History Recap / SouthParkS18E6FreemiumIsntFree

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Satan is against the Canadian Devil using freemium games to blatantly manipulate addicts into buying Canadough due to its lack of nuance. While lack of nuance seems more like PragmaticEvil, the Devil states the difference between [[EvilIsCool temptation]] and exploiting human weakness.
--> '''Satan:''' No, see, if [[RuleOfFun something's addictive because it's fun, that's one thing]]. But this is just blatant Skinner box manipulation. Wait a minute. Who put this out?!

* PetTheDog: Satan's explaining genetics and addiction to Stan in a way that manages to be compassionate and understanding. Also, returning Stan home after possessing him (which he asked permission for) to fight the Canadian Devil.

* SatanIsGood: Played fairly straight with Satan, but averted with the Canadian Devil.

** The entire episode is an extended and vicious takedown aimed at those licensed "freemium" games (particularly ''VideoGame/TheSimpsonsTappedOut'' and ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' ["The Quest for Stuff"]) where players rebuild the town that the show is set in, with the game utilizing microtransactions to sell currency that is used to purchase some of the locations that need to be built. The episode notes that the games are unfun and deceptive on purpose, deliberately preying on human weaknesses out of sheer greed.

* StylisticSuck: ''Terrance & Phillip: Give Us Your Money'', as a satire of freemium phone apps, is written to be as dull and unengaging as possible unless the player coughs up a fortune in microtransactions. Kyle and Cartman's reactions tell us all we need to know:
-->'''Announcer:''' ''[over the title screen]'' The Terrance and Phillip mobile game! ''[fart sound; the screen cuts to a picture of Terrance and Phillip standing in front of a house labelled "T&P" in a largely empty grid of streets. The game's announcer appears bottom right, wearing a Canadian flag shirt]'' In this game, ''you'' are Terrance and Phillip! Can you collect all the Canadian coins? ''[he sinks below the screen again with another fart]''\\
''[Kyle exchanges a dubious look with Butters, who is watching him play, then taps a coin on the screen]''\\
'''Announcer:''' That's one coin! Can you collect more? ''[Kyle taps the other nine coins on the screen; the number 10 appears in the centre of the screen]'' You've collected ten Canadian coins! Congratulations! Hey, you're really good at this, guy! ''[the word "Congratulations!" appears above the "10" and "You're really good at this!!!" appears below it]''\\
'''Kyle:''' ''[unimpressed]'' What!?...\\
'''Butters:''' Congratulations, Kyle!\\
'''Announcer:''' ''[appearing bottom right]'' With Canada coins, you can buy stuff, and help Terrance and Phillip re-build Canada! Run around and collect more coins, or better yet, buy them in bulk! ''[a list of numbers of coins and prices appears]'' How many Canadian coins would you like to buy?\\
'''Kyle:''' This is ''stupid!''\\
'''Butters:''' Well, it's just 49 cents for the cheapest one.\\
''[Kyle taps "200 Canadian coins - $0.49"; a shower of coins falls from the icon]''\\
'''Announcer:''' You bought 200 Canadian coins for 49 cents! You're amazing! ''[a splash screen appears reading "You bought CANADOUGH! You're AMAZING!!!", flanked by maple leaves and dollar signs]'' Now use that Canadough to help re-build Canada! Click to build a hospital here! ''[an arrow labelled "Click here" appears on the block next to Terrance and Phillip's house; Kyle taps it, and a hospital appears with a fart sound]''\\
'''Terrance and Phillip:''' ''[jumping for joy]'' Yayyy!\\
'''Kyle:''' It's ''still'' stupid and now I paid 49 cents for it!\\
'''Cartman:''' ''[walking up with Kenny]'' What are you two boners doing?\\
'''Butters:''' We're playin' the Terrance and Phillip freemium game.\\
'''Cartman:''' I played that thing, it's fuckin' dumb! I ended up paying like five bucks!\\
'''Kyle:''' Who ''makes'' this crap!?

Freemium games are put in Parker and Stone's satirical spotlight in an episode that also explores the psychology of addiction.

In the halls of South Park Elementary, Jimmy tells Kyle about a new free ''Terrance and Philip'' mobile game. Kyle downloads it, but is unimpressed by the dull gameplay, which involves tapping the screen to collect "Canadough" to build buildings. He is even less impressed when the game offers him packages of Canadough coins for actual money, belying the idea that the game is free. Cartman and Kenny arrive, and Cartman says he spent $5 on the game before getting bored with it. Stan, by contrast, is hooked on the game, and Randy and Sharon confront him over spending $489 on in-game microtransactions. Randy is convinced Stan's addiction susceptibility comes from his [[TheGamblingAddict gambling addict]] father Marvin, despite very obviously struggling with [[TheAlcoholic alcohol addiction]] himself.

The Terrance and Phillip game is revealed to be the work of the Canadian Department of Mobile Gaming, and Terrance and Phillip themselves are angry about the damage to their brand. The Minister of Mobile Gaming admits that the game is freemium ("mium" is translated as "not really") rather than free, and he explains the underlying psychology of the addictive nature of mobile apps before pacifying the duo with a cut of the billions of dollars the game has raised, as well as making a token gesture to persuade people to play in moderation.

When Stan misses a day of school, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny find that he has spent the entire "sick day" playing the Terrance and Phillip game, and they all realise that the same person advertised the game to them: Jimmy. When confronted, Jimmy admits that he hasn't played the game and is being paid by the Canadian government to act as a pusher to pay off his own debts after getting addicted to a previous freemium app. Cartman gets the word out on Twitter, and when Terrance and Phillip confront the Minister of Mobile Gaming again, he reveals himself as Beelzaboot, the Canadian Devil, and takes the duo and the Prince of Canada hostage.

With Stan now having spent $26,000 on microtransactions, he decides to ask his friends for help, but Jimmy tells him he needs to appeal to a higher power. That night, Stan prays for guidance and inadvertently summons Satan, who gives him a detailed explanation of how the brain's positive reaction to dopamine gets people addicted to pleasurable activities (whatever the danger), and how genetics can make people vulnerable to addiction. But when Stan shows him the game and says it is Canadian, Satan recognises it as Beelzaboot's handiwork. He temporarily possesses Stan and flies off to Ottawa, where, after an epic battle, Beelzaboot is defeated, and the Canadian government swears off raising money with scam freemium games. Meanwhile, Stan and Marvin have taken up board gaming to kick their financially ruinous addictions, but Randy, none the wiser for their experiences, suggests betting money on the outcome.

In the halls of South Park Elementary, Jimmy tells Kyle about a new free WesternAnimation/TerranceAndPhilip mobile game. Kyle downloads it, but is unimpressed by the dull gameplay, which involves tapping the screen to collect "Canadough" to build buildings. He is even less impressed when the game offers him packages of Canadough coins for actual money, belying the idea that the game is free. Cartman and Kenny arrive, and Cartman says he spent $5 on the game before getting bored with it. Stan, by contrast, is hooked on the game, and Randy and Sharon confront him over spending $489 on in-game microtransactions. Randy is convinced Stan's addiction susceptibility comes from his [[TheGamblingAddict gambling addict]] father Marvin, despite very obviously struggling with [[TheAlcoholic alcohol addiction]] himself.