You are unique in this. They would get almost no sales and destroyed in reviews if they charged the real price of the game ($20).
Instead, they use IAP. Some users buy nothing, some buy the $69.99 game, and on average everyone pays $20.
Instead, they use IAP. Some users buy nothing, some buy the $69.99 game, and on average everyone pays $20.
1: http://insertcredit.com/2011/09/22/who-killed-videogames-a-g...
Then I played through the tutorial, and saw it would take four hours to dig through a single block of dirt. I went to the store screen and would happily have paid $20 for a full unlock.
Instead I was faced with multiple gem purchase options, including a "BEST VALUE - $100!".
You have got to be kidding. And while I could make smaller purchases, I have no way of knowing how fast they would be depleted. As the article notes, the game is clearly focused on scamming the money out of you as fast as possible.
So I've uninstalled it without spending anything and am left with further disgust for EA. There's got to be a happier medium ($10 game with cosmetic unlocks?) than this pay-for-every-move methodology. Valve certainly seems to be making it work.