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Apple denies paying EA to delay Plants vs. Zombies 2 on Android

Spokesperson for iPhone company says recent report of Apple paying "truckload of money" to have EA delay Android version of free-to-play game is "not true."

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Apple did not pay Electronic Arts a "truckload" of money to delay free-to-play game Plants vs. Zombies 2 on Android, a spokesperson told GameSpot sister site Giant Bomb today.

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The spokesperson said no money was exchanged.

Apple's statement comes after Giant Bomb reported today that the Cupertino, California technology giant paid for Plants vs. Zombies 2 to be an iOS-exclusive at launch.

"Apple gave us a truckload of money to delay the Android version [of Plants vs Zombies 2]," EA Labels president Frank Gibeau reportedly said today during a town hall meeting.

This quote was confirmed to Giant Bomb by "several" sources who attended Gibeau's presentation today.

Giant Bomb contacted PopCap Games to confirm, but a spokesperson stated that, "we can't comment on internal meetings."

Plants vs. Zombies 2 launched in July as an iOS-exclusive and has been downloaded nearly 25 million times to date. The game is available on Android in China, where it is outselling the iOS version six-to-one, according to Gibeau.

The Android version of Plants vs. Zombies will be released across the world in a month or two, Gibeau said.

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blutosan

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Interesting in the way Apple responded by saying "No money was exchanged." It's not the same thing as saying that they had no part in delaying the game. Sounds guilty to me.

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freedomspopular

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Edited By freedomspopular

@blutosan No money was exchanged. But there was a suitcase full of shadily left on the floor at the airport...

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thechuck11

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Edited By thechuck11

@blutosan guilty of doing what everyone else already does?

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blutosan

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@thechuck11 Yet they deny it.

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canuckbiker

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Would someone actually buy an iPhone for a freacking game?

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Grumphus

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@canuckbiker Nope. But an iPad Mini? Maybe. The Wi-Fi version is quite affordable and buyers get access to other iOS-exclusive games. If someone will buy a PS3 for The Last of Us then there you go.

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blutosan

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@canuckbiker It looks like Apple thinks just that. It doesn't have to be true, but the theory is that if someone is on the line as to which device to buy, that the iPhone looks just a little better now.

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deactivated-61dbd59e4ffed

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Even if they did I don't care. I love the game and I love Apple.

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erikseja1980

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Edited By erikseja1980

@YUSoSIRIUS You poor, dumb bastard...

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deactivated-61dbd59e4ffed

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@erikseja1980 LOL poor? You actually need a bit more money to own Apple products than the competition.

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deactivated-61dbd59e4ffed

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I've spent a lot of money on jubeat plus and REFLEC BEAT plus but those are music games that you pay for content that you keep not stuff that makes the games easier. Even if the internet is out the games will work.

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Thanatos2k

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@YUSoSIRIUS @erikseja1980 Are you one of those stupid people we keep hearing about that spends lots on these F2P games?

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krystyla

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I dont care my HTC ONE got stolen more than a month ago an I am still waiting for the lg g2 to get as a replacement

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dmastor

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Capitalism trust no one

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tomservo51

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@dmastor Except the Chinese.

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Thanatos2k

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@tomservo51 @dmastor They make the Apple products after all.

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b74kd3th

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Edited By b74kd3th

There isn't a pitchfork in the world that can shovel this bullshit

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Tripwolf

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Of course Apple paid EA. Any moron knew that the moment the Android version was delayed.

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Hurvl

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Tin foil hatters are gonna hat!

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mischiefmeerkat

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No money was exchanged...yet

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E-i-N-e

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Even if it is true, it's not like they're going to admit it.

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Lazerith91

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Sounds like a BS article. Too many holes.

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bunchanumbers

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This sounds like a Apple move. And EA wouldn't pass up free money either.

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kartelas

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Edited By kartelas

Same as EA paying certain gaming sites to consistently rate PES lower than FIFA every single year

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LS-Chaos

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Hope Android users get it soon, game is awesome! Better than the first imo, I don't really like microtransactions though and it asking me for money all the time did annoy me LOL but was awesome nevertheless.

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jack00

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This reminds me how MS paid infinity wards to screw up MW2 on ps3. Only that was true.

