“Art is important and rare. Important, rare things are valuable. Valuable things should be paid for.”
That’s America’s Sweetheart Taylor Swift addressing the controversy around pulling her music from Spotify. While we’re not inclined to comment on how musicians should and shouldn’t be making money, the quote did remind us of this week’s release of Forgotten Shores (a Monument Valley expansion) and the subsequent onslaught of 1-star App Store reviews – simply because the additional content isn’t free. Ustwo responded on Twitter:
The good news is that enough people rallied in support of Ustwo on social media and in their own reviews to counteract the negative ones. And we think it’s safe to say that the Monument Valley experience is certainly artful, rare, and valuable. Check out this video where lead designer Ken Wong describes how many people told him that Monument Valley was the first game that they’ve ever played, or ever really liked, or that made them cry. How amazing is that?
We’re all well aware that App Store pricing is often a race to the bottom, but that shouldn’t rob us of our ability to value great content and support the livelihoods of those making it. And a parting piece of advice for those one-star reviewers:
Shake it off, shake it off.
