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MWC 2011: Gameloft freemium games to cover the spectrum from Gun Bros to FarmVille

New wave of homages anticipated

MWC 2011: Gameloft freemium games to cover the spectrum from Gun Bros to FarmVille
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If you were to compile of a list of the entities and phenomena that made money on the App Store in 2010, Gameloft and freemium games would probably both be in the top ten. So it was no surprise when Pocket Gamer learned, late last year, that Gameloft intends to move into the freemium market.

So far the publisher has dipped its toes in the freemium pool with Sacred Odyssey (pictured), a free app that lets you play for 15 minutes before asking you to stump up the cost of the full game.

But, let's face it, that's just a lite version. Although Gameloft has published a real freeium game, Green Farm, on Facebook, there's been no sign of a real iPhone freemium game so far.

Gameloft has told Pocket Gamer at MWC that it will release several freemium games in 2011. It's already hinted at a Kingdom Conquest-style MMO, but along with that you can expect a range of titles resembling games from both ends of the spectrum, from Glu's hardcore action game Gun Bros to Zynga's perennial wallet-drainer FarmVille. Knowing Gameloft, it'll probably resemble them quite closely.

You can also expect in-app purchases to appear in some of Gameloft's existing games – map packs in N.O.V.A. 2, for instance.

Rob Hearn
Rob Hearn
Having obtained a distinguished education, Rob became Steel Media's managing editor, now he's no longer here though.