Ad Viewing Required For Free Zune HD Games 131
UnknowingFool writes "In releasing the Zune HD, Microsoft decided not to open up software development on the new Zune to third parties yet. Today, Microsoft released a handful of free games for the Zune HD: Texas hold 'em, Sudoku, Space Battle 3, Shell Game, Of the Future, Hexic, Goo Splat and Chess, as well as calculator and weather apps. Users, however, are required to view an ad (up to 30 seconds in length) while the game starts up. While ad-supported free games are also on other platforms, like the iPhone, the difference here is that those iPhone games are from third parties and not from Apple."
Reader Rock3t notes related news that the Zune HD will be getting 3D games.
Not really... (Score:4, Insightful)
Not really a surprise. On the old MSN gaming network they had them, and there are permanent ones in the MSN client, and the games started over the client had them too. ;)
Microsoft have to make their money somehow, and it's not looking like it's going to be through their software
Re:Not really... (Score:1, Insightful)
Microsoft have to make their money somehow, and it's not looking like it's going to be through their software ;)
What about the money you just paid for the device itself?
Genious Marketing (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Genious Marketing (Score:5, Insightful)
Sure Microsoft, that IS a good idea! Ad-supported native software, straight from the mothership.
You get two choices.
Either the "free" games are sponsored or they are paid for by everyone who buys a Zune - whether they want them or not.
Which would be the Slashdot geek's next complaint.
Re:Genious Marketing (Score:2, Insightful)
No. With the IPod model, I get a marketplace where games and business models compete. Sure there are some free ad sponsored games. But there are also low cost no ad games. And some expensive games. And there probably are some free, no ad games as well. Point is that the consumer has their choice. Not just what the guys at Microsoft dream up.
30 seconds? (Score:5, Insightful)
A lot of games on portable devices are something you might play for a few minutes to pass the time waiting for a bus, etc. If you have to wait 30 seconds for a game to start, then that's a sizeable percentage of the playing time which is ridiculous. It's even more annoying than all those trailers/adverts/previews/etc. you have to sit through at the cinema or the film preview you used to be forced to sit through on certain DVDs. And once you've seen the ad once, you're not going to watch it again for 30 seconds. If you have to advertise, put up an advertising splash screen for a few seconds with the option of the user pushing a button to exit the screen sooner.
So, what is the problem? (Score:2, Insightful)
I'd rather have a selection of free games available, than none at all.
Having ads in front of it is only logical for them to make some money out of it.
Microsoft has been doing the same with Live-Messenger for quite some time: If you start up a webcamchat, you first get to see an ad for about 20 seconds.
I got very annoyed by this, so since then I've been doing my (webcam)chats through Skype. It's all about having the choice.
Re:Genious Marketing (Score:3, Insightful)
Either the "free" games are sponsored or they are paid for by everyone who buys a Zune - whether they want them or not.
Which would be the Slashdot geek's next complaint.
Like the way we constantly complain about Minesweeper and Solitaire being bundled in Windows... or snakes being bundled on almost every Nokia phone ever..
I'm so proud that Linux distributions never do stuff like that.
Pardon the Rant on Mobile Game Ads (Score:5, Insightful)
Why is this annoying? Well, suddenly you have add boxes over key game elements, the game starts up slowly while ad loads (i.e. the much watch ad), or new start or splash pages appear that include the ads. Also, since everyone appears to use the same few ad networks, I get the same ads on every application. I feel like I got hit with some kind of bait and switch. I'll also note, that the update's description never mentions the new and exciting ad feature.
I started developing apps for the iPhone so I can understand the desire to be paid for your work. So, please think about your revenue model (and minimize the impact to players if you have ads) before your first release or better yet just sell it at a fair price. I will buy a good game. I will delete games that become unplayable and rank accordingly.
Philip K Dick : visionary (Score:5, Insightful)
"The door refused to open. It said, 'Five cents, please.'
He searched his pockets. No more coins; nothing. 'I'll pay you tomorrow,' he told the door. Again he tried the knob. Again it remained locked tight. 'What I pay you,' he informed it, 'is in the nature of a gratuity; I don't have to pay you.'
'I think otherwise,' the door said. 'Look in the purchase contract you signed when you bought this conapt.'
In his desk drawer he found the contract; since signing it he had found it necessary to refer to the document many times. Sure enough; payment to his door for opening and shutting constituted a mandatory fee. Not a tip.
'You discover I'm right,' the door said. It sounded smug.
From the drawer beside the sink Joe Chip got a stainless steel knife; with it he began systematically to unscrew the bolt assembly of his apt's money-gulping door.
'I'll sue you,' the door said as the first screw fell out.
Joe Chip said, 'I've never been sued by a door. But I guess I can live with it.'"
("Ubik", Philip K Dick)
How long until we'll be begging our Zunes to let us use our software ?
Re:Not really... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Not really... (Score:5, Insightful)
You pay for an iPhone/iPodTouch then pay for the apps
You pay for a mobile phone, then pay for the apps
You pay for a computer, then pay for the apps
You pay for a zune, then pay....oh shit its microsoft must resist the urge to troll!
Seriously you buy the hardware, then they charge you (in the form of adverts) for additional software, big woop!
Re:Isn't "HD" High Definition? (Score:3, Insightful)
allowing it to play 720p video through the optional HDMI Zune dock
So really it should be Zune HD*
*HD sold separately
Re:Not really... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Not really... (Score:3, Insightful)
I think Douglas Adams had a neat idea called the Electric Monk. Just as you have devices for recording TV, etc., an Electric Monk believes things for you. Here, I believe we want an Electric Gumby; its job is to watch all the advertising for you so you can be free to concentrate on actual content rather than effluvium from Business School Product.
Re:big deal? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Genious Marketing (Score:3, Insightful)
Old habits die hard. They're used to being able to cram down anything their customers' throats because they can't escape it anyway.
Re:Genious Marketing (Score:5, Insightful)
Yes, with an iPod model you have the choice of whatever Apple choose to approve....
Re:Not really... (Score:2, Insightful)
It is not additional software if I can't get a Zune without it. They are showing ads on included paid-for software, not additional software. Wouldn't you be upset if your TV showed an ad every time you turned it on or switched inputs?