Rollercoaster Tycoon 4 Mobile has hit the iOS App Store with no fanfare or accompanying announcement, appearing there yesterday for $2.99.
Atari had only ever mentioned that the game was due out in "early spring", and have opted instead for this surprise, quiet release as opposed to an exact date. The game's existence was only announced several weeks ago, so this sudden release is a bit strange. There is also a PC version of Rollercoaster Tycoon 4 in the works, which Atari has said will be "completely different" than the mobile title.
The mobile version, announced before the PC title, received much negative backlash when it was announced, which could be responsible for this unorthodox launch. Gamers were outraged that the beloved theme park sim appeared to be turning into a microtransaction-filled cash-grab. The game costs $2.99, but Atari says it comes with $5 worth of in-game currency that will help you in the beginning of the game, justifying the cost in their eyes.
It's possible that the game is set up in such a way that it nearly requires you to have money early (which would encourage you to spend more later once you see how useful it is), and I'm not sure this will fool many gamers. That is admittedly speculation on my part having not played the game, but like the launch trailer itself, what we've heard since then has done nothing to calm the concerns. The trailer showed features like timers, two currencies, and social elements--all of which contributed to the negative response.
Fortunately, Atari did say the PC version won't be anything like its mobile counterpart (which also hints that they may be aware the mobile version is mainly a financial venutre), so it sounds as if that title will stay truer to the series' roots. There's no word on its release date, but maybe it will suddenly appear on sale too!
