Electronic Arts and PopCap Games have “gently” launched a new iteration of Bejeweled: the game was recently released in the Romanian App Store.
The project is called Bejeweled Skies. Judging by the video and screenshots, it corresponds to all current standards three-in-a-row, executed in the style of the original series.
No discoveries are worth waiting for. The game has everything that the current trendsetter in the genre – King company has taught us: bonuses, a map with Facebook friends and even a conditional plot with cute main characters.
Therefore, the main question is posed not to the project, but to its authors: why is it taking so long: the last Bejeweled was released in December 2012.
A little history
The original Bejeweled in 2001 ended the formation of the three-in-a-row genre. For a long time, the project remained a certain standard. This situation has persisted on mobile platforms up to a certain point.
Released in 2011, Bejeweled Classic remained in the Top 50 by total downloads in the American iPhone App Store until November 2013.
Position Bejeweled Classic in the top downloads of the American iPhone App Store (the drop after 2014 is due to the transition of the game from Paid to Free)
Released at the same time, Bejeweled Blitz was in the box office Top 100 of the American iPhone App Store until January 2015.
The position of Bejeweled Blitz in the box office top of the American iPhone App Store
Both games have been earning for a long time – and are earning now – despite the fact that they are morally behind the standards.
Against this background, it is unclear why the version of Bejeweled, made under King, is being released only now. Theoretically, given the popularity of the brand, PopCap could be one of the first to compete with the Saga factory.
It is unclear when the world release of Bejeweled Skies will take place. A photo lunch of Peggle Blast, another PopCap game, ran from May to December 2014.