Grid Autosport, the AAA racing game that offers a console-quality racing experience on iOS, has passed more than 100,000 downloads since debuting on the platform last November.
That’s an impressive figure in its own right. But it’s also welcome news for anyone who’d like to see fewer of the freemium games loaded with in-app purchases that have clogged the App Store in recent years. Here’s why.
A port of the 2014 console racing game of the same name, Grid Autosport is far from the first big-name console game to arrive on iOS. However, unlike so many of those titles, it didn’t compromise the experience — or fundamentally change the gameplay — by overloading it with in-app purchases.
Some freemium titles rack up millions of downloads. By that standard, Grid Autosport‘s 100,000 downloads may sound relatively paltry. But it’s also a title that costs $9.99. Its success proves there is a market for more expensive games that stick to traditional pricing schemes rather than giving them away for “free” and then charging for extras like additional cars.
Grid Autosport boasts 100 different real-life cars, including ones made by Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Bugatti, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Nissan and Subaru. All of these are available to the player once they’ve paid their 10 bucks. There are no more annoying demands for money on top of this.
Hopefully this will show developers they don’t need to choose between cash and quality when porting their games to iOS. Still, when you hear about Fortnite generating an eye-watering $1 billion from in-app purchases alone, we’re not expecting that pay model to vanish anytime soon!
You can download Grid Autosport from the App Store here.
Via: Touch Arcade
