Windows 10 requires payment for ad-free ‘Solitaire’

“Solitaire” has been a popular Windows PC game that has been installed throughout every version of the OS since the 90s. With the release of the Windows 10 last July 29, the game is pre-installed yet again, but now with the option to remove ads at a price.

The Windows 10 comes with The Microsoft Solitaire Collection, which bundles the likes of “Freecell,” “Klondike,” and “Spider Solitaire.” Part and parcel of the collection are the ads and achievements. By subscribing to the service, The Microsoft Solitaire Collection Premium Edition, will remove ads that may bug some users when playing the games, reported PC Gamer.

This edition will come with a monthly fee of $1.50 (AU $2) or an annual fee of $10 (AU$13.70). Subscribing to the premium edition not only removes ads, it will also offer more coins for completing "Daily Challenges" and will power-up players when playing TriPeaks or Pyramid. The game also lets players see their standing in a global leader board.

Polygon pointed out that the “Solitaire” Premium Edition for Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 is basically the same, but the Windows 8.1 “Solitaire” is offered as a separate app in the Microsoft Store instead of being pre-installed like the Windows 10 version.

The ads are not small banners that appear at the sides of the screen while a game is on-going. Rather, these ads are videos that block up the entire screen for 15 to 30 seconds. Although they don’t appear very often, they cannot be skipped unlike other ads that can be cut after a few seconds. Polygon added that the in-game coins cannot be used for removing the ads as their sole purpose is to unlock themes for the game.

Windows 10 is a free operating system from Microsoft launched last July 29. According to Microsoft, it puts the best from Windows 7 and 8 into one operating system. Its features include the return of the start menu from Windows 7 and its very own version of virtual-assistant, Cortana.

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