UPDATE: EA has issued an official statement in response to this story, claiming Gibeau's comments were taken out of context.
EA labels head Frank Gibeau has been quoted as claiming Apple paid the publisher to delay the Android version of Plants vs. Zombies 2, essentially turning the game into a timed exclusive on iOS.
Gibeau's comments were reported by Giant Bomb, which states that the EA man said "Apple gave us a truckload of money to delay the Android version [of Plants vs Zombies 2]" during an internal town hall meeting held for the publisher.
The site claims "several sources" confirmed the quote was legitimate, though no actual figures or further details on the deal were revealed by Gibeau.
'Not true'
In response, Plants vs. Zombies 2 developer and EA subsidiary PopCap responded to the site's request for a statement by claiming it "can't comment on internal meetings."
Apple, however, has gone further, with a spokesperson branding the Giant Bomb story as "not true".
While the specifics of any deal if, indeed, it even occurred remain up in the air, the suggestion that Apple is paying publishers for exclusive content would undoubtedly harm the firm's reputation.
The idea that a platform holder would pay to secure timed exclusive is in no way unique or new, but until this point Apple has been keen to breed the idea that developers and publishers alike voluntarily push their titles on iOS first, despite its comparatively smaller userbase.
[source: Giant Bomb]
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With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font.
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