Amazon New Underground App Store Has "Actually Free" Games And Apps

[Steven Bogos]

Amazon New Underground App Store Has "Actually Free" Games And Apps

Amazon Underground features over $10,000 worth of apps that are completely free, and stripped of all in-app purchases.

These days, "free-to-play" more often than not translates to "free-to-download-and-then-you-have-to-pay-shittones-with-in-app-purchases". As such, there are very few apps and games that are actually free on the Google Play store. Amazon shares your frustrations with freemium titles, and has today revealed Amazon Underground - a new app store that features over $10,000 worth of "actually free" apps - completely stripped of all in-app purchases.

"Many apps and games marked as 'free' turn out not to be completely free," explained Amazon in a statement. "They use in-app payments to charge you for special items, or to unlock features or levels." It explained that in Amazon Underground, users can download 100% free versions of popular premium apps such as OfficeSuite Professional 8 and games like Goat Simulator stripped of their microtransactions.



But how is this possible? Surely developers wouldn't simply give away their games for free. Essentially, Amazon explains that it would be footing the bill - by paying software developers on a "per-minute played" basis.

Presumably, what Amazon gets out of this is exposure, as the "Amazon Underground" app is simply a part of the main Amazon marketplace app, and users who download it to get the free games may end up buying something on Amazon.

You can see the full list of "Actually Free" games right here [http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=s9_acss_bw_hr_swhlpr1_1_i?_encoding=UTF8&ie=UTF8&node=11350978011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-4&pf_rd_r=0C1CQ296NZDSZ2XPYEQG&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=2174768482&pf_rd_i=2350149011]. To download the app, you'll have to visit amazon.com/underground on your Android phone, rather than the traditional method of simply downloading from the app store.

Source: Amazon Underground [https://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1003016361&ref_=mas_surl_undrgrnd].

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[kat-pottz]

"Surely developers wouldn't simply give away their games for free."

really? because I feel like since the dawn of web 2.0 hundreds of thousands of people have made games for free to be played in a browser. Heck most pay to play phone games these days were ripped off from completely free flash games from places like Newgrounds or Miniclip. with the decline in popularity of flash player I wonder if any flash games creators will jump ship to amazon underground, would probably be an easier place to get your work recognized than the app store.

 

[Frezzato]

Four hundred sixty nine free games and apps?

Spoiler: Whoa

[/spoiler]

Too bad I don't run Android. If only I could find a way using BlueStacks.

 

[Xyebane]

Can anyone recommend any of the free apps? I had a quick browse but didn't see any that immediately stuck out to me.

 

[Lufia Erim]

Iunno i just downloaded it. I downloaded a free game just to check and there are still in app perchases. Is it only a limited selection that has been struped of in stop purchases and adds?

 

[Pickapok]

Iunno i just downloaded it. I downloaded a free game just to check and there are still in app perchases. Is it only a limited selection that has been struped of in stop purchases and adds?

There are apps and games and then there is a section for Underground apps and games.

Amazon Underground the app is a replacement for the regular Amazon app so there will still be other, non-Underground apps available on it.

 

[Aerosteam]

Can anyone recommend any of the free apps? I had a quick browse but didn't see any that immediately stuck out to me.

There's so many apps you're bound to find something you like. Just yesterday I downloaded DuckTales Remastered, Magicka and Threes.

 

[OldNewNewOld]

Well this was a waste of time and bandwidth.
"Free" until you log in. Then pay for it. Thanks Amazon.

 

[lastcigarette]

I'm just gonna say it. That logo looks like a penis.

 

[Johnson McGee]

+ free games
- they're all pieces of shite

 

[Veldel]

Well this was a waste of time and bandwidth.
"Free" until you log in. Then pay for it. Thanks Amazon.

your on wrong thing it was free for me and games with in app purchases where free I got one and got so much in game moola the rewards are now worthless lol

 

[Steve the Pocket]

This is a genuinely cool idea and could be very good for Amazon's PR. It's one thing to offer free apps that are only free because the developer knew they were worthless (or has loaded them with malware), but ones that would cost something if Amazon weren't essentially paying them off? Sounds like a good thing to me. I like the idea of calling it "underground" and making users feel like they're getting away with something.

EDIT: I wonder if this is compatible with my mom's first-generation Kindle Fire. They said only the HD and HDX support it by default, but the Underground app might be in their regular app store?

 

[OldNewNewOld]

Well this was a waste of time and bandwidth.
"Free" until you log in. Then pay for it. Thanks Amazon.

your on wrong thing it was free for me and games with in app purchases where free I got one and got so much in game moola the rewards are now worthless lol

No, I'm not wrong. It's region priced most likely. I checked several games while not signed in and they are showed actually free logo in the corner and the price crossed out and $0.00 being next to it. As soon as I logged in, non of those games were free. Fruit Ninja is $0.99, the Office package is $9.something and so on.

 

[Neverhoodian]

There is a catch (because of course there is); you have to enable Underground's data sharing "feature" to use the apps. This allows Amazon to keep tabs on your location, what apps you use, how long/often you use them, and even your phone contacts.

1984 had it all wrong. Instead of a boot stomping on a face it's a finger tapping on virtual cows for all eternity.