It's been said many times that Android developers find it hard to make money on Google's mobile platform, and this sad tale is further proof of that.
Developer Madfinger Games announced via Facebook on Monday that it's making its zombie first-person shooter Dead Trigger free on the Android platform, down from the lowly price of only 99 cents.
But it's not a new "freemium" model that drove Madfinger's decision: It's what they refer to as the "unbelievably high" piracy rate on Android.
"At first we intend to make this game available for as many people as possible -- that's why it was for as little as buck," the developer explained on Facebook. "However, even for one buck, the piracy rate is soooo giant, that we finally decided to provide DEAD TRIGGER for free.
"Anyway, DEAD TRIGGER is not FREEMIUM, it always was and still remains FREE-TO-PLAY, that means, all players are able to play it without IAP (in-app purchase)!" the statement concludes.
While recent hacks have compromised in-app purchases on iOS, such a move would still be almost laughable on Apple's mobile platforms, where the App Store enjoys a much higher level of security for all but a select few jailbreakers. But it's a sad statement on the Android platform, when users aren't willing to part with even a buck to indulge in a quality game.
Meanwhile, Madfinger still offers Dead Trigger for 99 cents on Apple's mobile platform, and apparently has no plans to change its pricing scheme there.
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