IPHONE NEWS
App Store to get $19.99 premium games section?
Would you pay $19.99 for an iPhone game? That's £9.99 here in the UK approximately, obviously.
Later this year, you may get the chance to.
PocketGamer.biz is reporting a strong rumour that
Apple is planning to introduce a premium games section on its App Store, selling games at that price point.
However, it's thought only a relatively small number of publishers would be partners in the new section, although in fairness, relatively few are currently geared up to create games with $19.99 production values.
Apple has a policy of not commenting on rumours and speculation, while two of the likely candidates - EA Mobile and Gameloft - have also refused to comment on the rumour.
However, with Apple keen to talk up iPhone and iPod touch's credentials against PSP and DS, higher prices will surely be required to persuade publishers to up their game development budgets accordingly.
Watch this space, and let us know your thoughts. To return to our opening question, would you pay $19.99 for an iPhone game, and if so, what would you expect from it?
Joined:
Nov 2008
Post count:
16
It depends. I think if Square Enix made an old style RPG like FF2 or something like that then I would happily spend a tenner on it. I would'nt pay £9.95 for a game that only lasts a few hours, It would have to be a challenge and fun.
Joined:
Sep 2005
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276
Although it's bad news in the short-term I think ultimately this will be good for the format and the quality of titles we'll start to see.
Mainstream publishers like Activision/Blizzard and Take 2 will be very interested in developing leading titles if they can get $20 a game.
I'm all for having a split structure with $20/$10/$5/$1 and free
Joined:
May 2007
Post count:
387
I feel I should point out that depending on how the pricing is set it might be more than £9.99, as $19.99 currently converts to £13.99 at today's exchange rate!
Agree with the comments above about an old FF port, 1-6 were all successfully ported to GameBoy Advance and PS1 and the iPhone could certainly handle those.
I wouldn't buy ANY game for that sort of money that I didn't have direct experience of on another console.
Joined:
Dec 2008
Post count:
947
I agree about the premium store and $19.99 being a bit too ambitious... If I'm going to pay $20 for a game it better blow the doors off a PSP game! $10-15 for premium games is a bit more realistic. Honestly, gameloft is pretty close. All they have to do is improve frame rate, smooth out graphics, smooth out animation, add an awesome score (soundtrack), put in some in-game and cut scene voice overs and you've got a $15.00 game! The great thing about the iPhone is the ability to shell out $5-$10 and have about 2-6 hours of great fun with a game. The higher quality games give you just enough to hold your attention and then end before getting tiresome. Upping the price to $20 is going to make me wait for a price drop to be completely honest. The only games I would pay a full $20 for would be a high production Square Enix game complete with breathtaking high-def cut scenes and the works. I don't think the iPhone's hardware is ready for $20 games. tim
Joined:
May 2007
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387
High-Def cut scenes on an iPhone?! Get your head out the klouuds! hehe
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Dec 2008
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947
500mb is the average size of a PSP game. The larger ones are 1gb-1.5gb. But most are like 500-750mb. I honestly think that high quality cut scenes are attainable on a 250-400mb game.
anyways, my point was that developers like gameloft need a little more polishing and a good kick in the butt and iPhone/Touch games will be on par.
tim
Lion... how long have you been saving that pun? LOL
Joined:
May 2007
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387
It just came to me after I started writing the comment I swear! Honest guv!
Ok I'll accept that some short high-quality cut scenes might be possible, it was the term High-Def that worried me on a 480x320 resolution screen!
I've seen some pretty natty stuff on GBA cartridges before, they were almost all 256Mb sized!
I'm not sure Gameloft are the best bet though, they're still scaling up from a traditional mobile background to WiiWare and iPhone.
I guess the real test is when one of the console dev teams is told to work on an iPhone project rather than the mobile division.
Joined:
Dec 2008
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947
true... the main reason people are hesitant to pay $9.99 US for an iPhone game is because they are unfamiliar with the development companies and the lag between DS/PSP and iPhone game quality.
I think that this "premium section" will do more help than anything else. If it attracts well known developers then we should see exponential improvements.
I personally have had a blast with Hero of Sparta and Brothers in Arms. I think the quality is ALMOST there. Given some larger download sizes and longer production time, I think we could see true "premium games"
This is why I am so excited about Need for Speed. It appears to be the most polished iPhone game yet.
tim
Joined:
Dec 2008
Post count:
947
In addition: we need to see more Lite versions of higher dollar games. Customers are basically taking a chance on games without being able to play them before they buy. Lite versions will also keep pirating at a low. I know that is the initial intent of those that have hacked games... they just want to play before they buy, but then get swept up in the "FREE" part and never actually buy anything.
Joined:
Feb 2009
Post count:
6
I wouldn't pay $20 for an iPhone game. The only way I'd even pay $15 is if the graphics were smoothed out, longer games, better controls, and better cutscenes. For $20 it'd have to be PS2 quality and up. I hope they don't make a premium store. I mean theres already upcoming titles that look really good.
Metal Gear Solid Touch
PREY
Need for Speed
Plus Apple's gonna have to loosen its grip if it wants developers to even consider making iPhone games full time.
