Amazon Underground Might Rewrite Free-To-Play Rulebook

By Jason Winter, News Editor Posted: August 27, 2015

All hail our new free-to-play overlord: Amazon...?

Seems that way. Its newest thing is called Amazon Underground, and it offers totally free access to games and other Android apps for smart devices. Yes, totally free -- as in no microtransactions, even in games that normally have them, as well as access to normally paid non-gaming apps like OfficeSuite Professional 8.

So how's that work? Amazon pays the software maker a small amount of money -- $0.0020, or one-fifth of a cent -- for each minute their app is run by a customer. Good deal for the developer, good deal for consumers... but how does Amazon profit? There are a few ads when you launch stuff, but that's it.

Oh, and the Underground app apparently asks for just a few permissions (Image courtesy this article):

So yeah, that's a little off-putting.

Still, if money is your only concern, Amazon Underground seems to offer actually free gaming and other stuff. You have to think that other service providers, like Steam or GoG, are watching this situation very closely to see how it goes. If enough people like it, don't be surprised if something similar is implemented in other places.

If you have an Android device and give Underground a shot, we'd like to hear what you think!

Got a news tip? Contact us directly here!

In this article: Amazon Underground.

About the Author

Jason Winter, News Editor

Jason Winter is a veteran gaming journalist, he brings a wide range of experience to MMOBomb, including two years with Beckett Media where he served as the editor of the leading gaming magazine Massive Online Gamer. He has also written professionally for several gaming websites.

More Stories by Jason Winter

Paintedstars 9 years ago

Nothing a permission changer with root can't fix I'd assume, though it's probably an NSA deal with Amazon..

Derpina 9 years ago

Amazon sux n merkadis is gei

Carlos 9 years ago

So basicly as soon as you connect your device is not yours anymore and you turn in to a droid for amazon,no thanks.

Merkadis 9 years ago

Fuck no, that permissions list is insane... no way in hell.
I value my privacy.

View 1 reply

jellopy 9 years ago

Oh and for the ones worried about privacy if you've ever signed up for facebook or google they both admittedly track much more about users than simply what products they like. Amazon only tracks stuff related to business which is fine by me. Better that than having them pay people to read my messages and browsing habits. Far less creepy imo.

jellopy 9 years ago

Actually I've been saying for a long time that this is a good idea. I'd be more than willing to pay a monthly fee to have access to a huge variety of online games even if it were $20 instead of the usual 10-15 since I tend to bounce between games. It would avert a lot of pay to win elements and i don't mind if the games still had certain limited cosmetics to sell on the side. The main thing would be unlimited content access without buying power to compete. The first to offer this was soe, if i'd liked more of their games i'd have celebrated but of the three i liked two were scrapped just after it started its course. I am for this on pc if they want to start an initiative to bring devs into the fold to get rid of the elements that give free to play a bad rep.