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Earlier this week, game publisher EA announced that it will be removing its Tetris apps from the App Store on April 21, 2020. EA did not provide a reason for this move, but it appears to be related to a licensing change.

tetris-n3twork.jpg

As part of a multi-year agreement with The Tetris Company, game developer N3TWORK today announced that it has released an all-new Tetris app on the App Store for iPhone and iPad. The app features a traditional solo gameplay experience, both online and offline, and will be updated with new gameplay modes in the future.

The new Tetris app is free to download worldwide, excluding China and New Zealand, with an optional $4.99 in-app purchase to remove ads.

Article Link: All-New Tetris Game Debuts on App Store, Developed in Partnership With The Tetris Company
 
What a surprise! EA drops Tetris, for it to be released again! Totally free, apart from IAP.
 
So another multi-year agreement, $5 to remove ads, and the need to re-do this all over again in a few years since we won't actually own the game.
Pay $4.99 then after a few years, the game is removed from the app store. Then a new version put back on the app store, with a new model (IAP).

Repeat!
 
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So another multi-year agreement, $5 to remove ads, and the need to re-do this all over again in a few years since we won't actually own the game.

I feel I need to respond, and I'm not trying to create a controversy, but just making an observation of something that perplexes me.

Out of curiosity, the first time you went to a bar early in life and paid $5 for your first beer ever, you probably enjoyed it for about a half hour before it was empty. Then when you asked the bar tender for a refill and they said, "That will be another $5", were you raged with anger and said, "I already paid $5, so I want free refills for the rest of my life"?

It's funny how people put a price on things they enjoy. For some, they will pay hundreds or thousands over a span of 4 or 5 years for beer, but if an app they equally enjoy does a one time charge of $5 for the same span of time, they freak out.
 
I feel I need to respond, and I'm not trying to create a controversy, but just making an observation of something that perplexes me.

Out of curiosity, the first time you went to a bar early in life and paid $5 for your first beer ever, you probably enjoyed it for about a half hour before it was empty. Then when you asked the bar tender for a refill and they said, "That will be another $5", were you raged with anger and said, "I already paid $5, so I want free refills for the rest of my life"?

It's funny how people put a price on things they enjoy. For some, they will pay hundreds or thousands over a span of 4 or 5 years for beer, but if an app they equally enjoy does a one time charge of $5 for the same span of time, they freak out.

Ah, yes I just want to say I agree with you. My gripe is more of the overly-talked-about general one toward ownership of digital media, whether it's the App Store, Steam, or PlayStation. If a developer were to make improvements to tetris (or any game) after a year, I definitely support splitting the game as a new app to get paid. When I read it was just due to licensing, I just thought from a consumer standpoint, it's an unfortunate reason. But hey, new developer, the game will feel fresh and may be better.

Edit: I just noticed version 1.0 of the EA Tetris was 8 years ago! Now I feel silly.

Anyway, I will be getting this because for some strange reason I like to own Tetris in as many places as possible. My comment was more, "I don't like this reason, but take my money since I love Tetris". But I totally have that friend that will not buy a $2.99 app that they actually want and would improve their life in a convenience sense, just because they just can't imagine paying for it. Meanwhile, they continue to buy their $6 lattes from Starbucks every day. I know this contradicts my original comment, but that drives me insane. o_O
 
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Out of curiosity, the first time you went to a bar early in life and paid $5 for your first beer ever, you probably enjoyed it for about a half hour before it was empty. Then when you asked the bar tender for a refill and they said, "That will be another $5", were you raged with anger and said, "I already paid $5, so I want free refills for the rest of my life"?

It's funny how people put a price on things they enjoy. For some, they will pay hundreds or thousands over a span of 4 or 5 years for beer, but if an app they equally enjoy does a one time charge of $5 for the same span of time, they freak out.

It is as simple as durable good versus consumable good.




Until recently, almost all video games were considered durable goods. With the rise of digital media, a long with the bubblegum-like mobile game industry, video games are now becoming more consumable in nature.

It's funny how people put a price on things they enjoy.
If video games were always a consumable good, there probably wouldn't be any complaining, but when people used to be able to buy a video game and continue to use it indefinitely, and now you could buy a game today and tomorrow it could be pulled from the apps store or an iOS update can break the game, this understandably irks people.
 
So another multi-year agreement, $5 to remove ads, and the need to re-do this all over again in a few years since we won't actually own the game.
You honestly think $5 is much for a few years? Dude apps are costing that much per week nowadays.
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Just installed the app.

1) Why do I need to create an unique user name just to try the app? I don’t like when this is the very first screen when launching the app.

2) Look at the attached screenshot. Look how little of the screen is actually used! Some empty screen in the bottom, but A LOT of unused screen space at the top. I’m on a iPhone 11, but it feels like I’m using a iPhone 5.

