Zynga was no doubt hoping the furore surrounding Dream Heights the game accused by many of copying NimbleBit's Tiny Tower would die down before the game launched worldwide.
The title's official launch on the App Store, however, appears to have done little more than reignite the debate.
Users on both side of the Atlantic are downloading the free release en masse simply to give it a one star rating, posting negative reviews making clear reference to its similarity to Tiny Tower.
Under review
Overall, Dream Heights currently has a one and a half star rating in the US, with hundreds of negative reviews branding the game a "blatant rip off".
Zynga quickly updated Dream Heights to version 1.1 in response a process that resets both the front page of user reviews and allows the game to earn a new star rating.
Nonetheless, the current version is currently sitting on an average score of two and a half, with the number likely to fall back down if the trend for negative reviews continues.
In the UK, the game is fairing even worse, with version 1.1 currently sporting an average review score of one star out of five.
Gross or grossing
Zynga coupled the game's launch was with a statement posted on its official blog pointing to other "classic games" in the genre, claiming those working at the publisher are "huge fans of the existing games that have preceded Dream Heights".
Indeed, PG.biz has even been tipped off that Zynga employees such as producer Matthew Ott have taken to the App Store in an attempt to redress the balance, posting five star reviews to try and lift the game's score.
Nonetheless, Dream Heights currently remains outside both of the US and UK top 200 grossing apps, coming in at #106 and #162 respectively on the rundowns of free releases.
In contrast, Tiny Tower is currently #21 in the US top grossing chart and #39 in the UK.
News
With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font.
Top Stories
Feature
May 17th, 2024
New release roundup: The best new mobile games from a battle royale to a console classic remake
Feature
May 16th, 2024
Behind the scenes: How adding sandwich offers to an idle merge game boosted three metrics at once
Events
Valencia Indie Summit 2024 | Europe | May 16th |
Digital Dragons | Europe | May 19th |
GamesBeat Summit 2024 | North America | May 20th |
Mobidictum Meetup Tallinn May 2024 | Europe | May 21st |
Nordic Game Spring 2024 | Nordic | May 21st |
Impact 2024 - Indie Games | May 23rd | |
MomoCon 2024 | North America | May 24th |
Morocco Gaming Expo | Africa | May 24th |
Popular Stories
Feature
May 14th, 2024
53 top mobile games in soft launch: Squad Busters, Battle Guys: Royale, Plants vs. Zombies 3, LEGO Hill Climb Adventures, and more
Feature
May 13th, 2024
Hot Five: Dubai's new Gaming Visa, April's mobile game charts, and Xbox studio closures
News
May 10th, 2024