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Ever wanted to try a game that didn’t have a trial version but didn’t want to risk not making the 15 minute refund window in case you don’t like it? If you hate that Google reduced the refund window on apps and games from 24 hours to 15 minutes, T-Mobile and WildTangent are looking to change that.
For $.25, you can try a game out for 24 hours, more than enough time to decide whether or not you like it. If you don’t, no harm no foul – that’s just one less quarter to go toward your pack of game. If you want to keep it, however, that $.25 will go toward the full price of the game when you are opted to purchase it.
In order to do this, WildTangent and T-Mobile will need to provide their own download service, but they stress that they aren’t trying to be an alternative app store. Their objective is to improve game discoverability for developers who are tired of being lumped into the mess that is the Android market, and to give users a chance to try before they buy in cases where a developer doesn’t offer trial or ad-supported versions.
Additionally, they’ll look to employ “WildCoins”, a currency that’ll allow users to both rent those games and to purchase in-game items. WildCoins will be bought using carrier billing and will act just as real currency. If you’d rather not pay, you could watch a number of advertisements before being granted the ability to play – all you’ll pay is time.
It’s an interesting sounding service and one I bet WildTangent is hoping to launch with all major carriers, but it remains to be seen just how well it’ll take off. T-Mobile will eventually roll it out to all of their Android phones. [AllThingsD]
forget renting, just allow paypall or some other non-creditcard manner to pay for stuff…..I want to throw my money at them, but lack a credit card……
get a prepaid one? get a debit card? there are plenty of options.
I know everyone is getting all pissy because these people brought viruses to PC’s but the concept here is pretty good I’d be willing to pay 25 cents to test an app for 24 hours although this shouldn’t be the case and google obviously should give us back the 24hour refund window.
Yes, their reputation for bloat, spam and virus spreading as far as I am concerned precludes me from ever looking at anything done by WildTangent. Who knows what you will ultimately get stuck with.
wow, clearly you’re a competitor of WildTangent…must work for Real or BigFish….or are just ignorant…nice try J-mo.
Oh gosh, you just know so much. pffft. Why must I work for a competitor? Because I don’t like a company that has caused me more hours of grief than I care to count uninstalling their bloatware and spyware and other general crapware from far too many PCs?
If that makes me ignorant, well I will happily stay ignorant, and you can give up your personal information to WildTangent.
WildTangent isn’t worth the platter space their software takes up.
And I do computer work… for a woman’s wear retailer.
So, in your words, nice try.
Wow, this sounds great to me! I will probably start buying games again if this is implemented for my carrier.
Wish it was for all apps and not just games though…
Can’t help but wonder if there will be some backlash by developers. In some instances, for short games and such (the reason as I understand it that the 24 hour window went away), people can now play the game for 24 hours and just never purchase it.
Does the developer get some piece of that rental fee? Is WildTangent actually purchasing copies that they are licensed to rent out? Too many questions, from too shady a source (WildTangent that is).
lol….”too shady a source”….seriously???
you sound like a competitor thats afraid of Wildtangent…I’d much rather try a game for $.25 than burn a few bucks on a game that sucks but has pretty pictures and game reviews posted by their employees to sucker me in.
Yes, “too shady a source” Any company that installs bloatware, gathers information without your permission and generally slows down your computer, is too shady a source for me to trust.
It doesn’t tale much to Google WildTangent and Virus, or Bloatware, or Spyware. Heck, most spyware programs recommend removing WildTangent programs from your PC. You don’t have to be a competitor to dislike WildTangent, you only have to have gotten (or helped somebody who has) a PC with all their crap pre-installed.
I understand the concept of liking having a trial to be able to use, Heck I even like that there are a limited number of things you can test drive over at Amazon. I would just like to know under who’s authority they are allowing these demos to run? Is that really a bad question to ask? And, of course, just what information are they gathering on me in exchange for this “service.”