New Bethesda mobile game 'Fallout Shelter' debuts exclusively on Apple's iOS
Fans of the Fallout franchise have a new mobile game to occupy their attention in the run-up to Fallout 4's hotly-anticipated release, though Android users are out of luck as the game -- called Fallout Shelter -- is available only on iOS for now.
In Fallout Shelter, players are somewhat unsurprisingly put in charge of a fallout shelter. They are tasked with designing their underground Vault, managing a community of Dwellers, and protecting the Vault from intruders.
Players can assign jobs to Dwellers, and push them into romantic relationships that could result in little Dwellers to expand the community. Dwellers can also be sent out into the wasteland as scouts, where they could bring back useful items or simply perish.
Fallout is one of the most popular franchises in modern gaming, and Bethesda's decision to release it on iOS first -- Android support is coming "later" --?has led to pandemonium among fans.
Fallout Shelter version 1.0.2 is available now as a free, 200-megabyte download from the App Store.
In Fallout Shelter, players are somewhat unsurprisingly put in charge of a fallout shelter. They are tasked with designing their underground Vault, managing a community of Dwellers, and protecting the Vault from intruders.
Players can assign jobs to Dwellers, and push them into romantic relationships that could result in little Dwellers to expand the community. Dwellers can also be sent out into the wasteland as scouts, where they could bring back useful items or simply perish.
Fallout is one of the most popular franchises in modern gaming, and Bethesda's decision to release it on iOS first -- Android support is coming "later" --?has led to pandemonium among fans.
bethesda is making me cry bc I have an android
-- Madds (@damadds) PC or IPad, WTF Bethesda? @BethesdaStudios Ignoring 80% of the market place? Where is Android? #BE3
-- Clifford Dutka (@GWKrovikan) Bethesda hates Android
-- Nicolo (@Nymo) YOU HEARD IT! #Bethesda loves the iPhone more than Android!
-- Random Respawn (@RandomRespawn) B-but what about Android? WHY DO YOU HATE ANDROID, BETHESDA!? #BE3
-- Peter Du (@ChoboCrucius) Good guys Bethesda with a Mobile app that doesn't screw the users, but wait... NO ANDROID? PANIC?!
-- Gareth Bateson (@durkadota) Fallout Shelter version 1.0.2 is available now as a free, 200-megabyte download from the App Store.
Comments
To be very fair, it is alot easier to develop for iOS first and then Android.
1. There is alot less testing needed because you don't have thousands of device with different specs, versions of OS etc.
2. You don't need to cater to the lowest common denominator.
3. iOS users are more willing to pay for an app/game.
It just takes less work to launch it on iOS, judge the success and then decide if it is worth it to develop it for Android.
Bethesda understands the iOS consumer demographic. It's that simple.
Shitty freemium apps?
(sigh)
Wow. Such journalism.
The parent company Zenimax owns id software which also made iOS titles but skipped Android versions for financial reasons:
http://www.droidgamers.com/index.php/game-news/android-game-news/1494-rage-wont-be-coming-to-android-anytime-soon-according-to-john-carmack
More than half of Android devices are sold at less than $254. Android folks like to throw around 80% marketshare but Google claims 1 billion active users. Apple should be somewhere around 500-600m and almost all premium hardware. Once you eliminate the > 50% junk Android phones, Apple will have more active users on premium hardware and the latest OS.
Mobile games are awful so I'm not sure why it really annoys Android users not getting them but it's funny to watch. Look at the reactions here:
http://www.ign.com/boards/threads/how-much-did-apple-pay-to-make-fallout-shelter-an-exclusive.454499774/
"sh*t has me f*ing IRATE, now I really f*ing hate Apple and those f*ing ****s will NEVER get a dime from me"
Yeah Apple really cares about his dime that he already spent on his junk Android phone and it's weird he's mad at Apple and not Bethesda.
Fallout Shelter gameplay is here:
[VIDEO]
There's an Elder Scrolls card game from Bethesda too that will only be on PC and iOS:
http://bgr.com/2015/06/15/fallout-shelter-elder-scrolls-legends-ios/
One kind of game Bethesda could do is a cloud-based multiplayer game that runs in the cloud and just streams video out to the users of what happened. There would just be a single version of the game running on a server and mobile devices would control their character in it but just with commands like attack an enemy, move location on a map etc and the server would just stream video of what was happening in the game to all the mobile devices. The characters could be taken offline in the game and be linked with health kit so that exercise by the player can enhance their character. Maybe work goals, todo lists, the amount of real-world social interaction contribute to character building.
The parent company Zenimax owns id software which also made iOS titles but skipped Android versions for financial reasons: [blah blah blah]
It's free to play. What financial gain will they get? The game doesn't have all cliches that most do. Regardless, iOS developers have to pay $100/yr to keep their license. Part of those "record profits" (especially to the indies) for developers goes towards just keeping their developer account afloat, let alone Apple's cuts in everything else. Large or small, it adds up.
I love Best game Fallout Shelter
I wonder if this means the use of Metal API's in iOS and OS X El Capitan will have us see Fallout 4 released for OS X?
Would be kudos to Apple if they could swing it.