Are Recent Price Drops Helping Or Hurting The App Store?
As I am sure all of you have noticed, there has been a recent trend of price drops happening ever since the new iPhone 3GS was released. Whether that has anything to do with it or not, some extremely big named titles have dropped their prices dramatically. In some cases down to $2.99 and with others, all the way down to $0.99. For the consumer this is terrific news, right? Just look at the top 25 list in the app store. Over half the games on there are priced at $0.99. In most cases they have dropped from either $4.99 or $9.99. At a quick glance this seems like really good news, apps lowering their prices left and right. I have a question though: When did $4.99 become an expensive price to pay for a game? It's like nobody wants to pay any price other than $0.99 for a game. Or in other cases, not buy the game and just wait for the price to drop. I know I've purchased some apps that have lowered their prices or became free after a few weeks or in other cases, days after being released. That's extremely frustrating to pay for something and then watch the price go down significantly. What's even worse is the indie developers. They have a hard enough time competing against the big guys like EA or Gameloft for example. Now that they are lowering their prices what are these indie devs suppose to do? Basically they have to lower their prices as well. However, what if they already have their app at $0.99 and let's say The Sims drops to that price. You have a buck, what do you buy? The app that's been marketed like crazy and is in the top 25, or the unknown? I feel your pain indie devs, I do. On a more serious note, I feel Apple needs to do something about this. What exactly, I have no idea. I'm not even sure you can, at least from a legal stand point that is. The app store to me is a lot like the old Wild West. For the most part anything goes and until somebody does something drastic about it, it will continue along without anything changing. Let's hear what you guys think. Gamers and developers a like. Are these drops a good idea, or is this just getting out of hand?
App Pick of the Week Funny that I talk about price drops and now I'm recommending an app that has recently dropped it's price to free. It's called "I Am Ninja" and I don't think it needs much of an introduction, but I'll give you one anyway just in case. This app is based off of the wildly popular I Am Ninja website that features a ninja that answers funny and ridiculous questions from viewers of the...show? I guess you can call in that...webisodes maybe? Either way, he talks about funny ninja stuff, etc. The app has links to all of the videos and also comes packed with mini-games and lots of other fun stuff as well. Retro Game of the Week Last week's game was Sewer Shark on the Sega CD and was guessed by Adam. Nice job Adam! I still say we should lobby for that game to be ported to the iPhone, but I digress... So as always, here is another screen shot for you. No real prize in awarded other than bragging rights and/or kudos points. Use them as you like! Maybe one day I'll start giving away something, but you guys guess them so quick there really isn't much of a challenge. Oh, well. Maybe this one will stump you for a while. So here you go and see you next week...