Gameloft issues My Little Pony 'fix'

Gameloft has responded to complaints of gouging in its mobile My Little Pony game.

When My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic hit the iTunes and Google Play stores, fans rejoiced — until realising that playing the game was going to cost money. Lots and lots of money.

After CNET Australia posted a story on the subject, Gameloft got in touch with us to find out what the problem was — and we told them that never had we seen a freemium game ask for so much money for so little, or require money spent in order to finish the game.

Now, the mobile developer has responded to the fans who felt exploited by the 500-gem (AU$50) cost of Rainbow Dash — by lowering her price to 90 gems.

This was the only reduction. Any other price reductions, Gameloft told CNET Australia, would be in gem sales from time to time. Usually, a pack of 500 gems costs AU$51.99.

Other costs incurred in the game's storyline are still in place:

• Sweetie Belle: 75 gems

• Rarity: 90 gems

• Rainbow Dash: 90 gems

• Fancypants: 100 gems

• Prince Shining Armor: 650 gems

• Princess Cadance: 650 gems

• Clock Tower: 350 gems

• Town Hall: 600 gems

The total? 2555 gems.

The way the game currently operates, you can earn three gems every five days if you play every day, which equates 219 gems a year. Every three or four levels, you are given a gem as a reward; but the level cap is 60, so we estimate that a maximum of 20 gems is available there. Gems are supposed to be found randomly in the game as well, but in weeks of playing, we have not found a single one.

In other words, unless you want to be playing this game every day for over 10 years, there is absolutely no way you will be able to finish it without spending money.

We don't think Gameloft really understood what we found wrong with its model.