Free from the App Store, Game Pigeon exists as a gaming service for iOS devices. It’s been around since 2009 and was purchased by GGL in 2011. Now its time to take a look at their issues and failings as a gaming service and not as an app store competitor.
Before we start this we need to be clear about something. This is just an opinion piece. We’re not experts on this topic but I can guarantee you that the issues discussed are held by many people who have used Game Pigeon as a gaming service for their iOS device.
problems with game pigeon
game updates are slow to appear, if at all. If developers don’t want to release their game on iOS then they don’t need to. Instead it will end up on Game Pigeon where it will stay for months even if there are no updates made to the app.
Sale prices are ridiculous, with games that are available on Apple’s App Store being more expensive on Game Pigeon without offers or benefits. It makes it pointless to purchase a game and then eventually update with the iOS version once it’s released.
Game Pigeon is not transparent:
the company rarely talks about updates or changes to their system leaving gamers in the dark as to what is going on most of the time. Messages from Game Pigeon can be vague and open to interpretation which can lead to confusion for users.
No warning is given when updates are released. This is fine in most cases with iOS but if an iOS game has a major issue or security risk then it could be serious without warning, especially if the game is used by young people.
Game pigeon support;
unhelpful and unresponsive most of the time. Users often wait days for a reply and they rarely help you in any way. They will usually direct you to your games terms of service or refer you back to Apple’s iOS developers which is pointless when trying to get through to them.
Too many advertisements, these can ruin gaming experience on an iPhone or iPad which are supposed to be premium devices.
game pigeon accounts;
Game Pigeon requires you create an account to play games, this causes issues with Apple’s Game Center where friends lists will often show no data or incorrect information. It is even worse when trying to set up multiplayer games as you need 2 or more people with accounts before you can start.
There are too many games that you will never play because of this issue, for example I downloaded 3 or 4 zombie games thinking they would all be good but I only wanted to play the first one. Now my friend list shows nothing but zombie games and it makes it difficult to get your friends on board with Game Pigeon.
Lack of promotion for games makes it hard to know what is out there and how popular games are, this can be difficult when you want to try something new but don’t know if its good or not. It also makes Game Pigeon less appealing when there are so many awesome iOS games that will get released in the future which will never make it to the service.
apps and games;
Apple’s iOS has a huge range of awesome apps and games to choose from and Game Pigeon simply doesn’t match this, I don’t expect amazing graphics or gameplay but I do want variety. Too often you end up playing the same game over and over because there is nothing else that interests you.
conclusion;
Game Pigeon is not an alternative to iOS games, it’s just a service that fills the gap where Apple doesn’t want to be. This means a lot of people will try Game Pigeon out for a few days and then find they have nothing to play. If you want variety then don’t bother with Game Pigeon and stick to iOS gaming where you’ll find a better and more reliable experience.
