Sprint Arcade brings subscription-based gaming to the mobile
By Darren Murph 
posted Nov 7th 2007 1:40AM
posted Nov 7th 2007 1:40AM
We're not exactly sure how huge an audience there will be for subscription-based gaming on the cellphone, but nevertheless, Sprint is all set to find out. Announced at the Electronics for All Expo, the aptly-named Sprint Arcade will bring a number of titles from EA Mobile to "most data-enabled Sprint phones" for $9.99 per month. Among the titles listed are Sudoku, Mini Golf, Mahjong, Hearts, Air Hockey and Blue Blocks, but the carrier is already promising that more are on the horizon. Separately, the firm also proclaimed that it had partnered up with Namco Networks to bring Sprint users a mobile version of the Popeye arcade game, but it failed to cough up any pricing details to go along with it. So, anyone buying in? Or is that sound we hear the collective balking of Sprint customers everywhere?
*Stampede* That's the sound of 6.5 million Sprint customers walking out
Make that *Running* out
Did you know that VZW has offered subscription based games on its "Get It Now" service for years? No? Well, that is because nobody is buying in. Nobody cares. Nobody wants to push their cell phone bill up another $10/month for a couple of games.
I expect the silence will be deafening over at Sprint as well.
I'm not paying a *monthly charge* for any kind of game, OR application. that's just dumb. Pay for something once, and that's it. that's how it works. end of discussion.