> If a game developer can make a living making "premium" games, then it makes sense to do so, especially with the very real ethical problems with making free-to-play games laden with microtransactions.

Most developers cannot make a living selling premium games on mobile. There have been plenty of cost breakdowns posted to HN by game developers.

Occasionally a big mega-hit can make a profit, but for the majority of developers, free is now the only viable way.