Want to know the best way to derail a game’s release? Load it with so many features designed to beg for money, it makes players wonder why you labeled it free-to-play in the first place.
A Monetization Mess
That’s what’s happening with Sonic Rumble. The Fall Guys-inspired party-style brawler was released only a few days ago on November 5, 2025. Developed primarily by Rovio Entertainment and published by SEGA Corporation, Rumble pits toy-like versions of Sonic and his friends against each other in different arenas in order to collect rings.
The game is technically free to download. Yet between the $40–$60 skins, multiple battle passes, gacha mechanics, and endless pop-ups promoting you to buy in-game items, that “free” label feels like a bad joke.
One reviewer on Steam said you “win by having more rings. Get more rings by buying legendary characters.” Another added, “You win by having better moves. It also costs money to get different moves.”
Free-to-Play, but Pay-to-Function
Another annoying feature is that Rumble has a subscription model to get rid of ads. How can you call a game free-to-play when it has a subscription? That’s not how free-to-play works!
Players have been bombarded with in-game pop-ups, overlays, and banners every few minutes. Each one commands you to spend money. Even the act of collecting rings is rigged to steer players toward buying something.
All of this combined gives you a game that saps your tolerance levels. Instead of having fun, you’re hit with the sense of being shaken down.
I understand these types of games need to have some monetization. Developers need to be paid and maintaining these games isn’t cheap.
What Sonic Rumble struggles with is balance. Players aren’t against optional upgrades or skins. It’s when you go overboard to the point you can’t hardly progress without spending money that it gets out of hand.
It didn’t take long for the backlash to hit. Upon launch, Sonic Rumble was review-bombed on Steam. It has a “Mostly Negative” rating hovering around 36%. Players called its features “predatory,” and “exhausting.”
A Cautionary Tale
The real problem here is when the need for revenue overshadows player experience. Players don’t mind spending when it’s fair or feels optional. It’s when every part of the experience is designed to squeeze more money is when things get out of hand.
If developers keep chasing profit like this, “free-to-play” will soon mean something else entirely. It’s a game that’s free to download, but not worth your time.
