Amazon Enters The Casual Game Market
Amazon.com is entering the casual games market! They’re offering downloadable casual games to try or buy, using the Big Fish system of a timed trial and then a paid download.
I’m worried that massive portals like Amazon and even my beloved Big Fish are becoming the Wal-Mart of casual games, making it even harder for indie developers to compete. Amazon and BFG have advertising budgets (I could just stop the sentence here, couldn’t I?) that are far beyond the reach of the average independent developer, and they’re able to offer a wider assortment of games at lower prices. This seems like all good things for game players, but I’m afraid it will come at the expense of the smaller, more creative amateur developers, who can’t possibly make a profitable game with that kind of competition. That leads, ultimately, to a smaller assortment of games for us to try.
PS — Amazon is also offering the full version of Build-a-Lot free as part of their promotion, just like Big Fish did. But don’t fall for it! Build-a-Lot is just not a fun game.
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Tags: Amazon, Build-a-lot, Buildalot, casual, Casual games, ds, EA, free, game, games, Gaming Crystal Ball, RoM, The, To