8A710C21-DA46-47F1-A4C1-01CF9322B452.png
 
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You honestly think $5 is much for a few years? Dude apps are costing that much per week nowadays.

Nah, I don't think it's a lot. I guess it's just feelings of durable vs consumable goods like the post above yours nicely said, since I've been gaming since the Atari days. Heck, I don't know how obtrusive the ads are, but I still plan to pay the $5.
 
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Tetris is really the only action-puzzle style game I've ever enjoyed. I've never really liked the matching-type games, they just don't do it for me. Tetris was the first of this genre, and as far as I'm convinced, it's still the best. I will likely pay $5 for this, because you know what? Computer programmers, game designers, and publishers are doing work, we live in a society where work is paid for, so I don't mind paying for something I enjoy. As others have said, $5 is a beer, or a latte. That last for about 10, 15 minutes or so. If I can get a few years of enjoyment out of this version for $5, I think that's a pretty fair deal.
 
So another multi-year agreement, $5 to remove ads, and the need to re-do this all over again in a few years since we won't actually own the game.

Well... nobody's forcing you to dump your currently installed version? Alternatively you can buy a gameboy :p

IMO it's basically a Russian scam though.
 
If video games were always a consumable good, there probably wouldn't be any complaining, but when people used to be able to buy a video game and continue to use it indefinitely, and now you could buy a game today and tomorrow it could be pulled from the apps store or an iOS update can break the game, this understandably irks people.

IMO what's important to remember is that:
- Games were always a little bit consumable because they're system-specific and development has to end at some point. I mean, I got the Gameboy version with my gameboy. Can't even remember what happened to it but it's gone!
- Nobody is taking away the version you already have installed, nor are they forcing you to upgrade. You can easily copy the game to your iTunes library and have it forever (I have heaps of banned apps sitting around, for example).
- Tetris is a bad example of everything because Russia's involved and the original is some garbage little ASCII-style game for the Электроника 60 that was the USSR's state property. The (IMO questionable but widely accepted IP) is now being used as a weapon. IMO it shoulda just died with the gameboy... it's not THAT good.
 
- Nobody is taking away the version you already have installed, nor are they forcing you to upgrade. You can easily copy the game to your iTunes library and have it forever (I have heaps of banned apps sitting around, for example).

Sorry to reply with the same point, but for those that read this message, they need to know this isn't true. While they aren't literally taking away and deleting the app from your device, after April 21 it won't work. Backing up to iTunes won't work either. While it's true most games and apps continue to work after being pulled from the app store, this will not. The game needs to ping home to start and be able to play, and they are shutting down access. The app will be useless.
 
The game needs to ping home to start and be able to play, and they are shutting down access. The app will be useless.

Yep, just tested and confirmed that.

They must have added that requirement recently, because I've played a LOT of EA Tetris on the plane in airplane mode and have never had any issues.

It just shows how scummy EA is. They actually WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY to break the game. I deleted it from my phone; it feels dirty just having it installed at this point.

It's sad because they could have set a good example and gone THE OTHER WAY; disable all networking code, remove dependancy on the Internet and release one last update that'll work forever if you keep it installed/install from purchase history.

But no, they're *******s.

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- Tetris is a bad example of everything because Russia's involved and the original is some garbage little ASCII-style game for the Электроника 60 that was the USSR's state property. The (IMO questionable but widely accepted IP) is now being used as a weapon. IMO it shoulda just died with the gameboy... it's not THAT good.

Just because the Soviet Union took ownership of everything their citizens created doesn't make the creation any less valid or awesome. It's a great game that has endured for decades; we just want developers to treat it better.
 
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Games were always a little bit consumable because they're system-specific and development has to end at some point.
This isn't really consumable, as the good isn't ever used up. While new systems are released and old systems are no longer supported, the game is still playable as long as it still works.


While we could argue the definition of "consumable", this statement here is clearly false:
Nobody is taking away the version you already have installed


Though some apps remain available to play after being pulled from the App Store, it sounds like EA is removing access to the Tetris games entirely.
They are killing off existing installs.
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They actually WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY to break the game.
This is a really crappy thing to do. I wonder if this kill-feature was mentioned in the update notes.
 
This is a really crappy thing to do. I wonder if this kill-feature was mentioned in the update notes.

I took a look at past patch notes, and for the past few years all update notes are essentially the same thing, with no hint of any network requirements, etc.: "Hello Tetris fans! We've made some behind-the-scenes adjustments to improve overall gameplay and provide a smoother Tetris experience. Thanks for playing!".
 
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This is a really crappy thing to do. I wonder if this kill-feature was mentioned in the update notes.

I'd even go as far as to say that this behavior should be prohibited by app store rules.

A developer shouldn't be able to release an update that breaks the app, then abandon it. This should result in their entire developer account being suspended. It's incredibly user-hostile and not the sort of thing Apple should be associated with.
 
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