The mobile version of Rollercoaster Tycoon 4 is out already, having snuck onto the App Store last week without much fanfare. The iOS game is social features and pay to play heavy, but Atari promised us the PC version will be "completely different". The developer has announced that we can expect the true sequel to arrive in the 2014 holiday season.
Atari promises Rollercoaster Tycoon 4 on the PC will offer a multiplayer experience and include "even more social features". Timers, dual currencies, and social features on a mobile game add up to a casual, Farmville-like experience that usually require you to bother your friends for help, but including social elements on the PC hopefully just means there are some sharing options and Facebook and/or Twitter integration.
At least, that's what I'm hoping it will be based on their claims that the PC version will not resemble the mobile game. Fans were outraged when the trailer for the iOS title was released, which demonstrated that the series seemed to be getting turned into a pay-to-play or pay-to-win experience. It costs $2 to download, but they give you $5 of in-game currency, which justifies the price tag in their eyes. Series creator Chris Sawyer stated that he has "no involvement" with the development of either game.
I wouldn't expect the PC game to follow this model, though. It might as well release as a Facebook game if that was their intent, but I think we'll see the more traditional core game. The next holiday season isn't particularly close, so it may be a while before any of this is confirmed--we'll keep you posted on details as they emerge.
Source: Eurogamer