Those wondering what Electronic Arts' acquisition of Popcap means for the studio's stable of popular games have had their questions answered today. Bejeweled 2 + Blitz will be swiped from iTunes and its two modes split into two. Where once you could buy Bejeweled 2 with a "Blitz" mode for $0.99, you now have to buy a new Bejeweled with the mode removed.
Why is this? It's because Blitz has been released as its own game, the latest iOS game to adopt a "freemium" model. It costs nothing to get into, but will require paid purchases after the fact. Quite what these purchases entail remains to be seen, but given what we recently learned about EA's other freemium title, Theme Park, hopes aren't exactly high.
Bejeweled 2 + Blitz is still available on the North American iTunes at the time of writing, but don't expect it to stay long.
This is the second EA-owned iOS game to be replaced with a worrying new business model. Recently, Tetris was relaunched with the promise of downloadable content and the option to purchase a yearly $30.00 subscription.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Contest:
3:30 PM on 12.07.2011 | 
No, not really. Maybe you're thinking of some other industry.
I don't think its unreasonable to expect things like this to start to trickle into mainstream gaming, especially given the massive push to go truly mainstream with social and app games may completely redefine mainstream gaming itself. It's fairly clear that they've pummeled the console market to the point that they need to branch off into more profitable ventures, and that social and smart device games is the new honeypot. When one girl stops putting out, just move on to another fresh face.
...except I know better than to update like that. :P
Finished with your game, well sucks to be you cus there is more for 10 dollars
Well in fairness there was a time back in the golden age where the industry wasn't as blatant when it came to screwing people.
In the last handful of years its just gotten super blatant.
Not all DLC is bad ..... just like 88.979% of it.
But yeah DLC was one of the Pandora's box moments where the industries heart at large shrank three sizes and they smiled a crooked grin.
Sorry, that's the first time I've heard that figure. That is fucking bananas. Nobody wants anything but the main game anyway! Right?
...
Right!?
i guess if you've already paid hundreds of dollars for your portable idevice and a mac to go with it $30 a year for tetris, a $60 virtual roller coaster and 2 copies of bejewelled plus the predictable $10 charge for the red jewels or whatever the fuck it turns out to be... i guess all that doesn't seem so ludicrous.