Apple strips devs of promo codes for apps rated 17+

Discussion in 'General Game Discussion and Questions' started by Kamazar, Jul 20, 2009.

  1. Kamazar

    Kamazar Well-Known Member

    Dec 13, 2008
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    #1 Kamazar, Jul 20, 2009
    Last edited: Jul 20, 2009
    Eh, a little excessive maybe?

    Original Article
     
  2. sizzlakalonji

    sizzlakalonji Moderator
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    Apr 16, 2009
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    Where is this classic Doom port of which you speak?
     
  3. Kamazar

    Kamazar Well-Known Member

    Dec 13, 2008
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    Not my article, but I'm guessing he's talking about Doom Resurrection.
     
  4. sizzlakalonji

    sizzlakalonji Moderator
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    More than likely.
     
  5. Fluffeh

    Fluffeh Well-Known Member

    May 25, 2009
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    east coast.... somewhere
    Where did you find this article?
     
  6. Uhgii

    Uhgii Well-Known Member

    May 18, 2009
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    That does sound like a bit much... there's no way to have accounts tagged as "under 17" and just not allow them to redeem promo codes for applications with that rating? They're going to honestly pin this on the developer, and remove their capability to easily share their apps altogether?

    I understand the business move, but it's a shame.
     
  7. Kamazar

    Kamazar Well-Known Member

    Dec 13, 2008
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    Here. Just edited it in the original post, too.
     
  8. HardcoreEricXXX

    HardcoreEricXXX Well-Known Member

    Nov 29, 2008
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    Hey should just permit them to be used with accounts that have a credit card attached to credit cards that are password protected
     
  9. HJJ

    HJJ Well-Known Member

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    How about parents keep tabs on their own kids? We're not talking about dangerous activities like letting your "tweens" take shots of tequila and then watching them ride off on motorcycles without helmets. Trying to mommy-police something like the App Store is so pathetic that it would be funny except for how tragically sad it actually is. I want to blame Apple, and I have to hand them some of the blame, but really it's not purely Apple's fault. It's this irresponsible mentality among some parents these days.

    HEY, so you bought your child an expensive luxury device? Congrats. Now that you're done being Santa Claus, it's time to be a parent. Understand the product that you just placed in your precious little angel's hands. Monitor its use. Your kid wants money to buy a game? Read the game's description. Download it yourself. Your kid buys his own iTunes gift cards to sneak purchases behind your back? Well, besides the fact that you have an untrustworthy child, how about weekly checks of your kid's iTunes account? That's right! Responsibility and accountability in parenting. Be careful, though. While it might result in properly raised offspring, it will probably also eliminate the need to sue a large company for big bucks or get a bill passed through Congress named after your kid!

    Apple better watch out. Since they make it impossible to remove their own native apps, someone is bound to realize - sooner or later - that images of severe violence or worse (boobs!!!!!!!) can be viewed by young and old with Safari.

    Also, has it become chic again to save the children from video games? Why is the App Store always afflicted by this bullshit when you hear virtually nothing about the Rated-R movies that are available just a single click away?
     
  10. DHrox

    DHrox Well-Known Member

    Jan 21, 2009
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    I think that rated-R movies and videogames exist in different worlds. Parents are more concerned about kids doing illegal things in the virtual world and that they know how to do it then letting them watch it, even it is practically the same thing. Maybe parents are worried that their children will become bloodthirsty killers. I met a mom who let her 8-year old watch Gladiator but he couldn't play M games. WTF?
     
  11. HJJ

    HJJ Well-Known Member

    Dec 2, 2008
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    I can see this... but it just defies logic!

    I live in NY so I'm not sure if this story has been making the rounds in other regions, but we've been hearing about this Starbucks bomber kid who allegedly did it because of Fight Club. It's important to relay the facts to the public, but this incident has nothing to do with Fight Club or Brad Pitt (!!!). It has to do with a nutjob teenager who would have found another way to expel his apparently destructive nature had he never seen a movie in which a Starbucks was blown up.

    By the way, this movie has been playing on plain old basic cable for the last couple of months. In fact, it was on just last night. Ratings and public babysitting can only go so far. At a certain point we have to accept responsibility for our own children, and at the same time, teach them to be responsible themselves.

