Konami Launches 'Star Wars Force Collection' Card Game for iOS

The game's free but to remove ads and Jar Jar costs $14.99

IAPs are, single-handedly, the worst thing that has ever happened to iOS gaming

I would say that the way in which most games use IAPs are what make the model seem so terrible. I don't think the concept is in and of itself bad at all. But Pay-to-Win, Pay-Walls, and the like just feel like greedy, artificial barriers to fun. IAPs for purely cosmetic extras are fine though; you can still enjoy a game in its entirety, but for a fun, non-relevant customization, you can donate some money to a dev you like. Or maybe a game has several hero classes, all balanced and fair, and you pay for another that plays differently, letting you get another angle of enjoyment from the game, but is specifically not "more powerful" than the default choices (otherwise it becomes pay-to-win). Content expansions seem ok too, so long as the original game is fun and worth the original price, paying extra for a new campaign/etc seems reasonable. And that concept has been around a lot longer than IAPs.

I can see it now. The "free" game will just give you some clone troopers, ewoks, and protocol droids. If you want to compete, you will have to make some massive in app purchases.

I would rather pay for a game up front then have to make in app purchases.

IAPs are, single-handedly, the worst thing that has ever happened to iOS gaming; what an annoying POS driven by greedy developers and sanctioned by Apple. At the very least, let me SEARCH for apps and games NOT infected by IAP - that would be a great thing already.

But...this essentially emulates a collectable card game. Like Pokemon or Magic. Of course in those cases the physical cards have intrinsic "value" to collectors. In order to be truly competitive in those games you have to spend money and get the rare cards (often multiple copies.)

The odds of getting good cards are entirely fabricated in both cases, digital or physical.

I absolutely refuse to buy consumable items like in game money

Yeah, that IAP model might be profitable, but it's also very alienating to mature gamers. It takes advantage of people who are irresponsible with money (children), and caters to those with an excess of disposable income (whales). It's just in bad taste, and I can't imagine any reputable game designer sleeps well at night when his managers/marketers force him to implement this.

it can be trickier with competitive games where unlocking cards give you a significant edge.

There is nothing tricky about that at all. More money equals more winning. It's also crap design, and not in fact competitive. Competition is based on fairness. Winner is determined by skill. When factors outside of a game, like your wallet, give you an indisputable advantage, the game is no longer fair, and no longer competitive.

The only way you make a fair and competitive game that also has something like card unlocking for money is by ensuring two things: non-paying players have a reasonable way, in game, to acquire those same cards (spending money might just save you some time), or the paid cards are equally as powerful as the free cards, and they merely open up additional, though not technically better, strategies.

IAPs are, single-handedly, the worst thing that has ever happened to iOS gaming; what an annoying POS driven by greedy developers and sanctioned by Apple. At the very least, let me SEARCH for apps and games NOT infected by IAP - that would be a great thing already.

I alway check the "available in-app purchases" on an app before I download. If I see a special currency listed, I usually won't bother.

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IAP do have a place. Even for game changing content. For example I am generally OK with unlocking characters and levels, but I absolutely refuse to buy consumable items like in game money. I think of it as one time unlocks to open up the full experience.
That said, it can be trickier with competitive games where unlocking cards give you a significant edge.

I can see it now. The "free" game will just give you some clone troopers, ewoks, and protocol droids. If you want to compete, you will have to make some massive in app purchases.

I would rather pay for a game up front then have to make in app purchases.

IAPs are, single-handedly, the worst thing that has ever happened to iOS gaming; what an annoying POS driven by greedy developers and sanctioned by Apple. At the very least, let me SEARCH for apps and games NOT infected by IAP - that would be a great thing already.