Lately, the case of Epic Plane Evolution from the AppMagic report has been widely discussed. Most of the attention goes to the fact that gem pack prices have increased by almost 2.5x:
The common view is that this shift sets a new pricing reality for players, while the era of $0.99 starter offers is gradually fading away.
However, a closer look at AppMagic’s breakdown shows that the changes were more complex:
the introduction of plane tickets — a consumable required for each flight, quickly becoming a new revenue driver;
gems turned into a mandatory resource for rocket upgrades, creating constant demand;
the remove ads option rose from $2 to $6.99, but now comes as part of a VIP subscription, which also includes unlimited tickets and daily bonuses.
The higher price for removing ads looks reasonable: the game has always been overloaded with ads, and $2 was abnormally low compared to the market.
But the increase in the price of gem packs, without a layered offer system, raises questions. This doesn’t look like establishing a clear price anchor to boost perceived value — rather, it seems aimed at making the VIP subscription more appealing.
Meanwhile, many larger projects are moving in the opposite direction: lowering prices for starter packs and building chains of “soft” offers at $0.99–$1.99.
What do you think: is this a new attempt to shift the pricing Overton window, or simply part of a more nuanced monetization strategy, where raising gem prices is just one small piece of the bigger picture?