Summary: News: Top iOS apps and games go free ahead of App Store's fifth anniversary 'Infinity Blade II,' Traktor DJ, 'Sword and Sworcery,' Day One, and more A host of highly regarded apps for iPhone and iPad have gone free today in what could be a major celebration to mark five years since Apple launched the App Store. So far, games such as Infinity Blade II, Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP, Where's My Water?, Badland and Tiny Wings (iPhone / iPad) are all on offer for nothing, alongside apps such as the beautiful photo-annotating app Over, Traktor DJ (iPhone / iPad), Day One, Over, How to Cook Everything, and Barefoot World Atlas. None of these apps have ever been free on the App Store before, and many have commanded relatively high prices until now. In the case of Traktor DJ for iPad, the app normally sells for $19.99, and comes recommended by The Verge's Nilay Pateland Trent Wolbe. Apple is yet to make any announcement regarding the offers, and none of the apps in question give any explanation on their store pages. Since the App Store went live five years ago this week, the deals may be part of a coordinated celebration. The Verge has contacted Apple for more information on the matter. Update: According to ABC News, the CEO of Touch Press (who makes Barefoot World Atlas) confirmed that the app going free is for a fifth-anniversary promotion. "Barefoot World Atlas went free this morning and will remain so all this week to help celebrate five years of the App Store," said CEO Max Whitby. "Today's promotion is another step down the road to help spread the word [about our apps]." Whitby also indicated that the companies making their apps free were not being compensated by Apple for the loss of revenue. "In marketing apps you have to consider the big picture. The loss of one week's paid sales is far outweighed by the wider gain in awareness." http://www.theverge.com/2013/7/8/4502810/ios-apps-and-games-go-free-five-years-after-app-store-launched Earthworm Jim’s creator kickstarter campaign Yesterday, lots of gaming sites reported that Nintendo has fast-tracked Pencil Test Studios to become an officially licensed developer for the Wii U, a move related to specifically to the developer’s efforts toKickstart their adventure game project, Armikrog. With 48 hours left before the funding period ends, the campaign is a bit over $160,000 short of its $900,000 goal, with a $950,000 stretch goal to make a Wii U port a possibility. From what I can see, the game looks pretty damn cool, But despite the fact that the video game world might be a bit better with the presence of a game likeArmikrog, I’m not going to be contributing. That’s because of the involvement of Doug TenNapel, the artist responsible for creating Earthworm Jim and on whose work this game is entirely based. Don’t get me wrong: I really dug Earthworm Jim back in the day, and I even liked his shortlived cartoon seriesProject G.eeK.eR. But I’ve discovered that TenNapel has made his views on the world pretty clear inhis columns for Breitbart.com a few years ago, not to mention some unfortunate public comments about same-sex marriage. Every person has the right to express his or her opinion in whatever way they like, and that’s one of the most important rights we’ve got here in the United States. On that same note, I have the right to express my opposition to those views with my words and with my dollars—specifically withholding them. Now, we’re running into some tricky gray area here. Shouldn’t I support the project despite the creator’s views? After all, the game doesn’t seem to have much to do with TenNapel, nor will contributing to it mean that I’ve suddenly changed my views. Many people can—and do—separate the artist from the art. But over the years that I’ve been consuming art in various forms, be it film, novels, music, and games, I’ve tried to take a more conscious approach to what I support with my money, and what I don’t.
