Way back in January of this year, Nicalis began cryptically teasing a possible iOS port of critically acclaimed roguelike The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth. All that teasing wasn’t just for fun, though, as an iOS port was actually a very real thing that Nicalis was planning on releasing. Very shortly after that, though, the Apple Approval Gods squashed all hope of the port happening when they rejected The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth for being a game that depicted violence towards children. Isaac, as you might already know from the game on other platforms or from the Biblical story which it’s based on, is a child and the son of Abraham. Simply making Isaac “not a child" to appease Apple wasn’t really an option. So, we all sighed heavily and shed a few tears, and hoped that someday Apple would come around on the idea of Isaac being on iOS. And apparently they have! In a new post on the Nicalis blog producer Tyrone Rogriguez gives all sorts of updates about the various versions of The Binding of Isaac, and says of the iOS version:
TL;DR It’s coming to iOS VERY SOON!!!The game has been approved by Apple and we’re working on getting all the features we want into the game. Obligatory bulletpoint list: – It’s a universal binary so you buy it once for iPhone, you can download for free on iPad (and eventually Apple TV–eventually, we don’t have timing on the Apple TV version)- iCloud save support for uploading/downloading save data between those devices- Bluetooth controller support
So there you have it. At long last we’re finally getting the real deal The Binding of Isaac on our iOS devices. Er, maybe I shouldn’t sound so definitive about that until the game is actually out and available on the App Store, you know? I mean, anything can happen when it comes to Apple approval. But the good news is that things look pretty good for its release as of now, so once we have a more specific date for launch and the pricing details we’ll be sure to tell you. Until then, rejoice with the others in the game’s forum thread.
I agree that this is unfair for previously paid users! Other developers have released separate versions of their games as a free ad supported version, leaving the paid users the original app on the App Store (ie. Cut The Rope 2). But never have I had a game update ADD ads to a paid download.
2 separate apps is one option; and it's also possible to have ONE app that knows you're a previous user and doesn't show you ads that others see.
Syte! Does this mean I should download all of my paid sonic games because they might change them all free with ads?
Thanks a lot, Sega. Why don't you work on porting Sonic 3 instead of inserting ads to apps already in the Store? Make Sonic 3 free with ads even, just don't do it to a game I already paid for.
I hate how everything has to be free for people to download it -.-
I agree. My free version of Sonic CD is great!
I feel sorry for Christian Whitehead who had had fine conversion messed with like this
The original Dustoff Heli Rescue just did this when they released Rescue 2. They changed the app to free with ads without compensating anyone who had purchased the game.
And that's why I don't buy App Store games any more... I only use 3DS and Wii U these days.
They won't change it. They did the same thing to House of the Dead a few years ago and never restored it for people who originally bought it.
At least we've got something else to distract us from BioShock never coming back.
This is Sega, nothing surprises me.
For doing this SEGA need to say sorry by re releasing jet set radio on iOS or even The Genesis Collection a bit like what they doing with Steam! Cmon SEGA!
Cheers to Touch Arcade for being on top of this and publicizing it.
Jeers to Sega for not anticipating this. Cheesing off paying customers does not bring goodwill. Booo. Fix it Sega.
Argh! Full screen video ads are the worst. I'm paying the ransom to remove them. Justification: paying twice on an old game is like a subscription to support the developer. It's only two dollars, and I've enjoyed the game for a long time.
I suppose we can debate whether I'm a hero or a villain for giving them two extra dollars when they asked for it in a rather aggressive way.
Oh man, dude, it's not enough that there's ads in an app we already paid for, but they're crazy intrusive ads.
Start the app up: "SEEEGA!" See Sonic wagging his finger and you hit the screen to enter the game, there's the first ad. Game loads on "Remove Ads" rather than "Start Game". Hit start and guess what? More ads, this one is unskippable. Then on the menu screen to select the level, there's an ad on the side. Then after I beat the level, yet another ad.
This is ridiculous, they've pretty much ruined the app. These dudes have 0 tact with how hard they're milking us for this ad revenue. And that's not even the worst part: If they've done this to Sonic CD, what's to stop them from doing this to Sonic 1 and 2 as well?
This is really, really not cool fellas. This is really, really not cool at all.
These Sonic games have been out so long, I'd be surprised if this bumps sales much. I'd imagine all of us who wanted Sonic games already bought them. I'd appreciate if SEGA does this to new apps instead of ones we've already purchased.
Honestly I think it's just as unfair as charging for a game, and then putting it on sale. Some people paid $24ish for all three Infinity Blade games, I got them all for free during App of the Week promotions. But I'm certainly not defending Sega's decision here, two wrongs does not make a right.
Sega. Keeping it classy 😑
This is what is stopping me from buying games to be honest. I buy games expecting premium experience with no ads or anything. I paid for this game, my question is i just currently got a new iPhone and downloaded this game, will it be the one without ads or with ads?
NOOOOOOOOIOOOOOO
I guess I will not update the game then. Thanks for the info!
This the exact reason people refuse to pay more than $1-2 for ios games... you always get burned by developers... TA always defends these actions...which sucks.. EXPECT all the other sonic games to do the same... mobile games will always have this miserable reputation
Came here to angrily post "SHAMELESS CASH GRAB" but then read the update claiming that it seems to be unintentional. Darn! ;)
I am one of the people who 1:bought this on launch and 2:was getting ads. Based on that fact, I just paid the $1.99 plus tax to remove. Sega may fix it in a update but I am annoyed that I, a consumer who paid the launch price, was being shown ads to remove. I updated thinking no ads for me but thought wrong. Maybe in a update they fix it. I kept the filesize the same via keeping the videos the same (the update made them look worse)
Thanks for the update to this news, Carter. The game now has a 1.5 star rating on the AppStore. Sega must be shitting in their pants right now.
I'm so confused cause the app now says it's the free app of the week.
WHERE DO I DIRECT MY RAGE?!?!?
Just yell out your window.
Yeah, was just going to make the same comment. Free app of the week. Do people still have the right to be angry?
They just pushed out 2.0.1 version update that removes ads from the game for previously paid users. Pretty quick fix by Sega, so I'm happy now.
..?
*checks*
*puts away torch and pitchfork*
In less than a day too? Alright, I'll give them a pass just this ooone time. I was a bit worked up because the ads were so ridiculously intrusive, but I'm glad they corrected their mistake and fixed the problem so quickly.