    Anyway, maybe eventually, Apple can release two types of promo codes - a set for any takers and a set somehow dedicated to "journalists." Not sure how they'd implement it, but it seems pretty unfair to not allow certain apps an equal opportunity to market. Kind of like how poor NC-17 movies will never be shown in theaters, often because of a mere couple of minutes of some taboo or another.
     
  12. DHrox

    DHrox Well-Known Member

    Jan 21, 2009
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    Indeed, it is completely stupid. And you're right; the teen had to have been under some sort of pressure or state of insanity to have blown up Starbucks. I agree that he would have taken his vengeance out on something else (probably not boobs:rolleyes:) but something he could destroy. At that breaking point, there was no turning back. He went ballistic.


    I don't know what kind of journalists would want iBoobs or something (none that I would care to mention at least), but that could work. The question remains; will there ever be normal promos for these games ever again? And some of these games are unfairly rated.
     
  13. schplurg

    schplurg Well-Known Member

    Is there anything at all to restrict children from buying these "Rated 17+" apps and games from iTunes? If not, then isn't this move just a tad hypocritical?
     
  14. Frand

    Frand Well-Known Member

    Adhoc builds aren't really such a big hassle as the article says. It's certainly a head-scratcher to get it done right the first time, but beyond that it's trivial.

    However, it just seems kind of pointless to get concerned about not being able to have a promo code for a 17+ app... isn't the real problem getting that kind of an app approved for the App Store altogether? With all blood needing to be fairy dust, all violence clean and boobs being banned, what kind of an app would even get a 17+ rating and still get on sale?

    It just seems to me this news is Apple saying "We disallow you to freely promote an app that we won't allow in our store in the first place." :)
     
  15. Aurora

    Aurora Well-Known Member

    Uh I can't even think of any apps rated 17+ unless you count those garbage like pictures of half naked men or women (I certainly don't count them as apps...). What are some proper apps rated 17+ anyways? I doubt this policy will even have much effect.
     
  16. weedeatinflyincougar

    weedeatinflyincougar Well-Known Member

    Jun 4, 2009
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    in the settings there is a parental control option
     
  17. CaseyLay

    CaseyLay Well-Known Member

    Jul 13, 2009
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    With the iPhone/iPod Touch becoming a better device for gaming everyday, I think it's time that Apple should have ERSB or some big rater like that rate the games.

    They are obviously not that good at rating games. If they have to be so "carefull" about what they let the kids buy in the appstore, then how come experiencing the power of the assassin for Assassin's Creed rated 12+? How come a world war shooter like Brothers In Arms be 12+? How come a bloody, violent game such as Payback be 12+?

    Now, I may sound like I'm exagerating those games a bit, since the graphics don't allow the complete explicitness of the themes to show, but they could still be taken into consideration. I love Apple and this device. I think they are awesome, but sometimes, it seems like they just don't think things through.
     
  18. Frand

    Frand Well-Known Member

    CaseyLay, you're mistaken with how the system works. With ESRB, you fill a form and apply for a rating, pay a fee and wait for approval. This would only add extra delays and costs to iPhone development.

    Here's a link to an article that mentions ESRB rating costs:
    WiiWare developers pay $2500 for ESRB.

    Apple is to be commended for having a fast and functional age rating system, plus the App Store approval team still checks every submitted app before it goes on sale.
     
  19. Fluffeh

    Fluffeh Well-Known Member

    May 25, 2009
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    student :P
    east coast.... somewhere
    Apple does need to stop trying to play parent to kids who want to buy iBoobs. I don't care what kind of rating system and parental controls you put in place. If a 12 year old kid wants to go buy a mature app, they're gonna get around whatever boundaries you put there. It doesn't take much to disable the parental controls in iTunes. And this is only for the parents who know how to set them up in the first place.

    The stupid thing here is the possibility of Twitter apps getting the mature rating. Anything that has OpenFeint chat rooms is going to be the same. I don't understand why they can't do the same thing that's used for console games. Rate the app itself whatever and say "online interactions are not rated by Apple." Or give a warning when you open the app.

    Thanks for the link, too. That was my investigative journalism streak showing up. :)
     

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