Internet Access now essential to play?

[Drover’s Dog]

This morning there was an Android update available (was possibly available a day earlier), I updated and a long download of assets occurred and game opened with all levels, gems etc intact.
I also notice a new icon for specials on gems intruding in the top right corner of the screen … another attempt by Rovio to get us to spend $$$ I guess.

On the train to work I opened the app and a dialogue box advised :

“Download Failed

Please check your
internet connection
and try again ”

There is a refresh button and the download bar is at 95%

The back button does not work and only way to exit game is to press hold the start button until it allows me to close all open apps.

Is internet access now essential to play?

Topic

[NCroc709]

Unfortunately, yes. It seems the game requires stable internet connection now. This is deal breaker for me :(
There is already a similar topic BTW.

[Drover’s Dog]

Thanks @ncroc709
Last week I could play off line, it’s only been today that I can’t

[Red7827]

What about turning the Wi-Fi off during the game?

[Drover’s Dog]

@gulgor0 I play on a tablet with no sim so have to rely on available wifi which unfortunately is not available for free on Sydney trains :(

[Sumit Arora]

Why don’t you share your mobile internet which comes in handy.. I do it whenever I don’t have wifi facility!!

[Drover’s Dog]

@sumitarora15 when I can I do, using a prepaid plan means often I need to budget time and mb’s

[Josm]

I think its because the special gems offers. Since that came i need internet connection too…

[BuriedTreasure]

Same thing happened to me on a plane this afternoon. What a pain in the ass!!

[eugene]

This is one of the many bugs I mention in the Good and Bad page. And it is a bad. I would play at work where I also don’t have internet, now I can’t play.

I hope we see a fix to these bugs soon, it has been weeks since many of us have been able to play

[Josm]

Since yesterdays update you can play offline again. :)

[Drover’s Dog]

Update arrived here this morning .. and YES can now play offline… hooray. Hopefully some other bugs have been fixed as well