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mprince131

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@jack00 yeah, it had nothing to do with ps3s crappy architecture which every developer has had issues with...
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toddx77

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Remember how when it came out Microsoft paid Rockstar to have Grand Theft Auto IV also be in the 360 and get content first on 360 Microsoft didn't try to hide it?

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mprince131

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@toddx77 That was a strategic business deal they struck and they were open about it.

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deactivated-5e6c3a8cb7318

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But EA would never take money in exchange an exclusive release on one mobile platform.


Right?

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YNVF8

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Sooo, It was a van full?

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Hurvl

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Edited By Hurvl

@DramacydalN3D Yeah and the exchange happened in New York, a.k.a. The Big Apple.

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jd7904

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@DramacydalN3D Most likely no. It was more like a direct wire transfer, no truck or van was involved. Plausible Deniability could also be a factor, because he can't lie if he never knew.

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padako

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Edited By padako

even if they did pay for exclusivity, it's only delaying the inevitable. their market share is shrinking while android's is growing and there is nothing they can do to change that.

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erikdisab

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@padako People say that every year and yet they keep breaking records on phone sales

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Cheezy200

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@erikdisab @padako That is because apple has only a handful of devices using the iOS, while Android OS is used by multiple companies on hundreds of phones. So looking at it by phone, yeah Apple will continue to break records, but in reality the android OS is being used by more phones and owned by more people then the iOS.

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star-affinity

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@erikdisab People tend to twist reality to suit their view.

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gamerINchief

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Honestly, I can't picture Apple paying any company any money unless they legally had to.

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mprince131

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Edited By mprince131

@gamerINchief That's weird because I can totally see Apple doing this. They are on a war with Android and on most fronts they are losing. They need as many advantages as they can get. Business is dirty and Apple is dirtier.

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star-affinity

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Edited By star-affinity

@mprince131 Apple also gets a lot of unfounded critisism at times. The newly released Iphones are selling really well. It's not like Apple has much to worry about. There's a lot of people in the world and there's room for both iOS and Android I think.

If it's true that they paid EA to delay it, it's pretty bad. But it sound like quite a strange thing to do, since it's coming to Android anyway. I don't see that Apple would gain much from just delaying it.

Some think Microsoft are dirty, some think Google are dirty and since Apple became big some think Apple are dirty.

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star-affinity

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I'm sure there's some "bad" people ar Apple making strange decisions — it's a big company with many employees — but there's also good people doing good stuff too. So, while i'm certain there has been some bad moves I don't think it's good to just conclude "Apple are evil" and that's it. It's a way too un-nuanced way of looking at it. Everything that is leaking out shoulsn't just be swallowed as true either.

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mprince131

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@star-affinity Like I said they took the risk and got caught for fixing eBook prices. This is no different. This instance would not necessarily be a bad thing if they announced timed exclusivity for the game beforehand. But if they paid for it and it comes out now as an under the table thing it just looks bad.

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star-affinity

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@mprince131 @star-affinity Everything should of course be questioned but I think that goes both ways.


One should also consider there are a lot of rumors floating around. To me it sounds very unlikely that Apple would do this and then someone says ”hey Apple paid us” without any seeming hessitaion. I don't see how it is worth it for Apple taking the risk of getting all the bad publicity once it gets revealed.
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mprince131

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@star-affinity yeah the article is not referring to other companies so I can't speak on that other than the idea the corporations are out to make money. It would be ridiculous to take Apple's word on this and not question their past and what they are known for doing.

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star-affinity

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Edited By star-affinity

@mprince131 The thing is, these issues are more complex than people think. Simply reading some articles on the internet and drawing conclusions upon them are not showing the whole picture. The patents Apple has are more complex than people think, I've looked at them.

The thing is Apple has been (and probably still is) the most sued technology company of all.

I just that I think saying ”Apple is dirty and all other are clean” is simplifying complex things.

But you said most corporations are dirty? Who decides which are ”good” and how can they know?

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mprince131

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@star-affinity You're talking about Apple that was charged with colluding to make sure books were more expensive on other platforms. Apple that sues for uses of rectangles on mobile devices. The list goes on and on. Apple is quite the nefarious corporations (as most are) and it would silly to put this past them.

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