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Gameloft abandons freemium model for Starfront: Collision and Sacred Odyssey

‘Feedback from many players’ spurred change

Gameloft abandons freemium model for Starfront: Collision and Sacred Odyssey

Gameloft has released a full version of Starfront: Collision on iPhone, after some fans bemoaned the publisher’s new freemium policy.

Previously, Gameloft released Starfront: Collision and Sacred Odyssey as free demo apps, with a one-time in-app payment to upgrade to the full version. It apparently allowed the company to, “adopt a new form of freemium model that is becoming increasingly popular amongst game developers and consumers alike.”

But fans didn’t react so positively. Pocket Gamer commenter Stephanos said, "I hate this model, IAPs go wrong way to often for me to trust them."

“We've taken into account feedback from many players, who did not feel comfortable with the new free model with in-app purchases,” Gameloft’s UK marketing manager Callum Rowley told Pocket Gamer.

“And so we've decided to [also] bring the classical, full version our players are used to buying,” Rowley said. “Thus, people will now have the choice to take advantage of the purchasing experience that best suits them.”

The publisher has also confirmed that a full version of Sacred Odyssey will be arriving soon.

You can grab the full version of Starfront: Collision on iPhone and iPod touch for £3.99 / $6.99 / €5.49. We gave the RTS a Gold Award for, “robust multiplayer and functional controls.”

Mark Brown
Mark Brown
Mark Brown is editor at large of Pocket Gamer