Why have all AB Games Been FREE at some point in 2013?
  • lostgreybirdlostgreybird
    In February of 2013 I got an iPad and I was disappointed I would need to buy all the HD versions for it. So I added them to my "Wish List" in AppShopper to wait for price drops. Today with AB Star Wars marks the day that each and every AB game has been FREE at least once since I got my iPad.

    My question is why have they decided to put them all on sale for free? I understand about the older ones but was really surprised when Space and now Star Wars were free.

    1) Do they feel the IAP of PuPs make up for the FREE to play pricetag?

    2) In future games will they use a FREE to play with IAP approach?

    3) Are they hitting a saturation point and are seeing a slowing/decline of growth with their merchandise. Forcing them to freebie games to assure people still play?

    4) Are they at a point where they figure everyone has bought at least 1 version (standard/HD) and have decided to make the other free. This could mean that they may take a universal app approach for future updates now that they are implementing ROVIO SYNC

    5) Something else entirely.
  • 11 Comments
  • Bad piggiesBad piggies
    Has all Ab games been free 2013? I never noticed when ABSE was free.
  • lostgreybirdlostgreybird
    Sorry, Seasons was July 2012. I grabbed that one because I usually grab any game/app that goes free.

    Seasons - July 2012
    Rio - Jan 2013
    AB - March 2013
    Space - May 2013
    Star Wars - July 2013
  • Bad piggiesBad piggies
    I have downloaded all of them (except seasons) on my borrowed iPad that I´m not allowed to purchase games on.
  • AMslimfordyAMslimfordy
    @lostgreybird I think Rovio is just trying to bump themselves back up to the top of the App Store rankings. You gotta think about how incredibly long ABo was #1 undisputed in the AppStore. Once you have the crown, you'll do just about anything to get it back. I think these promotions are ways of saying "Hey, we're still here and still updating!" in case anyone thought otherwise.
  • AMslimfordyAMslimfordy
    Oh, also. Rio is free indefinitely.
  • HunnybunnyHunnybunny
    Just down loaded the free ABSW. Thanks for letting me know, I love free apps
  • tbk1tbk1
    I definitely think the reason for the free price is potential for huge payback with IAPs. If you check out the list of 100 top grossing apps in iTunes, 83 of them are free. IAPs of up to $99.99 are common, and a lot of people burn through a lot of cash every month purchasing IAPs.
  • theanonymoussomeonetheanonymoussomeone
    Well. On Android they're all free. Except PotJ and DZ. And field of Dreams which I want so bad.
    On my mom's iPad, we considered getting AB. Rio was free. But we don't have it.
    And I thought that at one point ABo was free? I swear I saw a post about it.
  • TomPussTomPuss
    Well, App Store has a free App of the week. Sometimes it's been an AB app.
  • cosmo2503cosmo2503
    @lostgreybird here is my point - Rovi thinks that income they earn from IAPs would be more than enough to compensate for selling their games for free.
    I believe they cared about cracked version of their games and loss they have if 100k players actually have illegal copy of game. This way they want discourage crackers because who wants to play illegal version of free game. I know there are people who even cracked IAPs but far less then application itself.
  • Bad piggiesBad piggies
    Bad piggies is free for one week on iOS now :)
This discussion has been closed. Please check the new forum.
← All Discussions
Post in the New Forum!