Dots is a free mobile game produced by Betaworks and developed at American studio Playdots, Inc. It was released on April 30, 2013 for iOS[1] and on August 15, 2013 for Android. It is no longer available as the game shut down on the March 25, 2023. It has both a single player and online multiplayer modes. A single-player sequel, Two Dots, was released on May 29, 2014.
| Dots | |
|---|---|
 App logo | |
| Developer(s) | Playdots, Inc. |
| Publisher(s) | Betaworks |
| Designer(s) | Patrick Moberg |
| Platform(s) | iOS, Android |
| Release | iOS April 30, 2013 Android August 15, 2013 |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Dots was initially produced as a test project examining user interaction with the iOS interface.[2] Within a week after release, it was downloaded more than 1 million times and was the top free app in eight countries.[3][4] Within two weeks, it had been downloaded 2 million times and users had played approximately 100 million games.[5]
Reception
edit| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| GameRankings | 74.00%[6] |
Coverage in the tech press focused on the game's simplicity and addictiveness. The New York Times cited the simple interface as a good example of flat design and highlighted the creators' focus on "design with a big D".[7] In an interview with Mashable, the creators suggested that Dots provides a test case for increasing user engagement, and that lessons learned through the app may be applied to other Betaworks properties such as Tapestry (app) or Digg.[2] In another interview with The Wall Street Journal's AllThingsD, the creators commented that they are focused on the user experience, not monetization.
It was awarded best game on handheld devices and best visual design for the 2014 Webby Awards.[8]
References
edit- ^ "Dots: A Game About Connecting". Apple iTunes. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ a b Fiegerman, Seth (May 1, 2013). "How an iOS Game Helps Betaworks Improve Its News Products". Mashable. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ Dellinger, AJ (May 8, 2013). "Dots, a simple and addictive iOS game, hits one million downloads in a week". Digital Trends. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ Crook, Jordan (May 7, 2013). "Dots, Betaworks' New Super Addictive iOS Game, Nabs 1 Million Downloads In One Week". TechCrunch. AOL. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ Goode, Lauren (May 16, 2013). "Meet the Dudes Behind Dots, the iPhone Game of the Moment". AllThingsD. Dow Jones & Company. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ "Dots". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ^ Bilton, Nick (May 7, 2013). "Test Run: Dots, a Simple but Addictive Game From Betaworks". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ Webby Award search for Dots
