freemium

Complain about freemium all you want, but that isn't stopping the momentum behind Real Racing 3.

Despite early complaints that Electronic Arts had turned a beloved franchise into a nickel-and-dime operation, Real Racing 3 has proven to be a solid title for the company. EA told CNET that downloads of the game in the first week exceeded the total for the first two games combined.

Some of the other statistics are impressive: 350 million races have been completed since the game launched late last month. On average, 25 million races are completed each day, with players spending an average … Read more

PLAYA VISTA, Calif.--Electronic Arts is betting big that it can make more money by giving its games away.

The company plans to offer Real Racing 3, its marquee mobile racing game, for free to iOS and Android customers on February 28. That marks a dramatic shift for the franchise, which previously charged a hefty amount for the console-quality game. Real Racing 2 for the iPhone still costs $4.99.

The change underscores a move toward a business known in the mobile industry as "freemium," or games that are freely offered but have the option of in-game purchases … Read more

Don't call it a comeback.

"The Simpsons: Tapped Out" made its quiet return late last week after suffering through one of the more embarrassing meltdowns in app history when Electronic Arts pulled the game from Apple's App Store just a few days after its first launch in March. Simpsons fans had overwhelmed the server, causing connection problems, while massive bugs made for a terrible playing experience.

The incident is a lesson for any developer looking to launch a game with any amount of anticipation: be sure you're ready for the demand. Also, don't rush … Read more

The days before E3 are always filled with endless pontificating and predictions. The lesson? Throw enough predictions up against the wall and something is bound to stick. Of all the ideas we've heard, you'll probably agree that these are the least likely to happen, although each one still seems like a potential blockbuster to us.

Nintendo SmellDS Nintendo finally explores the next dimension in handheld gaming: olfactory. (Nintendo promises: sense of smell not necessary to enjoy SmellDS; scent slider included.) Reggie Fils-Aime promises, "You've never smelled Super Mario...like this."

Double-glasses 3D We tried regular stereoscopic 3D, didn't catch on. We tried no-glasses 3D, not much better. The answer is finally here: combining two sets of active-shutter lenses for extreme depth, with only a slightly increased chance of migraines.… Read more

Zombie Lane is a freemium simulator-style game that's part FarmVille (iOS) and part "The Walking Dead." It's got the addictive elements of an empire-building simulator, plus all the undead charm of a zombie apocalypse. In other words, it's something of a dream come true for me, minus one major element (I'll get to that later).

In Zombie Lane you are one of a handful of survivors, fending for your life as zombies rip your neighborhood to shreds. Armed with only a shovel and a few shotgun shells to start, your goal is to reunite … Read more

I don't know about you, but I love games that let me build and maintain some type of empire. Whether it's a farm, island, city, resort, or even a simple restaurant, I take pleasure in starting an enterprise from scratch, growing it, unlocking items, and completing missions. But as much as I've enjoyed playing these types of games over the years, I've always felt there was one element missing: zombies. Until now, that is.

Meet Zombie Lane for Android (download), a freemium simulator-style game that's part FarmVille (iOS) and part "The Walking Dead." … Read more

App developers looking to make some cash might want to ditch paid titles for free offerings that include in-app purchases, according to a new study.

After downloading an upgradable freemium game in a mobile app store, 40 percent of consumers decided to make an in-game purchase, according to research firm NPD. Most, however, were men. The analysts found that while women are more likely to have played freemium games, they're "among the least likely to pay for an upgrade."

Freemium games have become increasingly popular in the mobile marketplace. The titles are free to download and play, … Read more

The Simpsons are going mobile in a big way with a free iOS game created by Electronics Art.

EA plans to release The Simpsons: Tapped Out to iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad in the coming weeks, the video game giant told CNET. The game will be given away for free, but players will have the option to buy virtual currency, or in this case, "doughnuts," that can speed up the game's progress.

The game rides on the latest trend in mobile gaming: the freemium business model. As I've written in a previous column, EA … Read more

In Electronic Arts' mind, the company isn't any different than the likes of Apple or Amazon.

That is, if EA's online gaming platform, Origin, takes off with consumers. EA Chief Operating Officer Peter Moore believes it's a way to plug in directly to the home similar to Apple's iTunes or Amazon's online storefront. Clearly, Origin is much more limited; beyond games, iTunes and the App Store offer music, videos, and different kinds of apps, while Amazon sells virtually anything on its site. But the concept of creating a direct connection with individuals remains valid.

"… Read more