This isn't really new. Solitaire has had ads for over a decade now since Windows 8, and there is a monthly premium subscription to remove them. As I understand it they also don't show during offline play, but might be wrong about that.

[–] redhorsejacket@lemmy.world 52 points 6 days ago (3 children)

Offline play? It's SOLITAIRE. Offline play should be the ONLY play, by default.

Feeling like I took crazy pills this morning...

[–] ggtdbz@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 6 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

If it makes you feel better/worse, the subscription is shared across multiple games. I was playing a bunch of Microsoft Jigsaw at one point (don’t ask), and while you could play as much as you’d like for free, the fact that they squeezed ads into it to extort you (or more likely, clueless older people) really cheapened the whole thing.

They had a lot of pretty photos which were probably not free, but come on, this is Microsoft, they have the money. I think this should’ve been bundled with Windows for free. I truly think a lot of people might even look back on it fondly the way they do with a lot of the older bundled-in games. We will take for granted how much the default option with any sort of technology around us has an impact on us as kids. Maybe not everyone, but not everyone loved pinball or inkball.

Actual textbook enshittification: what was once a space for a nice default thing to fall back on if you were bored and had their operating system has now become an “opportunity” to “generate more business.” Very sad. Computers are impossibly wonderful machines, everyone who has access to one should be able to enjoy a few basic things, packed in, for free - with no strings attached (looking at you candy crush).

I’m sure there’s a nice free or paid jigsaw game made with love out there that could satisfy that itch I felt that one week in 2020. Hm.

Edit: I have now redownloaded Microsoft Jigsaw and might just expand this comment into a full post/rant about the state of modern consumer software through the lens of Microsoft’s current casual games suite

[–] RogueBanana@lemmy.zip 2 points 5 days ago

Damn I have fond memories of those games back in xp and 7 era but ig enshitification is evitable when it comes to Microsoft

[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 1 points 6 days ago

There are daily challenges and things like that which is what I would refer to as online play. Not that crazy imho of you've put thousands of hours into vanilla solitaire that you may welcome something to spice it up.

[–] TriflingToad@sh.itjust.works 9 points 6 days ago

iirc it's a subscription too

[–] vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 20 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Why, how, the fuck do you add microtransactions to fucking solitaire?!

[–] Zangoose@lemmy.world 18 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Step 1: Add ads into [insert app of choice here] that are really annoying

Step 2: Make people pay to get rid of them. Bonus points if it's a subscription

Step 3: People hate your app but it's the one that's installed by default so they use it anyway

Step 4: Profit

[–] vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 27 points 6 days ago

The fact that this business model earns moneu rather than car bombs annoys me.

[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 10 points 6 days ago (1 children)

It's not really micro transactions as much as it is a monthly subscription to remove ads.

[–] vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 9 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Its fucking solitaire you can play the old version from windows 95 online for free. This is beyond fucking stupid.

[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 1 points 6 days ago (2 children)

If that satisfies you then all the power to you.

[–] vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 3 points 6 days ago

Im a Utilitarian to a fault, of course I think the windows 95 version is just as valid. I wear everything down to scrap.

[–] FuzzyDog@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Real question, why wouldn't the win95/xp version satisfy someone? Isn't it the same thing with simpler graphics?

[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 3 points 6 days ago

I can't speak for other people, I don't even play solitaire. Realistically, I imagine most people get new PCs with newer Windows versions and play whatever solitaire is on there.

[–] AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.works 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

You're being funny, right? Tell me you're just kidding

[–] the_post_of_tom_joad@sh.itjust.works 4 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I can't see any news that you can 'pay to remove ads' but lots of "how do i remove ads in solitaire" with settings instructions or registry edits so i think op is only half right

[–] AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.works 5 points 6 days ago

Jesus I'm so glad I moved to Linux

[–] absquatulate@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

MTX and ads? Then it's clearly only 3+ and should be allowed lol

[–] pixelscript@lemm.ee 2 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

I also don't think it comes pre-installed anymore, you have to get it through Microsoft's meme store that no one uses.