My next SocialTimes Pro report is on virtual goods in free-to-play iOS games, which gives me a chance to write about one of my favorites: High Noon (iTunes link here), an innovative multiplayer shooter/mini-MMO hybrid. Set in the Wild West, you advance in the game by dueling other players in short, real-time combat sessions which make really clever use of the iOS’ internal accelerometer. To “draw” and “reload” your weapon, you have to hold your iPhone at a specific position, then aim with a tilt-controlled crosshair. This makes shoot-outs much more physical, and visceral, and in my opinion, much more exciting than any old school FPS I've played. Win the draw, and you can earn virtual currency to buy upgrades and vanity customization for your gunfighter avatar, such as better pistols and fancy hats. (That's one of the MMO-lite aspects, along with a leveling and player-to-play messaging systems.)
Just as impressive is how popular High Noon has grown since launching last year. It currently counts 1 million monthly active users and 250,000 daily active users, Bjørn Stabell, Managing Director at Happylatte, the game's developer, tells me. Those numbers make High Noon about as avidly played as Valve's Team Fortress 2 and Counterstrike.
Hat tip: My cousin Nathan McKay, who first got me into High Noon.
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