wright