A fun little ‘endless runner’ skiing game, Alto’s Adventure, is coming to Android. After a long stint on iOS, the game will debut on android February 11.
And it’ll be free. The iOS version is — and will remain — $2.99.
Speaking to The Verge, Alto’s Adventure co-creator Ryan Holowaty says piracy is a big reason the game will be free:
Piracy on Android is a much bigger issue on the platform especially in the case of premium iOS titles that charge more than $0.99.
His development partner Ryan Cash goes on to say “the game only costs a few bucks on iOS, so it’s really not a huge deal. iOS and Android are two very different ecosystems, so it’d be almost foolish to approach them the same way.”
The team goes on to cite other factors, like Android’s worldwide install base and competitive issues in Asia, where freemium rules the day.
They’re right, but the underlying issue is that the iOS version is still paid — and not even discounted. The ‘it only costs a few bucks so who cares anyway’ attitude could easily be applied to Android.
Really, the team could have ‘celebrated’ the Android release by making both versions $0.99. I have a feeling that would have played well for all users.
Alto’s Adventure isn’t leaving iOS behind, but I’m not sure the team is showing the platform or users the respect it deserves, either. Cash says “It’s in our players’ best interest that we publish our games in a way that’s sustainable for us so that we can continue making new things.”
Again, he’s not incorrect, but it still feels as though there’s a better way to navigate these waters without reminding us all a schism between the two platforms exists.
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