Plants vs. Zombies 2 Puts Roots Into Android

[Fanghawk]

Plants vs. Zombies 2 Puts Roots Into Android

Plants vs. Zombies 2 finally has Google Play integration, letting customers of the open-source platform kill zombies across even more lawns.

PopCap is taking a slightly different approach with Plants vs. Zombies 2's release compared to its popular predecessor's. Instead of launching on a core gaming platform and porting to mobile devices, Plants vs. Zombies 2 started out as iOS exclusive and is completing the journey in reverse. It's not an illogical decision, given the prevalence of phones and tablets these days, but it was strange that <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/128126-Plants-Vs-Zombies-2-Android-Launch-Expected-This-October>the popular Android platform wouldn't get zombies of its own at first. Thankfully, that particular wait is over: PopCap Games has finally released Plants vs. Zombies 2 with full Google Play integration, and it costs precisely the same amount as the free-to-play iOS edition.

"With the arrival of Plants vs. Zombies 2 on Android, we're effectively reaching a huge new audience of mobile players who have been eagerly awaiting the game," said Plants vs. Zombies Franchise Business Director Tony Leamer. "We're particularly pleased that the Android iteration of the game has all the great features and functionality found in other mobile editions."

If you've already played Plants vs. Zombies 2 for iOS, you won't see anything new on the Android version. The game contains the same levels, zombie types, power-ups, and content updates, but it's still worth mentioning <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/118560-Advertisers-Choose-Android-Over-iOS>thanks to the enormous number of potential Android customers. After all, if the iOS version <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/127364-Plants-vs-Zombies-2-Exceeds-PvZs-Lifetime-Downloads>could gather 25 million downloads in two weeks, we can only imagine how successful an edition for open-source platforms will be.

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[BrotherRool]

I can't wait for this, I only hope my weak little phone can run it.


Only marginally related but regarding 'we can only imagine how successful an edition for open-source platforms will be'

Google are doing their best nowadays to make sure Android is open in name only [http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/10/googles-iron-grip-on-android-controlling-open-source-by-any-means-necessary/]. If any manufacturer tries to make a non-google registered Android phone at all Google will remove support from every single phone that manufacturer makes*, which would of course include denying access to the Play Store and Plants vs Zombies, because almost none of the Google apps left are open source anymore (including the calender, the keyboard, using a camera and potentially even SMS capability)


*Incidentally, this includes Kindles. If Acer, Asus, Dell, Foxconn, Fujitsu, HTC, Huawei, Kyocera, Lenovo, LG, Motorola, NEC, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba, or ZTE were to ever to help Amazon manufacture a Kindle, then Google would immediately disallow them from making Android phones (unless they want to singlehandedly write their own keyboard, calendar, app store, maps API, email suite, photo gallery, camera application... )

 

[Doom972]

I have an Android device capable of running it, but I think I'll wait for a PC version. Hopefully that one won't have microtransactions, if it will actually get made.

 

[DasDestroyer]

Great, looks like my tablet's android 4.2 is too advanced for this game, which requires android 2.3. >.<

 

[Something Amyss]

I have an Android device capable of running it, but I think I'll wait for a PC version. Hopefully that one won't have microtransactions, if it will actually get made.

One can hope they just make a straight-up game. Personally, I'm snagging the Droid version anyway.

 

[Something Amyss]

Great, looks like my tablet's android 4.2 is too advanced for this game, which requires android 2.3. >.<

It says 2.3 or higher, so that shouldn't be an issue, should it?

 

[DasDestroyer]

Great, looks like my tablet's android 4.2 is too advanced for this game, which requires android 2.3. >.<

It says 2.3 or higher, so that shouldn't be an issue, should it?

Requires Android 2.3 (Gingerbread); ARMv7 1.0 Ghz or higher; 1 GB of RAM

It says 2.3, the "or higher" refers to the processor.

 

[Vausch]

I genuinely thought that title was a pun on the game putting rootkits in androids.

 

[Something Amyss]

It says 2.3, the "or higher" refers to the processor.

I must be imagining playing it on my Galaxy S4, then. Oh well.

 

[DasDestroyer]

It says 2.3, the "or higher" refers to the processor.

I must be imagining playing it on my Galaxy S4, then. Oh well.

Alternatively I'm imagining it saying it's incompatible with my Asus Transformer's version. Happens to the best of us.

 

[DonTsetsi]

Uh, wasn't it released on Android already? Like, 20 days ago?

 

[Ayjona]

but it was strange that <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/128126-Plants-Vs-Zombies-2-Android-Launch-Expected-This-October>the popular Android platform wouldn't get zombies of its own at first.

Actually, it is a both predictable and very rational choice. I'm surprised anyone would call it "strange", when it is the dominant convention. There are vast differences in the opportunity for profit on the iOS and Android platforms (and much has been written about this incongruence in the past two years, so Google away for lots of reports. The summary is that iOS users spend many times that of the Android userbase on both entertainment and utility apps, any advantages and flaws of the two platforms notwithstanding), and as a result, the general sentiment among mobile developers is that iOS should be prioritized as the primary platform in order to maximize returns. (The popularity of a platform matters less than the opportunities for profit that the userbase represents.)

Being a fan of both platforms (though not of the game in question), I'm glad PvZ2 has finally reached Android. But no dev should be called out in the context of business sense or market awareness for targeting iOS primarily, unless their OS loyalty is being called into question

 

[Evil Smurf]

The game is a piece of shit. Microtransactions have ruined it. Don't support EA by getting the app.

 

[Donzacuceron]

It says 2.3, the "or higher" refers to the processor.

I must be imagining playing it on my Galaxy S4, then. Oh well.

Alternatively I'm imagining it saying it's incompatible with my Asus Transformer's version. Happens to the best of us.

It also said that about my S4 but I just downloaded&installed the apk and and then lo and behold it worked.Its just EA being a dick about things again,probably.

 

[Kahani]

After all, if the iOS version <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/127364-Plants-vs-Zombies-2-Exceeds-PvZs-Lifetime-Downloads>could gather 25 million downloads in two weeks, we can only imagine how successful an edition for open-source platforms will be.

It depends how you define "success". People love to boast about the number of people who downloaded something, but that's largely irrelevant. Take Twitter for example. Tens of millions of users, hundreds of millions of tweets every day. Also, tens of millions of dollars lost every quarter because they have no way of actually making money from those users. Getting people to download a free service or game isn't the challenge, the tricky part is actually getting money out of them. PvZ2 may well make a profit, but merely looking at download numbers doesn't say anything useful about whether that will actually happen.

 

[DasDestroyer]

It says 2.3, the "or higher" refers to the processor.

I must be imagining playing it on my Galaxy S4, then. Oh well.

Alternatively I'm imagining it saying it's incompatible with my Asus Transformer's version. Happens to the best of us.

It also said that about my S4 but I just downloaded&installed the apk and and then lo and behold it worked.Its just EA being a dick about things again,probably.

The problem is that the download button is replaced by a message saying it's incompatible. :/

 

[Donzacuceron]

It says 2.3, the "or higher" refers to the processor.

I must be imagining playing it on my Galaxy S4, then. Oh well.

Alternatively I'm imagining it saying it's incompatible with my Asus Transformer's version. Happens to the best of us.

It also said that about my S4 but I just downloaded&installed the apk and and then lo and behold it worked.Its just EA being a dick about things again,probably.

The problem is that the download button is replaced by a message saying it's incompatible. :/

I know I meant downloaded from an "external source".Since its f2p it doesn't really mater .

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

Joy! Now Android users can now play a sequel that was ruined by micro-transactions as well!

Pass.