‘Temple Run’ coming to Android in February 2012

Temple Run is coming to Android next month, following its hugely successful iOS release. It’s currently the top grossing title on the App Store, despite being a free app — all its revenue comes from in-app purchases of coins. These aren’t essential to play, but let the player buy power-ups and characters with which to run through the eponymous temple. Though the game initially launched at the 99-cent pricepoint on iOS, it’s clearly finding more success as a giveaway. Imangi Studios says that while only one percent of users end up paying, the ability to earn more coins by playing the game keeps people hooked and boosts word-of-mouth. This freemium model could also make it a good match for the Android Market — many paid iOS games such as Angry Birds go for free on Android, with the Market now being the largest free app store in the world.