Game started at 2nd page - Looking for suggestion

This probably isn't the forum to be talking about this, but when your game gets accepted you need to go into iTunes Connect and set the release date (under pricing) to the day you get the email. Also, games are sorted alphabetically within a release day. Starting with "Z" will get you pushed off.

Also, today there was an unusual glitch in the AppStore which caused a ton of games to be delayed 15+ hours and then all release at once.

 

Same thing happened to me yesterday with Surf Shark, except it was even worse yesterday.

A lot of apps have suddenly been approved in the last couple of days. So we're caught in the flood, even though the release dates are good.

 

It is sorted by release date, and works the same in every category. In my sub category alone, there were 110 releases yesterday. Because my app starts with a 'T', that put me around #105, in the list for Sept. 18th. I doubt they're recording the hour something was released, so sorting alphabetically by day is the only reasonable option.

It's not usually this bad, as yesterday was very uncommon. However, do not be surprised if you are always pushed to the end of the first page on updates, since you are an 'S' game.

 

What I do is set a release date a week or so into the future when I submit to the app store... if it is not approved by the night of the release date I set, I change the release date to the next day... and continue the process every night, until the app gets approved.

In this way, my itunesconnect "release date" will be the same as the ACTUAL release date at the time of release...

With updates, you should never set the release date to the future. So instead, every day I set the release date to the current date until an update is approved.

 

Do not do this for an update, it'll change the date of the current version to two weeks in the future, and it'll become unavailable in the store.

In general, I never set a date to the future. I go in every morning and change every app that's in review to the current date.

 

MarsApp, I think by the time you get the email, it's too late to change the itunesconect release date... unless you have an update...

That's why I do this before the app is approved.

So if you've set the release date to Oct. 20th... I'd wait till Oct. 20th, say 11:00pm. If the ready for sale email has still not arrived (ie: the app is still not approved), I'd change the release date to the 21st.

Then on the 21st, if by 11:00pm the app hasn't been approved, I'd make the itunesconnect release date the 22nd.

etc...

Don't follow this process for updates! When submitting updates, never change the release date to a future date, as this will take your app out of the app store. However, you can change the release date to the current date or earlier.

For updates, I simply change the release date every day to the current date until the update is approved.

 

Okay guys, I'm seeing a lot of misinformation here. There is only one time you ever need to change your release date, and that is the moment you receive the Ready For Sale email. Changing it every day to the current date does nothing at all, because that field only applies to the current version of the application, if it exists, and we all know you can't keep updating your release date everyday for that. The only thing you can do is change it to the future.

I'm not talking out my butt here. I've had six product releases in the last 14 months, and about 25 updates. Every time I get the Ready For Sale email, I go in and change the date to the current date. And every time it works, without fail.

 

I've had seven releases and a bunch of updates; changing it in the morning has worked fine every time for me. It will definitely change the release date of the update. Changing it when you get the email works too (for a certain number of hours, and depending on your time zone), but you run the risk of missing the email.

Whatever you're comfortable with, just don't change the current release to a future date.

 

Interesting. And what kind of delay are you seeing from Ready For Sale to appearing on the New Release list, and the new date showing up on the store? I've been seeing about a one hour delay before the new date shows up, and 3-6 hours for the list. I think the release list is only updated a couple times a day, so your luck there may depend on what time of day the Ready For Sale happens.

 

I know your pain, Stick Escape and Stick Escape lite came out yesterday and they were instantly on the second page

 

I haven't actually released anything for the App Store yet, so I'm a little confused as to why this is an issue(I'm not sure how the process works)?

Couldn't you just set your date to be 3 weeks in the future or something, and then if it gets approved before that, it'll just show up on that date as if it's new? Will that make it not show up as a new release, or are you just trying to get your games/apps out as soon as possible?

 

I'm not really sure about the delay. I've had almost all my updates happen in the evening, so I'm asleep by the time they get on the new release list (I'm on the east coast). I guess there's not much I can do about it anyway, so I force myself to relax .

 

never mind. already discussed.

 

I'm referring to changing the release date of the unreleased app or update... which you can do at any time while the app is in review...

As per Uptown Arts mentioned, the update's release date is affected however you should never change an update's release date to the future, as that will put the app out of the app store until that date...

I didn't know there was a time delay between the email and the appearance on the app store... My concern is how much time you have after the email is sent....

 

As far as I've seen, based on my experience, and those I've talked to over the last year, you have all day to do it.