Retailer bags two Android games for 14 days; Begins controversial 'first-day-free' offer

Aggressive Amazon signs PopCap exclusivity deal

PopCap will host its first two Android games exclusively on the Amazon App Store for fourteen days, the company has said.

The deal will see the release of PopCap title Chuzzle on Amazon’s mobile store until May 30th.

Later in the month, the Android edition of Plants vs Zombies will be released on Amazon’s digital platform.

Eventually these games will be available on Google’s own Android Market.

Amazon, which has been pugnacious in its assault on Google’s mobile ecosystem, has scored a further promotion deal: both PopCap games will be free on their first day of release.

This agreement, celebrated in an Amazon press release, is otherwise a bone of contention for mobile game developers. The small print in Amazon’s developer contract means the retailer can slash app costs at its own discretion, without warning the developer.

Trade group the International Game Developers Association is calling for an end to this policy.

In this instance PopCap may have been consulted by Amazon over the ‘free day’ deal, but Amazon has no legal need to.

“Our relationship with Amazon is pivotal to PopCap’s overall strategy in bringing a growing roster of mobile titles to the ever-widening base of smartphone users," said the Washington developer’s business strategist Giordano Bruno.

"By making these titles available on the Android platform, we’ll significantly extend the reach of our top franchises to legions of new mobile customers and gaming fans alike."

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