I love iOS games and firmly believe that we’re currently going through a golden age of mobile game development, a bit like what happened for PCs in the mid-1980s, where small development teams can compete on a global scale, simply by way of a great idea and strong word-of-mouth marketing.
But there is a downside to mobile games, and last year one of the top grossing titles epitomized everything true gamers detest about these titles: namely lazy gameplay, tons of greedy in-app purchases, and a celebrity license instead of originality to bring in the punters. That game’s title? Kim Kardashian: Hollywood. Its 2014 earnings? Around $200 million.
With that kind of cash being raked in, it’s little wonder that developers Glu Mobile would be willing to try their luck a second time at bringing about the app-ocalypse. Their celebrity endorser this time? Girl-kissing, Russell Brand-marrying, teenage-dreaming songstress Katy Perry.
The game will arrive later this year, and is set to feature Katy’s voice, likeness, and personality. No word yet on pricing, but it would make sense monetarily (if not ethically) to continue beating the in-app purchase piñata until every last cent has been rinsed.
I know there are fans of Katy Perry out there — and she’s certainly responsible for more than a few head-bopping hits — but when 90 percent of a game company’s press release reads like accountant porn (social media reach x consumer demand + in-app purchases=$$$$), you know there’s not even any pretence about the motivations behind what they’re doing.
Via: iMore
