Out of interest, GAF, does anyone have any ideas how to better monetise something freemium?
As far as I can tell, there are four options. First two common and BAD, second two less common.
1) WAITING AND TIMERS
2) Premium content
3) Customisation options
4) Remove ads
For me, I don't really see a better way than option one to get people spending, and it's your app so you want people to buy it.
Premium content will potentially just ruin RR3, for example. If you can buy a car for $100 and it's going to destroy the rest of the field, it takes the fun out of it for everyone. You have no one to compete with, and everyone else can't compete. I'd put stuff like Temple Run's "revive now!" shit in the same category. Anything you can buy that gives an advantage in the game, ruins the game.
Customisation options are the "purest" option, I guess, you can take money, they get stuff, it doesn't affect gameplay, but at the same time I imagine you're crippling your income. There'll be few people buying this. Not enough to make up a shortfall from cutting timers. Removing ads is similar, it's probably my favourite option of the four but how many people would honestly bother when they've got the whole game in front of them for free?
So yeah, unless there are any other ideas, I don't see how we can move past timers in freemium content. Businesses are always going to want to maximise their profits, and that's how to do it.