[Freemium games are] designed to be fun and addictive, but to deliberately become increasingly less fun if the player doesn’t spend [virtual in-game currency via in-app purchases]. The game will always let you earn some gems, but never enough to remove the roadblocks to properly playing and enjoying the game. Rare is the game that simply lets you play a bit for free and then pay a one-time fee to “unlock” the full game, or remove ads…
We all know that this is how mobile games work by now. We’ve come to accept it… Playing Apple Arcade games is like getting hit in the face with a bucket of cold water. It’s like waking up from the Matrix and seeing the world as it really is… In just a week, I’ve come to develop an attitude that if a game isn’t in Apple Arcade, I’m just not interested.
MacDailyNews Take: Cross argues that Apple Arcade’s restrictive exclusivity requirements – games must be for Apple’s mobile platforms only and exist within Arcade only (not available in the App Store) – will hurt Arcade in the long run and that Apple should allow developers to include any games that are free of in-app purchases and ads.
That move may be planned by Apple, after the initial launch period. If not, Apple should consider the idea as it very well may help Arcade to grow into an even richer service sporting a wider library of titles.