Neo

New kitty new kitty Tilcayo TF for @thatislebeav.bsky.social!

Hmm, I tried out the new Pokemon Friends game and I feel like it's fascinatingly caught between trying to advertise like a gacha, but also be a full paid game, but also be a pick-up-and-open like Pocket (cont'd) #pokemonfriends

Like dang, I know this is old-fashioned in today's market, but just sell me a full lemonade for $6 If I had to pay for a full cup in 3 installments of $2, I'd be paying the same amount but now I'm less happy

Hmm, I tried out the new Pokemon Friends game and I feel like it's fascinatingly caught between trying to advertise like a gacha, but also be a full paid game, but also be a pick-up-and-open like Pocket (cont'd) #pokemonfriends

Mobile players will be upset because it's advertised like a freemium game, but some content is completely locked behind the DLC, rather than just time-gated Not to mention the psychological effect of presenting it as a free game, but locking standard functionality (unlimited) unless you pay

Hmm, I tried out the new Pokemon Friends game and I feel like it's fascinatingly caught between trying to advertise like a gacha, but also be a full paid game, but also be a pick-up-and-open like Pocket (cont'd) #pokemonfriends

(maybe I'm posting this in the vain hopes that a Pokemon rep is scanning for feedback, but) I say all this with the caveat that in 2025, I don't think you can fund a big puzzle game with more updates for a one-time $35; devs are expensive and it's a smaller audience

Hmm, I tried out the new Pokemon Friends game and I feel like it's fascinatingly caught between trying to advertise like a gacha, but also be a full paid game, but also be a pick-up-and-open like Pocket (cont'd) #pokemonfriends

I may end up buying it because I think a Pokemon-themed puzzle game I can play whenever is totally worth it! But one big drawback to this mix of models is: now I don't know if future Pokemon are going to be gated behind more paid packs too? What's the lifetime cost of this game going to be?

Hmm, I tried out the new Pokemon Friends game and I feel like it's fascinatingly caught between trying to advertise like a gacha, but also be a full paid game, but also be a pick-up-and-open like Pocket (cont'd) #pokemonfriends

But then this runs against the gacha expectation that all content (including future updates) is available, you just have to play enough to unlock it (but if you pay, then you can do that faster) I don't think the full set of puzzles and Pokemon are ever available to free players? (cont'd)

Hmm, I tried out the new Pokemon Friends game and I feel like it's fascinatingly caught between trying to advertise like a gacha, but also be a full paid game, but also be a pick-up-and-open like Pocket (cont'd) #pokemonfriends

Buuuuuut in both console and mobile, it also launched with two ~$13 dollar DLCs which each unlock 10 more puzzle types and more Pokemon to collect, and I think that's where I'm not so happy (cont'd)

Hmm, I tried out the new Pokemon Friends game and I feel like it's fascinatingly caught between trying to advertise like a gacha, but also be a full paid game, but also be a pick-up-and-open like Pocket (cont'd) #pokemonfriends