On the right side you've got RedSpell's What's the Word?, a picture-based word game that's been tearing up the free iPhone charts for several weeks. On the left, LOTUM GmbH's What's the Word?, a picture-based word game that arrived on iTunes on February 4. Guess which one is at the top of this week's charts?
It's a magical business, the mobile gaming industry. Here you can make a complete copy of another game right down to the name (the subtitles are different), release it into the wild and ride the original game's success straight to the top of the charts. User reviewers have noticed the difference and are trying to warm potential players away, but who reads reviews on free games?
The original's developer has noticed as well.
Dear friends!
RedSpell team would like to thank you all for making this game #1 on AppStore in US. It's so much successful that there already clones that mimic the entire app! We very much appreciate your loyalty that fills us with inspiration to improve the game.
Stay with us, we need your support.
Thanks,
Oleg Volobuev,
CEO - RedSpell
If Oleg was here I'd hug him. This is a sorry state of affairs.
Top Paid iPhone Games — 2/12/2013
| Rank | Game | Last Week | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Minecraft Pocket Edition | 1 | 0 |
| 2. | Clear Vision 2 | N/A | N/A |
| 3. | Angry Birds Star Wars | 2 | -1 |
| 4. | Arms Cartel Global | 5 | +1 |
| 5. | Fruit Ninja | 6 | +1 |
| 6. | Plague, Inc. | 4 | -2 |
| 7. | Crafted Battle | 3 | -4 |
| 8. | Cut the Rope | N/A | N/A |
| 9. | Wipeout | 8 | -1 |
| 10. | Bad Piggies | N/A | N/A |
Top Free iPhone Games — 2/12/2013
| Rank | Game | Last Week | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | What's the Word? 4 Pics 1 Word (Clone) | N/A | N/A |
| 2. | What's the Word? New Quiz with Pics and Words (Original) | 1 | -1 |
| 3. | Temple Run 2 | 2 | -1 |
| 4. | Ruzzle | 3 | -1 |
| 5. | Line Runner 2 | N/A | N/A |
| 6. | Lazors | N/A | N/A |
| 7. | Candy Crush Saga | 5 | -2 |
| 8. | Word of the Rings | N/A | N/A |
| 9. | Subway Surfers | 4 | -5 |
| 10. | Bingo Hearts | 8 | -2 |