Who doesn't like getting things for free. However, when it comes to free mobile games, we all know that they are not actually free. They will eventually cost you so much time, money, and/or frustration that you will realize that you should have canceled the subscription before installing them.
Free mobile games may seem attractive at first, but over time you may start to notice some negative aspects that affect your experience. From annoying ads to in-game purchases that slow down progress, these games become less fun and more frustrating. I will share the reasons that prompted me to stop installing such games, and the alternatives that I find more satisfying and that provide a distinct gaming experience without these restrictions. Check out our guide to choosing the best gaming subscription for your needs.
1. Intrusive ads that spoil the experience
The most obvious annoyance with free-to-play mobile games is the never-ending and often annoying ads. When you're not paying for something, ad revenue is the most obvious way to extract some money from you. To be fair, the same criticisms can be leveled at websites.
However, it's the number and placement of ads that sets free-to-play mobile games as a bad example. The ads will disrupt the game you are trying to play and will fill your screen for 30 seconds at a time. And there's not much you can do about its presence unless you're willing to pay to keep it out of your sight.
2. Constantly begging for payment for items
Another obvious annoyance with free-to-play mobile games is the constant begging to pay for items. The developer knew you'd get the core experience for free, so their focus from that point on is to entice you to pay for an item.
Ads will be intentionally made more annoying to frustrate you into paying to remove them, wait times will be intentionally added to gameplay in order to make you impatient, and exclusive modes or other items will be locked behind a paywall. It's all designed to make you pay for things.
3. Repeating daily rewards or achievements
Once loot boxes became common, they started showing up everywhere — and they tend to be found a lot in free-to-play mobile games. They are used to keep you wanting more, as the developer uses your brain chemistry against you. Loot chests are also often tied to daily login rewards or quests that players work hard at.
This “task = reward” cycle keeps your brain filled with dopamine, keeping you coming back for more, again and again. Positive feedback loops are created, and before you know it, you're addicted and spending hours a day playing a pointless game. Check out why indie video games are your best choice for a unique experience.
4. The amount of personal data collected
If you ignore this article, and choose to continue playing free-to-play games on your phone, I urge you to take a look at the permissions you grant for the next game you install on your phone. The list is likely to be long, and includes data sets that you really shouldn't ignore.
If you don't believe me, look at the app listing page for a free game you play regularly, and find details of what data is collected, and how it is used. While not all free games are guilty of overstepping the boundaries here, many of them access a lot of permissions they don't need to work. There is no real justification for this.
5. Constant feeling that I am being scammed
Every time I played a free game on my phone, I had to deal with the nagging feeling that I was at risk of being scammed. Not necessarily by illegal means, but just from the risk of clicking on the wrong thing at the wrong time and then watching some money leave my account in horror.
If you accidentally paid for an in-app purchase, or you discover that your child intentionally purchased one against your wishes, good luck trying to get a refund. While I'm sure most developers would balk at this, I think menus are designed in a way to trick you into clicking on things you didn't mean to click.
6. You're dealing a fatal blow to my phone's battery
All games on your phone, whether free or paid, drain your smartphone's battery life quickly. So I always make sure to indulge in the game only when I'm not too far from the charging point. However, free games can drain your battery faster than paid games.
Unlike paid games, free-to-play mobile games come loaded with ads and analytical trackers. These ads can drain your battery at incredible speeds. So, the point of games on a phone is to be able to play them when you're not at home, yet the way they can drain your battery turns that on its head.
7. The fact that free games are generally crap
Last on my list of reasons why I no longer play free-to-play games on mobile is the fact that they're generally just not that good. So much development time is devoted to manipulating players into coming back daily or paying for microtransactions that the core game suffers.
If you don't believe me, just compare a game developed from scratch to be released for free to one that the developer would have always charged for. The differences can be huge, with the paid game offering better visuals, better gameplay, and a story that actually makes sense. Check out my gaming journey: How my habits have evolved over 40 years.
These are the reasons why I personally would pay for games on mobile instead of playing them for free. I'd rather pay a small amount of money for good games that don't try to frustrate me to the point of paying for an upgrade. There are a few exceptions, but they are few and far between, and not really worth looking for.
Follow my advice and stick with paid games from developers who are upfront and honest about charging you upfront rather than tempting you to spend more money later. Just make sure to read reviews and be more selective about the games you choose to play. You can now see the reasons why I prefer playing games on mobile.
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